SOC 2 does not name "penetration testing" as a control by that exact term either — but Trust Services Criteria CC7.1 (monitoring for vulnerabilities) and CC4.1 (monitoring of controls) are, in practice, evidenced by a manual penetration test, and auditors plus enterprise security teams reviewing your report expect to see one. For SaaS companies, SOC 2 Type II has become the single most common gate blocking an enterprise deal in security review.
We deliver the manual, exploit-led testing that satisfies that expectation, reported in a format your auditor recognises and your customers' security teams can act on without follow-up questions.
We scope the engagement to your production application, API and cloud infrastructure, aligned to whichever Trust Services Criteria are in your report — Security always, plus Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity or Privacy where applicable — and time delivery to support your annual cadence or fall inside your Type II observation period, so the test itself is evidence of an operating control, not just a point-in-time check.
Why it matters
Enterprise buyers now routinely require a current SOC 2 report and supporting penetration test evidence before they will sign a contract. A stale, missing, or scanner-only "penetration test" is one of the most common reasons a SOC 2 package gets sent back by an auditor, or a deal stalls in a customer's security review at exactly the moment revenue is waiting on it.
What we test
- Production web application & API penetration testing
- Cloud infrastructure & configuration review
- Trust Services Criteria (CC7.1 / CC4.1) evidence mapping
- Access control & authentication testing
- Vulnerability management process review
- Post-remediation retest for auditor evidence
Common vulnerabilities we uncover
- No documented penetration test evidence for your SOC 2 report
- Automated scan results presented as a substitute for manual testing
- Untested changes deployed during the Type II observation period
- Missing mapping between findings and Trust Services Criteria
- Findings with no reproducible, auditor-reviewable evidence
- No retest evidence proving remediation actually happened
Our methodology
- Scoping & rules of engagement. We agree objectives, targets and boundaries for your soc 2 penetration testing, so testing is safe, authorized and focused on what matters to your business.
- Reconnaissance & mapping. We enumerate the full attack surface in scope, building a complete picture before any exploitation begins.
- Manual exploitation. Our senior testers chain vulnerabilities by hand — going far beyond automated scanners — to prove real, demonstrable impact.
- Analysis & reporting. Every finding is triaged, risk-rated with CVSS and written up with a copy-paste reproduction and clear remediation.
- Remediation support & free retest. We support your team through the fixes and retest the remediated issues to confirm they are genuinely closed.
Tools & techniques
We test your production web application, API and cloud infrastructure by hand, mapping every finding to the specific Trust Services Criteria it relates to — CC7.1, CC4.1 and any Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity or Privacy criteria in your report's scope. Reports are written to be handed directly to your auditor or dropped into a customer security questionnaire, not translated first.
When you need this engagement
- You are pursuing SOC 2 Type I or Type II for the first time
- Your auditor has flagged missing or outdated penetration test evidence
- An enterprise prospect's security questionnaire is blocked on your SOC 2 report
- You are renewing SOC 2 and need current annual testing evidence
- You are combining SOC 2 with ISO 27001 or HIPAA and want one evidence base
What you receive
- Manual penetration test report mapped to Trust Services Criteria
- Auditor-ready evidence pack
- Findings prioritised by real business risk, not CVSS alone
- Vulnerability management process review
- Prioritised remediation roadmap
- Free retest with documented evidence
What’s included in your report
Every soc 2 penetration testing engagement concludes with a comprehensive, board-ready report and a working session to walk your team through it. Your report includes:
- An executive summary with overall risk posture for non-technical stakeholders
- Detailed technical findings, each with a step-by-step, copy-paste reproduction
- CVSS v3.1 severity ratings and business-impact context for every issue
- Prioritized, actionable remediation guidance your engineers can apply directly
- A complimentary retest to confirm fixes and update finding status
- A formal attestation letter for customers, auditors and compliance programs
Standards & frameworks
AICPA Trust Services Criteria (SOC 2)
CC7.1 / CC4.1
NIST SP 800-115
Outcomes you can expect
After your soc 2 penetration testing, you will have clear, evidence-based visibility into your real security risk — not a scanner’s guesswork. You will know exactly which weaknesses an attacker could exploit, what the business impact would be, and the precise steps to fix them in priority order. Teams use our findings to close critical gaps, satisfy customer and regulator security requirements, and demonstrate due diligence to their board. With a complimentary retest included, you also get documented proof that the issues are genuinely resolved.
Engagement details & logistics
Every soc 2 penetration testing starts with a short, no-obligation scoping call to understand your goals, environment and constraints, followed by a fixed-price proposal and a clear statement of work. Most engagements are delivered fully remotely, with on-site work arranged where it genuinely adds value. Throughout testing we maintain an agreed communication cadence and escalate any critical, high-impact finding to you immediately rather than waiting for the final report. All work is performed under a signed NDA with strict data-handling controls, using safe, non-disruptive techniques and carefully coordinated rules of engagement to protect your production systems. On completion you receive your report and a walkthrough session, followed by a complimentary retest once your fixes are in place. Typical engagements are booked one to three weeks in advance, and urgent or pre-deadline testing can often be accommodated — just ask at hi@agentoffense.com.
Why organizations choose AgentOffense
Our soc 2 penetration testing is delivered by senior offensive-security engineers who test the way real attackers do — manually, creatively and with a relentless focus on proving genuine, demonstrable impact. Here is what sets our engagements apart:
- Manual, exploit-driven testing that chains vulnerabilities the way a real attacker would, going far beyond what automated scanners can find.
- Reproducible proof for every finding, with copy-paste reproduction steps your engineers can follow and independently verify.
- Honest severity calibration so you invest in fixing what genuinely matters and avoid wasting effort on false positives and noise.
- Clear, business-focused reporting that speaks to engineers and executives alike, tying every issue to real-world impact.
- A complimentary retest included, so you get documented proof that your fixes actually close the attack path.
- Responsible, collaborative delivery with a named point of contact and secure handling of all data throughout the engagement.
Explore related services
SOC 2 Penetration Testing is frequently scoped alongside our other offensive-security services for broader coverage. Explore related engagements that complement it:
How much does SOC 2 Penetration Testing cost?
Every soc 2 penetration testing is scoped and priced individually, so you pay for exactly the coverage you need — with no hidden extras. After a short, no-obligation scoping call we send a fixed-price quote, usually within one business day, with clear deliverables, a firm timeline and a complimentary retest included. The price of your soc 2 penetration testing depends on the size and complexity of the target and the depth of testing required, so you always know the cost up front before any work begins.
Get a fixed-price quote
Frequently asked questions
Does SOC 2 require penetration testing?
SOC 2 does not name penetration testing as a mandatory control by that exact term, but Trust Services Criteria CC7.1 (monitoring for vulnerabilities) and CC4.1 (control monitoring) are, in practice, evidenced by a manual penetration test — most auditors and virtually all enterprise customers now expect one.
How often do we need a pentest for SOC 2?
Annually at minimum, and ideally scheduled to fall within your Type II observation period so the test itself is evidence of an operating control, not just a point-in-time check.
Will your report satisfy our auditor and our customers' security questionnaires?
Yes — we format findings and evidence specifically so they can be referenced directly in your SOC 2 package and dropped into customer security-review responses without rework.
Can this evidence also support ISO 27001 or HIPAA?
Yes. We structure the report so the same testing evidence can support multiple frameworks, reducing duplicate work if you are pursuing more than one certification.