We Try to Break Into Your Business – So No One Else Can

Penetration testing is the only way to know if your defences actually hold. Our in-house team attacks your systems using the same techniques real threat actors use — and tells you exactly what they found.

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ASD Essential Eight Framework

All Work Performed In-House

Over 30 Years Experience

Trusted by Australian Organisations

In-house

All testing done by AusCi — no subcontractors, ever

Testing disciplines — network, web application, social engineering

Real-world

Techniques drawn from current threat actor playbooks, not textbook exercises

Plain English

Findings written for executives and engineers — not just CVE numbers

What Is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing — pen testing — is a controlled, authorised attempt to compromise your systems, networks, or people using the same methods a real attacker would use. The difference is that we do it with your knowledge and permission, and we tell you everything we find.

Unlike a vulnerability scan (which identifies known weaknesses automatically), a penetration test involves human intelligence, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and creative attack chaining. A scanner tells you the door is unlocked. A pen tester walks through it and shows you what’s on the other side.

The output is a detailed report of every finding — how we got in, how far we got, what data was accessible, and exactly what needs to change to prevent a real attacker from doing the same.

AUSCI – CYBER SECURITY PENETRATION SPECIALISTS

Why a Vulnerability Scan Isn’t Enough

Automated scanners catch known CVEs and misconfigurations against a checklist. They don’t chain vulnerabilities together, they don’t test whether your staff will click a phishing link, and they don’t attempt to move laterally once they’ve found a foothold. Real attackers do all of those things.

A penetration test by a skilled human finds what scanners miss — and proves whether your controls actually hold under pressure, not just in theory.

Our Penetration Testing Services

Network & Infrastructure Testing

We assess your internal and external network perimeter, identify exposed services, test firewall rules, attempt lateral movement between systems, and evaluate segmentation effectiveness. Covers both on-premise and cloud environments.

Web Application Testing

We test your web applications against the OWASP Top 10 and beyond — injection flaws, broken authentication, insecure APIs, access control failures, and business logic vulnerabilities. Includes authenticated and unauthenticated testing.

Social Engineering & Phishing Simulation

We test your people, not just your systems. Simulated phishing campaigns, pretexting, and (where scoped) physical access attempts reveal how your organisation holds up against the human element — still the most exploited attack vector.

How a Penetration Test Works

Step 1 — Rules of Engagement

We define scope, objectives, timing, and constraints before anything starts. What’s in scope (IP ranges, applications, domains, people). What’s out of scope. How we handle live findings. Emergency contact protocols. Nothing starts until this is agreed in writing.

Step 2 — Reconnaissance

We gather as much intelligence as possible from public sources before touching your systems — OSINT, exposed credentials, infrastructure enumeration, employee profiles. The same work a real attacker would do.

Step 3 — Active Testing

We attempt to exploit vulnerabilities using real attack techniques: network exploitation, web application attacks, credential attacks, phishing campaigns (where in scope). We document everything — attempted and successful — as we go.

Step 4 — Post-Exploitation (Where Applicable)

Where we achieve initial access, we attempt to move laterally, escalate privileges, and access sensitive data — to demonstrate the real-world impact of a successful breach, not just that entry was possible.

Step 5 — Reporting

You receive a full penetration test report: executive summary (what we found, what it means for your business), technical findings (every vulnerability, evidence, CVSS score), and a prioritised remediation list. Written for both leadership and your engineering team.

Step 6 — Debrief & Remediation Support

We walk through findings with your team. We’re available to answer technical questions during your remediation process, and can retest specific findings once fixed.

What You Receive

Our commitment to customer service, privacy and professionalism sets us apart from the competition.

Full penetration test report (executive + technical sections)
Evidenced findings with screenshots and reproduction steps
CVSS severity ratings for each vulnerability
Prioritised remediation list

Executive summary (business impact focused)
Debrief session with your team
Remediation support during the fix phase
Optional: retest to verify fixes once remediated

Choose Your Scope

Black Box

Grey Box

White Box

We begin with no knowledge of your internal environment — simulating an external attacker with no insider access. Maximum realism. Slower and broader in scope. Best for: testing your external perimeter and how much damage an unknown attacker can do.

We begin with limited knowledge — perhaps a standard user account or basic network documentation. Simulates a malicious insider or an attacker who has phished credentials. Best for: testing internal controls and lateral movement risk.

We begin with full knowledge — architecture diagrams, credentials, source code access where relevant. More efficient, more comprehensive coverage. Best for: thorough testing of specific applications or systems where maximum coverage matters more than realism.

Free to start

Know Your Exposure Before Someone Else Does

Not sure where to start? Our free online security audit at audit.ausci.au gives you a directional view of your security posture. When you’re ready for the real thing, our team is here.

Book a Penetration Test → Free Security Audit →

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a penetration test disrupt our business?

Not if scoped correctly — and scoping is the first thing we do. We agree on testing windows, avoid production-critical systems during business hours, and have emergency stop procedures in place. Disruption from a well-run pen test is rare and minimised by design.

How often should we do a penetration test?

At minimum annually, and after any significant change to your environment — new systems, major application releases, acquisitions, or significant network changes. Some insurance policies and compliance frameworks (including the Essential Eight at ML3) may require more frequent testing.

Do you test cloud environments?

Yes. We test AWS, Azure, and Microsoft 365 environments — though cloud pen testing has specific rules of engagement set by the providers. We’ll advise on what’s testable and how during scoping.

What’s the difference between a pen test and a vulnerability assessment?

A vulnerability assessment identifies and catalogues known weaknesses using automated tools. A penetration test has a human attacker actively attempting to exploit those (and other) weaknesses to achieve a specific objective. One tells you the gaps exist; the other shows you what happens when they’re used.

Do you do all the testing yourselves?

Yes — all penetration testing is carried out by AusCi’s own team. We do not subcontract testing work.