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Pass Your SOC 2 Audit.
Know Exactly What Pen Testing You Need.

Q-Sec's penetration testing playbook — built for cloud SaaS platforms and fintech companies preparing for SOC 2.

  Q-Sec's 7 core testing domains: Web, API, Cloud, AD, M365, Network, Red Team
  Which SOC 2 Trust Criteria require pen testing — exactly what auditors verify
  A 15-point readiness checklist to close gaps before your engagement begins
 A 90-day timeline from scoping to auditor-ready report delivery

★★★★★ 4.9/5 · Trusted by 500+ security compliance professionals

 
7
Testing Domains
500+
Downloads
6
Frameworks Covered
98%
Audit Pass Rate
100%
Free Retest
Frameworks covered: SOC 2 NIS2 DORA ISO 27001 GDPR PCI DSS
Sound familiar?

SOC 2 Pen Testing Feels Ambiguous — Until the Auditor Asks

Most companies go into their audit unprepared on pen testing. Here's what we hear constantly.

😤

"Is pen testing even required for SOC 2?"

The AICPA doesn't mandate it explicitly — but sophisticated auditors and enterprise buyers increasingly expect it. Q-Sec's playbook clarifies exactly where it's required and why.

🤔

"What scope do we actually need to test?"

Most pen test scopes miss admin portals, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and cloud infrastructure. Narrow scope creates audit findings you never saw coming.

😰

"Will our report actually satisfy the auditor?"

Reports missing CVSS scores, methodology references, or retest attestation get flagged. Q-Sec's playbook tells you exactly what auditors read — and what causes RFIs.

Q-Sec Testing Coverage

7 Core Testing Domains.
Every Attack Surface Covered.

Q-Sec's pen testing covers every surface relevant to modern SaaS and fintech platforms — not just web applications.

01

Web & API Security Testing

OWASP Top 10, API Top 10, authentication bypass, IDOR, injection, business logic flaws.

02

Internal & External Network Testing

Perimeter exposure, firewall validation, lateral movement paths, ransomware feasibility.

03

Microsoft 365 & SaaS Security Review

Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams misconfigurations, and OAuth consent abuse.

04

Cloud Security Testing

AWS, Azure, GCP — IAM sprawl, storage exposure, misconfigured services, Kubernetes posture.

05

Active Directory Security Assessment

Privilege escalation, Kerberoasting, Pass-the-Hash, DCSync, domain persistence paths.

06

Phishing & Social Engineering

Spear phishing, vishing, pretexting, and credential harvesting simulations.

07

Red Team & Adversary Simulation

Full-scope MITRE ATT&CK-aligned simulation testing detection, response, and lateral movement resilience.

Methodology

Three Testing Approaches.
Matched to Your Risk Profile.

Testing methodology is selected based on your business objectives, compliance requirements, and risk tolerance.

MOST COMMON FOR SMEs

Black Box

Simulates an external attacker with no prior access. Best for perimeter, web applications, and internet-exposed assets.

→ Real-world ransomware & breach simulation
INSIDER THREAT FOCUS

Grey Box

Simulates a compromised user or limited insider. Best for critical applications, API security, and privilege escalation validation.

→ Ideal for validating SOC 2 CC6.2 & CC6.3
DEVSECOPS ENVIRONMENTS

White Box

Full visibility including architecture review and source code. Best for critical apps, DevSecOps integration, and deep logic flaw discovery.

→ Maximum depth for compliance-heavy environments
Inside the Playbook

Everything in the Free Download

10 pages of practical, audit-battle-tested guidance — structured around Q-Sec's actual methodology.

01

Why SOC 2 Pen Testing Is Non-Negotiable

Real-world buyer expectations and what sophisticated auditors actually demand.

02

Q-Sec's 7 Testing Domains Explained

What each domain covers, SaaS/fintech-specific test cases, and which criteria each satisfies.

03

SOC 2 Criteria ↔ Pen Testing Map

CC6.1, CC6.6, CC7.2, CC9.2 — what auditors verify and how Q-Sec addresses each.

04

Multi-Framework Alignment Table

How one engagement maps to SOC 2, NIS2, DORA, ISO 27001, GDPR, and PCI DSS.

05

The 15-Point Readiness Checklist

Complete pre-engagement checklist that cuts testing time by 30%.

06

What Auditors Read in Reports

Required vs. recommended elements — and what triggers additional RFIs.

07

6 SOC 2 Audit Failure Patterns

The gaps that delayed or killed certification for SaaS and fintech peers.

08

90-Day Timeline & Remediation Plan

Phase-by-phase schedule with Q-Sec deliverables at every stage.

Preview: 15-Point Checklist

Are You Really Ready to Be Pen Tested?

Most companies aren't — and they pay for it in remediation cycles and delayed certifications. Here's a preview:

Download Full Checklist →
  • 1
    Define your in-scope systems Web apps, APIs, cloud infra, AD, M365, CI/CD, and all third-party integrations.
  • 2
    Verify MFA on all privileged accounts Admin panels, cloud consoles, CI/CD tools, VPN. Fix this before testing begins.
  • 3
    Audit Active Directory security posture Check for privilege sprawl, Kerberoasting exposure, and stale service accounts.
  • 4
    Get cloud provider authorization AWS, Azure, and GCP require advance pen test notification — submit 5+ days early.
  • 5
    Validate SIEM logging is active Your monitoring must detect attack patterns the pen test will generate (CC7.2).
  • …
    + 10 more items in the full playbook Download free to access all 15 readiness checks.
Built For You

Is This Playbook Right for Your Company?

☁️

SaaS Companies

  • B2B SaaS with enterprise or mid-market customers
  • Multi-tenant platforms handling sensitive data
  • API-first products with complex integrations
  • Microsoft 365 or Entra ID (Azure AD) environments
  • Pursuing SOC 2 Type I or Type II certification
  • Security teams building their compliance program
🏦

Fintech Companies

  • Neobanks, lending platforms, payment processors
  • Platforms integrating Plaid, Stripe, or ACH processing
  • Subject to DORA, NIS2, PCI DSS, or GDPR
  • Companies needing dual SOC 2 + PCI DSS coverage
  • Banking partners requiring pen test evidence
  • CTOs and security leads at Series A–C stage
Stakeholder Value

Q-Sec Pen Testing Delivers Clarity
for Every Stakeholder

Q-Sec reporting is designed to be actionable at every level — from engineering to the board.

CEO / Board
  • Demonstrable due diligence
  • Stronger market credibility
  • Confidence in resilience
  • Competitive differentiation
CFO / Finance
  • Controlled financial exposure
  • Stronger cyber insurance position
  • Predictable remediation roadmap
  • Reduced breach cost risk
CISO / Head of IT
  • Actionable technical improvements
  • Exploitable gaps identified
  • Improved ransomware resilience
  • Independent validation
Compliance & Risk
  • Audit-ready documentation
  • NIS2, ISO 27001, DORA alignment
  • Risk-ranked remediation guidance
  • Clear control effectiveness evidence
Sales & BD
  • Faster enterprise procurement
  • Stronger security questionnaire answers
  • Reduced deal cycle friction
  • Competitive security differentiation
Questions

Common Questions Before You Download

Is penetration testing actually required for SOC 2? +
The AICPA doesn't mandate pen testing explicitly, but it does require you to demonstrate that logical access controls, monitoring, and boundary protections work as designed. The most credible way to demonstrate this is a penetration test. At Q-Sec, pen testing is integrated into our full security framework — supporting SOC/SIEM monitoring, incident response readiness, and multiple compliance programs simultaneously. Enterprise buyers and sophisticated auditors increasingly treat a quality pen test as table stakes.
What's the difference between Black Box, Grey Box, and White Box testing? +
Black Box simulates a real external attacker with no prior knowledge — best for validating perimeter defenses. Grey Box simulates a compromised user or insider — best for privilege escalation testing and validating SOC 2 CC6.2/CC6.3. White Box provides full visibility including architecture and source code review — deepest coverage, ideal for DevSecOps environments. Q-Sec recommends Grey or White Box for most SaaS and fintech SOC 2 engagements due to the complex internal trust relationships involved.
Can one Q-Sec engagement cover SOC 2 and DORA / NIS2 / ISO 27001? +
Yes — Q-Sec structures engagements to satisfy multiple frameworks simultaneously. Our reporting maps findings to SOC 2 Trust Criteria, NIS2 Article 21 risk measures, DORA ICT risk management requirements, ISO 27001 Annex A controls, and PCI DSS Requirement 11.3 in a single deliverable. This significantly reduces audit preparation burden and total cost for compliance teams managing multiple frameworks.
What do you actually deliver? How long does an engagement take? +
Every Q-Sec engagement delivers: an executive summary, detailed vulnerability findings with CVSS scores and PoC evidence, MITRE ATT&CK mapping, risk-ranked remediation roadmap, and free retest attestation for Critical/High findings. We also include a developer-focused walkthrough session and an executive briefing. Typical engagement duration is 2–4 weeks for active testing depending on scope, with the full 90-day cycle (including remediation) covered in the playbook.
What's in this playbook? Is it actually free? +
100% free, no credit card required. The playbook is a professionally designed 10-page PDF covering: Q-Sec's 7 testing domains, testing approaches, the SOC 2 criteria-to-pen-testing map, multi-framework alignment table, the full 15-point readiness checklist, what auditors read in reports, 6 audit failure patterns, and the 90-day timeline. We'll email it immediately after you submit the form.
Don't Go Into Your Audit Unprepared

Get Your Free SOC 2 Pen Test Playbook

Instant download. Used by 500+ SaaS and fintech security teams. Covers SOC 2, NIS2, DORA, ISO 27001, GDPR, and PCI DSS.

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