TrollEye Security

Menu

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) Explained

What is Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)?

For most organizations, keeping up with attackers as they get smarter, faster, and more targeted feels like a constant race, and traditional testing methods are of no help. Old methods like point-in-time assessments and annual testing can’t keep pace with a changing environment, leaving organizations exposed.

That’s where Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) makes a difference. PTaaS isn’t just about running scans, it’s about having experienced testers continuously look at your environment the way an attacker would, so you can find and fix the gaps before someone else does. This article will explain what PTaaS is, what it isn’t, what you need to look for in a PTaaS provider, and how our unique solution and process go beyond the competition. 

Table of Contents

What is True PTaaS?
Benefits of PTaaS
What to Look for in a PTaaS Provider
Our PTaaS Process
Learn More About Our PTaaS Offering

What is True Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)?

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) is a framework that helps organizations identify vulnerabilities in their digital infrastructure by continuously testing systems and applications. Unlike traditional penetration testing, PTaaS offers continuous security testing, allowing organizations to constantly adapt to the changing threat landscape. However, before we go into further detail about what PTaaS is, it’s important to clarify what it isn’t.

PTaaS Isn't Automated Testing

PTaaS isn’t automated security testing; Although many PTaaS platforms do heavily automate a large number of tasks, allowing testers to focus on exploitation without getting bogged down by monotonous tasks, PTaaS should never be fully automated. Instead of relying solely on machines, PTaaS solutions should automate repetitive tasks, allowing for a blend of automation and human expertise that streamlines vulnerability management while maintaining quality testing.

Learn More About Automated Testing Vs PTaaS

PTaaS Isn't On-Demand Testing

PTaaS isn’t on-demand penetration testing; Some vendors label their on-demand testing portals as “PTaaS,” but ordering a test whenever you think you need one isn’t the same as having a structured, continuous testing program. True PTaaS delivers scheduled, recurring assessments without requiring manual requests each time. It ensures your environment is being tested consistently, whether or not you remember to click a button, so new risks are caught as your systems evolve. On-demand testing is reactive, while PTaaS is proactive.

Learn More About On-Demand Testing Vs PTaaS

PTaaS Isn't Crowdsourced Security

PTaaS isn’t crowdsourced security; Crowdsourced security models tap into large communities of independent testers, often with little coordination or consistency. While this can uncover surface-level issues, it lacks the structure, accountability, and continuity needed for enterprise-grade security. PTaaS, by contrast, is a formalized, ongoing service that delivers consistent, high-quality testing through a dedicated team.

Learn More About Crowdsourced Security Vs PTaaS

True PTaaS is a continuous security testing model that combines automated scanning with expert-led, manual testing to identify and validate real-world risks. It delivers ongoing access to findings, clear remediation guidance, and direct collaboration with testers, streamlining vulnerability management and addressing modern security needs.

Key Benefits of Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)

Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) isn’t just a more efficient way to test security, it’s a smarter, more strategic approach to managing risk.

By moving beyond one-off assessments, PTaaS delivers lasting value through continuous validation, actionable insights, and closer alignment between your security team, resulting in several clear benefits over traditional models.

  • Real-Time Risk Reduction: With continuous testing and on-demand access to validated findings, your team can quickly remediate vulnerabilities as they emerge, minimizing exposure windows and reducing the chance of exploitation.
  • Smarter Prioritization: PTaaS goes beyond basic scan results by validating exploitability, simulating real-world attack paths, and providing threat context, so your team can focus on the issues that actually matter, not just what shows up in a scan.
  • Streamlined Collaboration and Visibility: A centralized platform gives security teams and stakeholders real-time access to results, trends, and progress. This improves coordination, accelerates remediation cycles, and helps demonstrate value to leadership.

With PTaaS, penetration testing becomes a continuous part of your security lifecycle, not a once-a-year checkbox. Resulting in a more agile, informed, and resilient security posture.

"According to Gartner®, without more scalable and responsive approaches like PTaaS, security leaders risk falling behind adversaries, missing critical exposures, and failing to meet evolving business and regulatory demands."

Gartner, Innovation Insight: Penetration Testing as a Service, Mitchell Schneider, Dhivya Poole, Carlos De Sola Caraballo, William Dupre, Eric Ahlm, 3 October 2025

Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

What Should You Look for in a PTaaS Provider?

Not all Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) offerings are created equal. The right provider should do more than run scans and deliver reports, they should actively help you reduce risk and improve your security posture. Here are three key things to look for:

  • Expert-Driven, Continuous Testing: Choose a provider that relies on experienced ethical hackers to perform manual testing, not just automated scans. They should simulate real-world attack paths and maintain a consistent, proactive testing cadence, not wait for you to request it.
  • Actionable, Prioritized Reporting: Real-time access is essential, but so is how the information is delivered. Look for providers that prioritize findings by impact and exploitability, and that offer clear context. Results should be organized by role and easily tracked through the platform, helping your team quickly triage and respond.
  • A True Security Partnership: PTaaS should come with ongoing support, not just a report drop. Your provider should be available to validate remediations, answer questions, and guide your team through the process. Their role is to help you fix what’s broken and stay ahead of what’s coming.

When PTaaS is done right, it’s not just a service; it’s a long-term extension of your security team, helping you stay prepared, resilient, and one step ahead of the next attack.

Our Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) Process

Our own PTaaS solution operates within a well-defined lifecycle that encompasses five stages, each contributing to comprehensive and continuous testing.

Our process is repeated up to weekly, depending on the testing frequency chosen, with each step designed to mimic real-world adversaries while providing your team with actionable insights.

  • Assess

  • Pen Testers Assess (Scoping and Reconnaissance)

    Every engagement starts with a clear understanding of your environment, laying the groundwork for an effective test.

    1. Identify Assets: Our process begins with a meticulous identification of your digital assets, including systems, networks, and applications.
    2. Scan: Our platform scans your assets, seeking vulnerabilities and potential entry points.
    3. Analyze: Our team analyzes the data gathered during scanning, scrutinizing it to unearth vulnerabilities.
    4. Test: Our testers then subject your assets to a battery of tests to verify their susceptibility.
  • Prioritize

  • Pen Testers Prioritize (Vulnerability Analysis)

    With validated findings in hand, we assess each vulnerability through the lens of real-world risk, so your team knows what to fix first and why it matters.

    1. Add Threat Context: To understand the gravity of vulnerabilities, we add essential threat context to each identified issue.
    2. Gauge Exposure: We evaluate the exposure level of these vulnerabilities, considering potential impact and exploitability.
    3. Assign Value: Each vulnerability is assigned a value, helping you prioritize and focus on the most critical issues.
    4. Report: Our findings are then meticulously documented in our platform, providing a clear snapshot of your vulnerabilities. 
  • Client Acts

  • Client Acts (Remediation)

    Once vulnerabilities are identified and prioritized, it’s your turn to act, guided by our recommendations and insights to reduce real risk across your environment.

    1. Remediate: Your organization takes action to remediate the identified vulnerabilities based on our recommendations.
    2. Mitigate: Alternatively, mitigation measures may be put in place to reduce the risk associated with certain vulnerabilities.
    3. Accept Risk: In some cases, after careful evaluation, you may choose to accept a certain level of risk.
  • Re-Assess

  • Pen Testers Re-Assess (Retesting)

    After your team takes action, we return to verify results, ensuring that vulnerabilities have been properly resolved and no longer pose a threat.

    1. Rescan: Following remediation or mitigation, we conduct rescans to verify that the identified vulnerabilities have been adequately addressed.
    2. Retest: Our experts conduct rigorous retesting to ensure that vulnerabilities are no longer exploitable.
    3. Validate: The final step involves validation, where we confirm that your environment is now secure against previously identified threats.
  • Improve

  • Processes Improve

    With remediation complete and fixes verified, the final phase focuses on ensuring long-term improvement by closing the loop and strengthening future readiness.

    1. Eliminate Issues: Any remaining issues are meticulously addressed to ensure your environment is free from vulnerabilities.
    2. Evolve Processes: We work with your organization to evolve security processes and practices based on the lessons learned.
    3. Evaluate Metrics: By evaluating the metrics and outcomes of the entire PTaaS lifecycle, we help you continuously improve your security posture and readiness.

Pen Testers Assess (Scoping and Reconnaissance)

Every engagement starts with a clear understanding of your environment, laying the groundwork for an effective test.

  1. Identify Assets: Our process begins with a meticulous identification of your digital assets, including systems, networks, and applications.
  2. Scan: Our platform scans your assets, seeking vulnerabilities and potential entry points.
  3. Analyze: Our team analyzes the data gathered during scanning, scrutinizing it to unearth vulnerabilities.
  4. Test: Our testers then subject your assets to a battery of tests to verify their susceptibility.

Pen Testers Prioritize (Vulnerability Analysis)

With validated findings in hand, we assess each vulnerability through the lens of real-world risk, so your team knows what to fix first and why it matters.

  1. Add Threat Context: To understand the gravity of vulnerabilities, we add essential threat context to each identified issue.
  2. Gauge Exposure: We evaluate the exposure level of these vulnerabilities, considering potential impact and exploitability.
  3. Assign Value: Each vulnerability is assigned a value, helping you prioritize and focus on the most critical issues.
  4. Report: Our findings are then meticulously documented in our platform, providing a clear snapshot of your vulnerabilities. 

Client Acts (Remediation)

Once vulnerabilities are identified and prioritized, it’s your turn to act, guided by our recommendations and insights to reduce real risk across your environment.

  1. Remediate: Your organization takes action to remediate the identified vulnerabilities based on our recommendations.
  2. Mitigate: Alternatively, mitigation measures may be put in place to reduce the risk associated with certain vulnerabilities.
  3. Accept Risk: In some cases, after careful evaluation, you may choose to accept a certain level of risk.

Pen Testers Re-Assess (Retesting)

After your team takes action, we return to verify results, ensuring that vulnerabilities have been properly resolved and no longer pose a threat.

  1. Rescan: Following remediation or mitigation, we conduct rescans to verify that the identified vulnerabilities have been adequately addressed.
  2. Retest: Our experts conduct rigorous retesting to ensure that vulnerabilities are no longer exploitable.
  3. Validate: The final step involves validation, where we confirm that your environment is now secure against previously identified threats.

Processes Improve

With remediation complete and fixes verified, the final phase focuses on ensuring long-term improvement by closing the loop and strengthening future readiness.

  1. Eliminate Issues: Any remaining issues are meticulously addressed to ensure your environment is free from vulnerabilities.
  2. Evolve Processes: We work with your organization to evolve security processes and practices based on the lessons learned.
  3. Evaluate Metrics: By evaluating the metrics and outcomes of the entire PTaaS lifecycle, we help you continuously improve your security posture and readiness.

Our PTaaS lifecycle is designed to do more than just find vulnerabilities, it’s built to help your organization continuously reduce risk, improve security maturity, and stay ahead of evolving threats. By combining expert-driven testing, ongoing validation, and real-world threat context, PTaaS turns security testing into a proactive, repeatable process that drives measurable outcomes over time.

Download Your Guide to Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)

Learn what true PTaaS is and how it can help your security team reduce risk through continuous scheduled engagements.

Download Our White Paper

Learn More About Our PTaaS Offering

Our PTaaS solution is designed to drive real security outcomes, not just generate reports. With continuous visibility from weekly testing, role-based tasks distribution, and real-time access through our platform, we help you respond faster and fix what matters most. And with added capabilities like attack surface management, dark web analysis, and phishing assessments, we surface risks others overlook, both technical and human.

If you’re looking for a security partner that helps you stay ahead of threats, streamline remediation, and strengthen your defenses over time, get in touch with us today.

Learn More About Our PTaaS Offering

FAQs About PTaaS

How is PTaaS different from traditional penetration testing?

Traditional pentests are typically scheduled annual or biannual engagements that yield static reports, valuable, but often outdated by the time they’re delivered. PTaaS, in contrast, leverages ongoing testing (e.g., weekly or monthly), real-time findings delivery, and continuous collaboration, delivering more timely, actionable insights.

No. Though PTaaS leverages automation for routine tasks, it’s not fully automated. Its strength lies in combining automation with skilled human testers, ensuring complex or nuanced vulnerabilities are reliably identified and validated.

Models vary greatly, but at TrollEye Security, PTaaS includes monthly testing by default, with the option for weekly testing in environments requiring higher security, or even faster coverage.

Pricing varies between providers; however, TrollEye’s PTaaS starts at $20 per asset per month, with a minimum of 100 assets. This package includes monthly penetration testing, attack surface management, dark web analysis for one domain, phishing assessments, and regular cadence meetings.

Many compliance frameworks (such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and SOC 2) require regular penetration testing. PTaaS not only helps meet those requirements but also provides ongoing evidence of security posture, which is especially useful during audits.

Bug bounties can be effective for uncovering issues from a wide pool of external researchers, but they can lack consistency and accountability. PTaaS offers a structured, repeatable approach with oversight and heavily certified testers, making it a better fit for many organizations’ risk management strategies.

Share:

Recent posts

This Content Is Gated