24 hours
To a fixed-price scope
From $5,000*
Web app and API pentest
Free retest
Included in every engagement
2,000+
Clients served worldwide
*Final pricing is determined after scoping.
Why SOC 2 needs a penetration test
What is SOC 2 penetration testing? SOC 2 penetration testing is an independent, manual security test of the systems inside your SOC 2 boundary. It shows your auditor that you detect and fix exploitable vulnerabilities, which supports the Security category of the AICPA Trust Services Criteria, mainly CC4.1 (monitoring of controls) and CC7.1 (vulnerability detection).
SOC 2 does not name a pentest as a mandatory control, but nearly every auditor and enterprise buyer expects one. Without it, you risk a delayed SOC 2 Type 1 or Type 2 report and stalled deals in security review.
Audit window closing
A missing or stale test delays your SOC 2 report and the revenue waiting on it.
Scanner output is not evidence
A vulnerability scan lists known issues. Auditors want validated, rated findings and proof of remediation.
Customers ask for the report
Security questionnaires and procurement teams request a recent pentest summary. You need one you can share safely.
Need
SOC 2 Type 1
SOC 2 Type 2
What it proves
Controls are designed correctly at a point in time
Controls work over an observation period, usually 3 to 12 months
Pentest timing
Complete before the audit date
Run inside the observation window, then repeat annually
Retest
Recommended
Strongly recommended, to show findings were closed
What your SOC 2 auditor expects from a penetration test
- Independence. The test is done by a party separate from the team that builds and runs the system.
- Scope tied to your SOC 2 boundary. Production applications, APIs, cloud infrastructure and networks that store or process customer data.
- A documented methodology. For example OWASP WSTG, OWASP API Security Top 10, PTES and NIST SP 800-115.
- Risk-rated findings with evidence, not raw scanner output.
- Proof of remediation. A retest showing critical and high findings were fixed.
- Dates inside the audit period. For Type 2, the test and retest fall within the observation window.
Requirements vary by auditor. Confirm yours before scoping, and we will align the test to them.
SOC 2 pentest services
We scope to the systems inside your SOC 2 boundary, so the test supports your audit and your budget is not spent outside it.
Web application and API
Authentication, role and tenant isolation, session handling and business logic. See our API penetration testing and SaaS penetration testing.
Cloud environment
Configuration, identity and privilege escalation across AWS, Azure and GCP. See cloud penetration testing.
External network
Internet-facing hosts, VPNs and services an attacker can reach today.
Internal network
Assumed breach and Active Directory attack paths for corporate environments in scope.
Mobile applications
Local data storage, transport security and the APIs behind the app.
AI and LLM features
Prompt injection, data leakage and agent permissions. See AI penetration testing.
How much does a SOC 2 penetration test cost? A SOC 2 pentest of one web application and one API starts from $5,000* at Redfox. External network testing starts from $2,000*. *Final pricing is determined after scoping and depends on applications, user roles, endpoints, cloud accounts and IPs in scope. You get a fixed quote within 24 hours.
SOC 2 pentest methodology
Manual testing by senior consultants, aligned to OWASP WSTG, OWASP API Security Top 10, PTES and NIST SP 800-115. Not automated scanning.
01 / Scope in 24 hours
We confirm your SOC 2 boundary, in-scope applications, environments, test accounts and rules of engagement. You receive a fixed-price quote.
02 / Discovery and attack surface mapping
We map endpoints, roles, data flows, cloud assets and third-party integrations that handle customer data.
03 / Manual testing and exploitation
We test authentication, broken access control, injection, tenant isolation, cloud misconfiguration and business logic, and prove real impact. Critical findings are reported to you immediately.
04 / Reporting and readout call
You receive an auditor-ready report mapped to SOC 2 Security criteria and a walkthrough with the engineers who tested.
05 / Free retest
After you fix findings, we retest and issue a clean report to close the loop for your auditor.
What a SOC 2 pentest typically finds
These are the issues we most often test for in SaaS and cloud environments, and the ones that matter most to auditors and enterprise customers.
Broken access control
Users reaching other users' data through insecure direct object references (IDOR) or missing authorization checks.
Tenant isolation failures
One customer's data exposed to another in multi-tenant SaaS.
Weak authentication and sessions
Missing MFA enforcement, weak password reset flows, token reuse and long-lived sessions.
API authorization and rate limiting
Unprotected endpoints, mass assignment and no brute-force or abuse limits.
Cloud misconfiguration
Public storage buckets, overly permissive IAM roles and exposed secrets.
Injection and insecure inputs
SQL injection, cross-site scripting and server-side request forgery.
How to prepare for a SOC 2 penetration test
When should we schedule it? Book the test 6 to 8 weeks before your audit date, or early in your Type 2 observation window. This leaves time to fix findings and complete the retest before the auditor reviews evidence.
01 / Confirm your SOC 2 boundary
List the systems, applications and environments that store or process customer data.
02 / Ask your auditor what they need
Confirm scope, independence, methodology and report format requirements.
03 / Prepare a test environment and accounts
Provide staging that mirrors production if possible, plus test accounts for each user role.
04 / Share documentation
API specs (OpenAPI or Postman), architecture diagrams and a contact for critical findings.
05 / Reserve time to fix and retest
Plan engineering time for remediation so the free retest lands before your audit evidence deadline.
The SOC 2 pentest report
Reports designed to support your audit evidence. We test security. Your auditor decides what satisfies the requirement. Reports are delivered as PDF, ready to upload to compliance platforms such as Vanta, Drata or Secureframe.
Document
What it contains
Who uses it
Customer-safe summary
Scope, test dates, results and remediation status, without sensitive technical detail
Customers, procurement, sales
Full technical report
Risk ratings, evidence, reproduction steps and fix guidance for every finding
Engineering and your auditor
Methodology and appendices
Scope, approach and evidence, with strict QA on every report
Auditors and security reviewers
Retest report
Verified fixes and a clean closing report
Auditors and customers
Download a sample SOC 2 pentest report
See the structure, risk ratings and remediation detail. Client details are removed. Enter your details to get the PDF.
Case study
The client
[Industry, size, product, for example: B2B SaaS company, 150 employees, anonymised if needed]
The challenge
[Audit deadline, enterprise deal blocked, auditor request]
What we tested
[Web app, API, cloud, duration]
The result
[Findings by severity, fixed before audit, SOC 2 report issued on time, deal closed]
Why companies choose Redfox for SOC 2
Black Hat USA 2026 trainers
Official training provider for Advanced Adversary Tactics and Evasion at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. The tradecraft we teach is what we use on your systems.
16+ years in offensive security
Manual, exploit-driven testing, not scanner output.
5,000+ engagements
Delivered for 2,000+ clients worldwide, including SaaS, fintech and healthcare technology companies.
Trusted by compliance firms
SOC 2 and compliance consultancies use Redfox as their white-label penetration testing partner.
Their detailed findings and remediation guidance help our clients address security gaps and prepare supporting evidence for their compliance processes.
ClearPath Compliance
Reviewed by [Name, title, certifications], Redfox Cybersecurity. Last updated October 2026. [Add LinkedIn profile link]
SOC 2 penetration testing FAQ
Is a penetration test required for SOC 2?
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How much does a SOC 2 penetration test cost?
How long does a SOC 2 penetration test take?
Do I need a pentest for SOC 2 Type 1 or Type 2?
What is the difference between a vulnerability scan and a SOC 2 penetration test?
Can we share the pentest report with customers?
Who can perform a SOC 2 penetration test?
How often do we need a SOC 2 penetration test?
Will a penetration test affect our production systems?
What happens if you find a critical vulnerability?
Will Vanta, Drata or Secureframe accept the report?
What is included in the scope of a SOC 2 pentest?
Get your SOC 2 pentest quote
A senior consultant replies within one business day with a fixed-price quote. Not sure what is in scope? Ask for a free 30-minute scope review.
Redfox Cyber Security Inc.
8 The Green, Ste. A,
Dover, Delaware 19901,
United States.
