Offensive Security · Filed · Singapore · 6 min read
How to Scope a Penetration Test: A Buyer's Guide
Scope determines whether a penetration test finds exploitable risk or generates a scanner report. A guide to targets, rules of engagement, methodology, and reporting.
By Cyber Inspect Editorial Board
Scope is the deliverable-in-waiting
A vague scope produces a vague report. Every commercially useful penetration test starts with a written risk hypothesis and a stated business impact.
Six variables to codify in the SoW
- Targets: hosts, applications, cloud accounts, network ranges.
- Depth: black, grey, or white box.
- Authentication: what credentials the tester receives.
- Rules of engagement: destructive tests, DoS, social engineering.
- Timing: business hours, blackout windows, customer notification.
- Reporting: executive summary, technical report, retest inclusion.