Businesses do not always know exactly where they are vulnerable. When investing in the development of digital services, companies usually focus on convenience, speed, and scalability. However, they often forget that it is precisely new features where weak points emerge.

The issue is made even more complex because a lack of incidents is often mistaken for proof that systems are secure. Yet this is only an illusion: a vulnerability can exist for years until someone discovers it, and exploits it.

It is worth noting that companies rarely ignore security intentionally, but they often overestimate their readiness for real attacks.

What is a penetration test?

To see the security landscape through the eyes of an attacker, companies turn to penetration testing. This is not just a compliance check or automated scanning.

A penetration test (or penetration testing) is a simulation of a real cyberattack carried out manually by specialists. Its goal is not merely to find “holes,” but to understand how they can be exploited in real-world scenarios.

A penetration test is not:

• not an automated scan;
• not an annual formal procedure;
• not a one-time activity.

The key to effective penetration testing is thinking like an attacker, manual analysis, combining vulnerabilities, and searching for unconventional access paths. This is what gives a clear and realistic view of where a business is genuinely exposed.

Why is penetration testing necessary?

A pentest service makes it possible to:

• identify technical and logical vulnerabilities;
• verify how security systems operate under real-world conditions;
• prevent an incident that could be costly and become public;
• meet regulatory requirements (for example, for financial or telecommunications companies).

The result of a penetration test is not a list of problems, but a structured plan for mitigating risks.

What vulnerabilities does penetration testing reveal

During a penetration test, the following may be identified:

1. Technical issues: open ports, insecure configurations, missing patches.
    
2. Logical flaws: the ability to combine actions in a way that grants access to data or functions.
    
3. Incorrect roles and access rights: when a user has visibility or permissions beyond what is intended.
    
4. Risks after changes: scaling, new integrations, and data migrations can create new vulnerabilities.
    
5. Scenarios invisible to scanners: automated tools do not detect attack chains, human logic, or non-standard interactions between components.

Often, the most dangerous incidents start with small details, but it is precisely these “details” that experienced penetration testers know how to find.

What prevents businesses from seeing real risks

There are common myths in business that create a false sense of security:

Myth 1: “Our company is small, so we are not interesting to hackers.” In reality, automated attacks do not distinguish by scale.

Myth 2: “If everything works, it means everything is secure.” However, an attack does not always disrupt system operations – it can, for example, quietly steal data.

Myth 3: “Penetration testing is expensive.” But a real incident costs many times more.

Myth 4: “We have an internal IT team, which is enough.” But can this team see the infrastructure through the eyes of an attacker?

Why are internal resources often insufficient?

Even the best internal team has limitations:

• it rarely attacks itself;
• it becomes accustomed to its own architecture;
• it does not have access to modern penetration testing tools;
• it does not always have time to keep up with attack trends.

By contrast, external specialists:

• work daily across different industries and see hundreds of scenarios;
• hold certifications (OSCP, CEH, CRTO, etc.) and have narrow specializations;
• use tools and approaches that internal teams often lack.

This is exactly the approach implemented by the Datami team, which has 8 years of practice in 34 countries worldwide and has conducted over 400 penetration tests (to learn more, click here). These are not just numbers – they represent experience that allows them to see what others miss.

Conclusion

Although businesses often do not know exactly where their weak points are, today they have the opportunity to look at themselves through the eyes of an adversary and see the real picture of risks.

Thanks to the penetration testing service, companies can identify issues faster, respond more effectively, and reduce potential losses.