External Network Penetration Testing
Test Your Perimeter Before Someone Else Does
An external penetration test shows what an attacker on the internet could achieve against your public-facing systems. Pulsar IT scopes and coordinates the test, which is delivered by qualified specialist testers, subject to specialist availability and approval, and then helps you fix what is found.
What is External Network Penetration Testing?
Your business has a public face on the internet: the IP addresses of your office connections, your firewall, the VPN (virtual private network) gateway your remote staff connect to, email and web servers, and any other service reachable from outside. Automated tools scan addresses like these constantly, looking for a way in.
An external network penetration test is an authorised, simulated attack on those internet-facing systems. Qualified testers look for weaknesses and, within agreed rules, try to exploit them to show what an attacker could actually achieve. They then report what they found and how to fix it.
Pulsar IT agrees the scope with you, coordinates delivery with qualified specialist testers, subject to specialist availability and approval, and helps you plan and carry out the fixes afterwards.
Key benefits
- An outsider's view of what your business exposes to the internet
- Evidence of which weaknesses can really be exploited, not just which might exist
- A report with risk-prioritised findings and practical fixes
- Scoping, coordination and remediation handled through one provider
- An optional retest to confirm the fixes worked
How does it work?
Every test follows the same controlled path. Nothing is tested until the scope and rules of engagement are agreed and the owner of the systems has authorised the test in writing.
Scope and authorise
We agree which public IP addresses, domains and services are in scope, the testing window and the contacts on both sides. You authorise the test in writing as system owner, and we check whether any hosting or cloud provider requires notice or permission.
Test
Qualified specialist testers map your internet-facing services, identify weaknesses and, within the rules of engagement, attempt to exploit them to confirm the real level of risk.
Report
You receive a report explaining each finding, how it was found, its risk rating and the recommended fix, along with an overall summary of your external exposure.
Remediate and retest
We help you plan and make the fixes, whether through your managed services or as scoped work. An optional retest then checks that the reported issues have been resolved.
- Scope and authoriseWritten permission, scope and rules of engagement
- TestQualified specialists test internet-facing systems
- ReportFindings rated by risk, with recommended fixes
- RemediateFixes planned and made with Pulsar IT
- Optional retestConfirms the issues are resolved
What is typically tested
- Public IP addresses and internet-facing services in the agreed scope
- Firewalls, including any management interfaces reachable from the internet
- VPN gateways and other remote access services
- Email servers and mail-related services
- Web servers and the services they expose (in-depth testing of a website or web app is a separate web application penetration test)
- Exposed services such as remote desktop, file transfer or database ports
- Encryption and certificate settings on exposed services
- Weak or default sign-in protection on internet-facing logins, where the rules of engagement permit
Scanning vs penetration testing
A vulnerability scan is automated. It checks your systems against a catalogue of known weaknesses and reports what might be wrong. It doesn't try to break in, and it can't tell you whether several small issues could be combined into a serious one. Our Network Vulnerability Assessments work this way.
A penetration test goes further. Testers use scanning as a starting point, then apply manual techniques and judgement to confirm which weaknesses can actually be exploited and how far an attacker could get. Because it involves deliberate attempts to break in, it needs a written scope and authorisation.
Scope agreement and rules of engagement
Authorised testing is what separates a penetration test from an attack. Before any testing starts, these points are agreed in writing.
Scope
The exact public IP addresses, domains and services to be tested. Anything outside the scope is not touched.
Authorisation
Written permission from the owner of the systems in scope. Where systems are hosted by a third party or in the cloud, their terms may also require notice or permission.
Rules of engagement
When testing may take place, which techniques are allowed or excluded (for example, anything likely to overload a service), and how sensitive information found during testing is handled.
Contacts and stop conditions
Named contacts on both sides, and what happens if a critical issue or sign of a real compromise is found, so testing can pause and you can act quickly.
Reporting and risk prioritisation
Each finding is rated by risk, taking into account how easily it could be exploited and what an attacker could do with it. That lets you deal with the issues that matter most first rather than working through a long list in order.
Every finding comes with a remediation recommendation. Pulsar IT can explain the report in plain English, help you plan the fixes and, where you choose, arrange a retest to confirm they have worked.
Problems solved
Unknown internet exposure
Services get opened to the internet for a supplier or project and forgotten. A test shows what is actually reachable and whether it can be abused.
Remote access as a way in
VPN gateways and remote access services are attractive targets. Testing shows whether they can be bypassed or misused.
Scan results that don't show real risk
Scanner output lists possible issues. A penetration test confirms which ones an attacker could actually use.
Clients asking for evidence
Some clients, insurers and tenders ask whether your security has been tested. A report from an authorised test helps you answer.
What's included
Included as standard
- Scoping of the internet-facing systems to be tested
- Coordination of written authorisation and rules of engagement
- Testing within the agreed scope by qualified specialist testers, subject to specialist availability and approval
- A report with risk-prioritised findings and remediation recommendations
Optional or scoped
Available on request and confirmed in your proposal; not part of the standard service.
- A retest of fixed issues
- Remediation of findings by Pulsar IT, scoped separately
- Internal Network Penetration Testing
- Web Application Penetration Testing
What's not included
- Testing of any system without written authorisation from its owner
- Third-party hosted systems where the provider's permission can't be obtained
- Remediation work, unless scoped separately
- Internal network testing and in-depth web application testing, which are separate tests
- Disruptive testing such as attempts to overload services, unless explicitly agreed in the rules of engagement
A penetration test is a snapshot of the in-scope systems during the testing window. New services, changes and newly published vulnerabilities can change the picture afterwards.
Testing covers only the agreed scope and time, so it can't find every weakness. A test with no serious findings is reassuring, but it isn't proof that your systems are secure.
Testing is delivered by qualified specialist testers and is subject to specialist availability and approval. Dates and delivery arrangements are confirmed during scoping.
Who it's suitable for
- Businesses with remote access, VPN gateways or self-hosted email or web servers
- Organisations asked for security testing evidence by clients, insurers or tenders
- Businesses that have changed firewall, connectivity or hosting arrangements
- Companies that have worked through a vulnerability assessment and want deeper assurance
Pricing
Every external test is scoped individually, so the price is confirmed once we understand what you need tested. There is no charge for the scoping conversation.
Use the quote builder to add External Network Penetration Testing to an indicative quote, or book a free security review and we'll recommend what fits.
Price
Price Based on Scope
Price to be confirmed following a review of your requirements.
What affects the price
- Number of public IP addresses and internet-facing services
- Number of locations and internet connections
- Types of system in scope, such as VPN gateways, email and web servers
- Testing windows, including any out-of-hours requirement
- Permissions needed from hosting or cloud providers
- Whether a retest is included
All prices exclude VAT.
Add to Your QuoteFrequently asked questions
Who actually carries out the testing?
Testing is delivered by qualified specialist testers, subject to specialist availability and approval. Pulsar IT scopes the work with you, coordinates the test and helps with remediation, and we confirm the delivery arrangements before you commit.
Could the test take our internet services offline?
Testers work within agreed rules of engagement, and techniques likely to disrupt services are excluded unless you agree otherwise. Any testing carries some risk, so we agree testing windows and emergency contacts in advance.
Do we need permission from our hosting or cloud provider?
Sometimes. Some providers require notice or permission before their services are tested. We check the systems in scope during scoping, and anything that can't be authorised is left out.
How often should we have an external test?
It's sensible to test after significant changes to what you expose to the internet, such as a new firewall, VPN or hosted service, and then periodically. We can help you decide during scoping.
What do we need to provide?
A list of your public IP addresses, domains and internet-facing services, written authorisation and named contacts. Please don't put IP addresses or sign-in details in the online quote form; we collect scope details securely during scoping.
Will the report tell us how to fix the problems?
Yes. Each finding includes a remediation recommendation. Pulsar IT can help you carry out the fixes, and an optional retest confirms they have worked.
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