SOC 2 Penetration Testing Providers
SOC 2 Type II Service Organization Control · North America
SOC 2 is an auditing framework developed by the AICPA that evaluates a service organisation's controls relevant to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy (the Trust Services Criteria). SOC 2 Type II reports are increasingly required by enterprise customers evaluating SaaS vendors, cloud service providers, and managed service providers.
Penetration testing is a critical component of demonstrating compliance with the Common Criteria (CC) 4.1, which requires organisations to evaluate and test the design and operating effectiveness of controls. Regular penetration testing provides evidence that security controls are working as intended and helps identify gaps before they are found during the SOC 2 audit.
Many SOC 2 auditors specifically look for annual penetration testing as evidence of a mature security programme. Testing should cover the systems and services described in the SOC 2 report scope, including infrastructure, applications, APIs, and access controls.
NCC Group
Global cybersecurity consultancy with CREST, CHECK, and CBEST accreditation, renowned for deep technical research and comprehensive penetration testing services.
SECFORCE
Canary Wharf-based adversary simulation and CBEST-aligned penetration testing consultancy, delivering CREST-accredited offensive security to UK financial services and other organisations with the most demanding requirements.
NetSPI
Penetration testing firm trusted by nine of the top ten US banks, with the Resolve platform for continuous attack surface management.
Trustwave
Global managed security provider with the elite SpiderLabs penetration testing team and deep PCI DSS compliance expertise.
Pentest People
CREST and CHECK-accredited UK penetration testing firm with an innovative SecurePortal platform and transparent pricing for mid-market organizations.
Mandiant
World-renowned cybersecurity firm now part of Google Cloud, delivering threat intelligence-led penetration testing and red teaming informed by front-line incident response experience.
TrustedSec
Offensive security firm founded by former NSA operator David Kennedy, delivering CREST-accredited penetration testing, red teaming, and adversary simulation to Fortune 500 and government clients.
Bulletproof
CREST-accredited UK cybersecurity and compliance provider offering penetration testing, managed security services, and regulatory consultancy to over 2,000 customers from its Stevenage headquarters.
GuidePoint Security
US-headquartered cybersecurity consultancy with 800+ employees, serving ~40% of the Fortune 500. FedRAMP 3PAO, PCI QSA, and HITRUST accreditations.
Coalfire
Compliance-focused cybersecurity advisory firm and FedRAMP 3PAO specializing in penetration testing that meets stringent regulatory requirements.
Bishop Fox
Tempe, Arizona-headquartered offensive security firm and Black Hat / DEF CON regulars, makers of the Cosmos continuous attack surface management platform.
SOC 2 FAQs
Is penetration testing required for SOC 2?+
While not explicitly required by the Trust Services Criteria, penetration testing is strongly expected by most auditors as evidence of meeting CC4.1 (monitoring of controls) and CC7.1 (identification and response to security incidents).
What types of pen testing support SOC 2 compliance?+
Web application, network, and API penetration testing are most relevant. The scope should align with the systems and services covered in your SOC 2 report.
How recent should pen test results be for SOC 2 audit?+
Pen test results should be within the audit period (typically 12 months). Most organisations schedule annual pen tests to coincide with their SOC 2 audit cycle.