Penetration testing statistics, vulnerabilities and trends in 2026

Penetration testing has become crucial for organisational security. With the rising sophistication of cyber attacks, businesses must proactively identify and address vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.As a CREST-accredited provider specializing in web, network, cloud, and mobile security assessments, we’ve compiled this comprehensive analysis of current penetration testing trends and statistics.

Our focus remains on delivering quality-driven results rather than just ticking boxes – because we understand that effective security testing is about more than just finding vulnerabilities; it’s about helping organizations build robust security postures. 

What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing or pen testing is an exercise or a security assessment technique for measuring the security posture of computer systems, networks or applications by simulating an actual malicious cyber attack. It is also referred to as ethical hacking.

A penetration testing exercise aims to look for security flaws or vulnerabilities in a system that an attacker could exploit and guide how to remediate or mitigate those vulnerabilities before an attack occurs.

Penetration Testing Market

The penetration testing market is witnessing unprecedented growth, with projections showing an increase from USD 1.92 billion in 2023 to USD 6.98 billion by 2032, growing at an impressive CAGR of 15.46%. This surge reflects the escalating sophistication of cyber threats and organizations’ growing need for robust security measures. As businesses digitize their operations, the demand for advanced security testing has become more critical than ever.

Key learnings from latest penetration testing trends, stats and facts are:

• AI is a major disruptor: Both as a target for pentesting (due to new vulnerabilities it introduces) and as a tool used in pentesting to improve efficiency and coverage.
• Proactive security is key: Organisations are increasingly recognizing the value of penetration testing in preventing breaches and managing vulnerabilities.
• The threat landscape is complex: Multiple vulnerabilities are common, requiring thorough and multifaceted testing approaches.
• Investment in pentesting is rising: As organisations prioritize security, they are allocating more resources to penetration testing activities.

Industry sectors show varying adoption rates, with BFSI leading at 19% market share, driven by the sector’s handling of sensitive financial data and strict regulatory requirements. North America dominates with a 35% market share, fueled by substantial cybersecurity investments and stringent compliance standards. Recent innovations, such as BreachLock’s RTaaS launch in 2023, are making advanced security testing more accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Regional Highlights include the following market shares:

• North America: 35% market share
• BFSI Sector: 19% market share
• Cloud Segment: 65% market share in 2023

Top 10 Penetration Testing Statistics For You in 2024

1. High-Risk Vulnerabilities are on the Rise: Since 2024, over 1000 high-risk vulnerabilities with a CVSSv3 score of 10.0 (the most critical) and potential for remote code execution were discovered. This indicates a growing number of severe security flaws in software and systems.
2. Compliance is a major driver: Approximately 75% of information security professionals conduct penetration tests to meet regulatory compliance requirements. This highlights the importance of pentesting in adhering to industry standards and legal obligations, demonstrating compliance’s importance.
3. Third-Party Testers are widely used: More than half (58%) of organizations rely on external penetration testing companies to fulfill their compliance needs. This suggests that many businesses prefer the expertise and objectivity of independent security specialists such as CREST pen testing by Cyphere.
4. Web Applications are a prime target: A significant majority (73%) of successful data breaches in the corporate sector involve exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications. This emphasises the need for thorough web application penetration testing to secure online assets.
5. API Security is a top concern: API security concerns are the primary concerns when discussing web application security subject. API security validation continues to be effective and requires diligent API security testing and prevention measures.
6. Many organisations struggle with security standards: A considerable number (66%) of organizations find it challenging to maintain high-quality security standards, especially concerning compliance. This indicates a need for improved security practices and more effective penetration testing strategies.
7. Redundant Penetration Testing is Common: Around 40% of penetration testing engagements are conducted for repeat clients. This suggests that organizations recognize the ongoing need for security assessments and the value of regular testing.
8. Most Targets Have Multiple Vulnerabilities: The majority (62%) of tested targets exhibit a combination of medium, critical, and important vulnerabilities. This highlights the complexity of modern systems and the need for comprehensive testing to identify all potential weaknesses.
9. Internal Network Vulnerabilities are Prevalent: Common internal network vulnerabilities include Multicast DNS (mDNS) and NetBIOS Name Service (NBNS) spoofing, which can allow attackers to redirect traffic or gain unauthorized access.
10. Penetration Testing is Essential for Various Purposes: Organizations conduct penetration tests for a variety of reasons, including vulnerability management (70%), assessing security posture (69%), and achieving compliance (67%). This demonstrates the multifaceted value of penetration testing in a comprehensive security program.

2024 Penetration Testing Statistics and Trends

• AI is Transforming Pentesting
  
  • A significant 75% of respondents in Cobalt’s State of Pentesting Report 2024 said their team has adopted new AI tools in their pentesting processes.
  • Top vulnerabilities in AI-driven tools being pentested include prompt injection, model denial of service, and prompt leaking.
  • There’s a growing concern, with 57% of respondents saying the demand for AI has outpaced their security team’s ability to keep up.
• Focus on Risk and Remediation
  
  • Assessing risk and prioritizing vulnerabilities for remediation remains the primary objective of penetration testing, cited by 82% of respondents in Fortra’s 2024 Penetration Testing Report. This shows a 12% increase from the previous year.
  • 72% of respondents in the same report believe that penetration testing has prevented a breach at their organization.
• Focus on Cloud Security
  

  • With cloud adoption continuing to rise, there’s a greater need for penetration testing of cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP). This includes testing cloud configurations, APIs, and serverless functions.

  • Cloud misconfigurations remain a significant source of vulnerabilities. Penetration testing helps identify these misconfigurations before they can be exploited by attackers.  

• API Security Takes Center Stage
  

  • As organisations increasingly rely on APIs for data exchange and integration, API vulnerabilities are becoming a major concern. Penetration testing of APIs is crucial to identify flaws like broken authentication, excessive data exposure, and injection vulnerabilities.  

  • There’s a growing trend of “shift-left” security for APIs, where security testing, including penetration testing, is integrated earlier in the development lifecycle.  

• The Human Element Remains Crucial
  

  • Social Engineering Still Effective: Despite technological advancements, social engineering attacks continue to be effective. Penetration testing often includes social engineering assessments to evaluate an organization’s susceptibility to phishing, baiting, and other social engineering tactics.  

  • Importance of Security Awareness Training: Penetration testing helps highlight the need for ongoing security awareness training for employees to mitigate the risk of human error and social engineering attacks.

• Automation and Efficiency
  

  • Increased Use of Automation Tools: Penetration testing is increasingly leveraging automation tools to improve efficiency and coverage. These tools can automate tasks like vulnerability scanning, port scanning, and fuzzing.

  • Balancing Automation with Manual Testing: While automation is valuable, it’s important to balance it with manual testing by skilled penetration testers. Manual testing can uncover complex vulnerabilities that automated tools may miss.  

• Emerging Technologies and Trends
  

  • IoT Security is Gaining Attention: With the proliferation of IoT devices, penetration testing of IoT systems is becoming increasingly important. This includes testing device firmware, communication protocols, and cloud connectivity.  

  • Focus on Supply Chain Security: Organizations are recognizing the importance of supply chain security and are conducting penetration testing of their suppliers and third-party vendors.

A 2023 overview – Penetration testing statistics 

• • The highest number of CVEs was reported in 2022, with more than 25,000 CVEs published.

• • On average, approximately 68.75 CVEs were published each day.

• • Of these 25,000+ CVEs, 404 were RCE with a CVSSv3 10 severity rating.

• • In the same survey, 860 vulnerabilities with CVSSv3 severity of 9.0 and 10.0 were seen in the technology ecosystem in 2022. 

• • More than 13,000 vulnerabilities were reported in 2022.

• • Three thousand two hundred thirty-eight vulnerabilities had CVSSv2 severity from 7.0 to 10.0.

• • The top 5 most frequent vulnerability categories discovered by the pentesting community in 2022 were:
    • • Server Security Misconfigurations (38%)
    • • Cross-Site Scripting (13%)
    • • Broken Access Control (11%)
    • • Sensitive Data Exposure (10%)
    • • Authentication and Sessions (8%)

• • 62% of security teams experienced zero-day exploits in 2022. On average, security teams took 14 days to fix vulnerabilities.

• • Over 1 million companies use the Microsoft Office 365 suite worldwide, making it an attractive attack vector.

• • 70% of organizations have a vulnerability assessment solution with multi-vector testing capabilities, either deployed internally or provided as a third-party service.

• • 51% of businesses exclusively enlist the services of a third-party penetration testing team.

• • 52% of organizations using vulnerability assessment and penetration testing tools want to switch to a new solution to reduce false-positive alerts.

• • TAC Security Survey reveals that 88% of businesses review security risks independently rather than relying on a vulnerability management solution.

• • Cybersecurity professionals require the following features when evaluating a vulnerability management solution, according to the 2022 Vulnerability Management Report from Fortran:
    • • Vulnerability assessment (70%)
    • • Asset discovery (66%)
    • • Vulnerability scans (63%)
    • • Risk management features (61%)

• • 71% of organizations run formal vulnerability management or bug bounty programs, per the 2022 Vulnerability Management Report.

• • Only 30% of these organizations consider their program very practical.

• • 44% of organizations expect increased investment in vulnerability management program support and bug bounty programs.

• • According to the RapidFireTools Survey, 31% of organizations have their IT or an in-house pentesting team doing vulnerability scanning.

• • The same report reveals another 33% say they don’t regularly scan vulnerability.

• • As per the CoreSecurity 2022 Penetration Testing Report, 75% of companies perform penetration tests to measure their security posture for compliance initiatives.

• • The same report states 57% of the companies perform pen testing to support a vulnerability management program.

• • A penetration testing company revealed that out of the 200 pentests carried out by them in 2020

• • Most penetration testing teams and offensive security specialists use various penetration testing software and tools during engagements. As per the CoreSecurity 2022 Penetration Testing Report, 78% use free and commercial penetration testing tools.

• • While 11% of them rely on free and open-source penetration testing software and tools, as per the same report.

• • Around 69% of all vulnerabilities are accounted for by CVEs with a network attack vector.

• • 73% of successful breaches in the corporate sector were carried out by penetrating web applications through their vulnerabilities.

• • SQL Injection was the leading web application critical vulnerability found globally in 2022, with 33%.

• • 26.7% of internet-facing critical vulnerabilities are due to cross-site scripting (stored) attacks.

• • 7% of web apps’ critical vulnerabilities found are due to malicious file uploads.

• • 2.1% of the penetration vectors were code injection, where attackers obtain control via web shell attacks.

• • The world witnessed 8.1% of External XML Entities (XXE) attacks.

• • Server Side Template Injection attacks constituted about 5.3%

• • Improper authorization issues comprised 7% of all web application attacks.

• • Server Side Request Forgery contributed to about 4.6% of web application vulnerabilities.

• • 3.9% of the web application attacks were OS command injections.

• • File path traversal attacks made up 2.5% of web application attacks.

Infographic on Penetration testing

Penetration testing news statistics

• • Over 31,000 followers on LinkedIn actively use the #pentesting hashtag to share news and stay updated on the latest insights in the field.

• • Additionally, more than 34,000 people are interested in #pentesting and follow the hashtag to keep an eye on the topic.

• • According to Google Trends, there has been a slow and steady growth in interest in the term “penetration testing” over the past five years.

• • Follow LinkedIn cyphere company page to stay updated with regular cybersecurity content.

Pen testing job market statistics

• • The average salary for a penetration & vulnerability tester in the USA was $101,446 in 2022.

• • 66% of online job listings for pentesters in the US require a bachelor’s degree, while 24% require a graduate degree.

• • In 2021, there were 22,075 online job openings for Penetration and Vulnerability Testers in the USA.

• • In 2022, this number climbed the stairs, with 27,409 jobs available.

• • This increased from around $88,012 in 2021.

• • In Europe, the average annual salary for a penetration tester ranges from €30,968 in Italy to €58,151 in Germany, with wages of €42,624 in France and €44,352 in the Netherlands.

• • In the United Kingdom, the salary range for a penetration tester average between £45-54000 per year.

• • An entry-level penetration tester with less than 1-year experience in the UK can expect to earn an average compensation of £33,822.

• • While an experienced penetration tester with 10-19 years of experience earns an average compensation of £50,325.

OWASP top 10 mobile security risks and statistics

The security risk assessment standard for mobile applications, known as OWASP Top 10 Mobile Risk, outlines the most prevalent security risks that mobile applications face and offers recommendations for mitigating them. These risks encompass:

• • Insecure data storage

• • Poor authentication and authorization

• • Insecure communication

• • Client-side injection

• • Insecure cryptography

• • Reverse engineering

• • Compromised services

According to the OWASP Top 10 Mobile Security Risks, the most severe threats to mobile applications are:

• • Insecure data storage (27%).

• • Poor authentication and authorization (26%).

• • Insecure communication (20%).

• • Client-side injection (8%).

• • Insecure cryptography (7%).

• • Insecure approval (6%).

• • Reverse engineering (4%).

• • Compromised services (1%).

Types of penetration testing

Pen testing is divided into two categories, which are then further divided into subcategories:

By location

Internal pen testing

Internal pen testing refers to replicating an attack from within an organization’s local network by a trusted employee or user. This exercise is usually executed on the organization’s internal systems and applications within the corporate environment (including production). It aims to pinpoint security flaws and highlight misconfigured security controls that could be leveraged by an attacker who has already gained internal access to the network.

Know more about internal penetration testing. 

Internal penetration testing market statistics

• • According to the forecast, the internal pen testing global market is estimated to expand from $533.3 million in 2020 to $1.7 billion by 2025, representing a CAGR of 26.4% during the projection period.

• • The internal pen testing market had a global size of $667.5 million in 2019 and is anticipated to increase to $2.6 billion by 2027.

• • In 2020, the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector had the most significant internal pen testing market share, accounting for 29.5%.

• • The cloud-based deployment segment of the internal pen testing market is expected to achieve the highest CAGR of 23.5% by 2027.

• • The North American region is expected to hold the largest internal pen testing market share during the forecast period, followed by Europe and the Asia Pacific.

• • The internal pen testing market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5% from 2020 to 2027.

• • During 2020-2027, the healthcare sector is expected to have the highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2% in the internal pen testing market.

• • The internal application pen testing market is projected to achieve a value of $1.6 billion by 2026.

• • It is predicted to grow with a CAGR of 18.6% from 2021 to 2026.

• • The internal network pen testing market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 15.2% during the forecast period from 2021 to 2026.

External penetration testing or external pen testing

External pen testing, however, involves simulating an attack from outside the organization’s network by an external hacker or attacker. This test is typically performed on an organization’s external-facing systems and applications, such as web servers, email servers, and firewalls. It is designed to identify vulnerabilities or security weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers who are attempting to gain unauthorized access to the network.

External pen testing market statistics

• • The global market for external pen testing is expected to grow from $2.9 billion in 2020 to $4.5 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period.

• • The North American region held the most significant market share in the external pen testing market in 2020, with a share of 38.4%.

• • The network penetration testing segment of the external pen testing market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 11.1% during 2020-2027.

• • The forecast period predicts the global market for external pen testing to grow from $2.9 billion in 2020 to $4.5 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 9.3%.

• • In 2020, the North American region held the largest market share in the external pen testing market, with a share of 38.4%.

• • The network pen testing segment of the external pen testing market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.1% during 2020-2027.

• • With a share of 28.3%, the BFSI sector dominated the external pen testing market in 2020.

• • For the external pen testing market, the cloud-based deployment segment is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR of 24.7% from 2021 to 2028.

• • According to 2021-2028, the Asia Pacific region is projected to have the highest CAGR of 21.2% in the external pen testing market.

By testing approach

Black box penetration testing

Black box testing involves penetration tests without prior knowledge or access to the target system or network. It mimics a real-world scenario where an attacker has no inside information about the system being targeted. The pen tester is only provided with the target system’s name, URL or IP address. It is tasked with identifying and exploiting any vulnerabilities or security weaknesses they discover.

Black box penetration testing statistics

• • The black box global pen testing market was valued at $1.32 billion in 2020.

• • The market is expected to grow by $3.35 billion by 2028.

• • The black box pen testing CAGR is expected to rise by 12.9% for 2020-2028.

• • In 2020, the BFSI sector accounted for the largest market share, with a share of 29.1%.

• • The cloud-based deployment segment is expected to have the highest CAGR of 14.3% during 2021-2028.

• • The application security testing segment is projected to have the highest CAGR of 14.8% from1-202 to.

• • In 2020, North America dominated the black box pen testing market, with a share of 41.2%.

• • From 2021 to 2028, the Asia Pacific region is expected to achieve the highest CAGR of 16.3%.

Grey box penetration testing

Grey box testing involves penetration tests where the pen tester has some or partial knowledge of the target system or network, such as user accounts or network topology. Still, it is not provided access to the system’s source code or other internal details. This type of testing emulates an attack by someone with limited inside knowledge, such as a contractor or employee with restricted access.

Grey box penetration testing statistics

• • The grey box global penetration testing market worldwide is expected to reach $1.73 billion by 2028.

• • The grey box market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.4% until 2028.

• • The grey box application security testing is expected to hold the largest share by 2028.

• • The healthcare sector is expected to have the highest CAGR of 16.6% from1-202 to.

• • The cloud-based grey box pen testing market is projected to grow at 14.7% up until 2028.

• • The grey box pen testing market in the Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate globally, with a share of 39.5% by 2028.

• • The web application grey box pen testing is forecasted to have the highest CAGR of 12.9% until 2026.

• • The grey box network pen testing is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.6% till 2028.

• • The manufacturing sector is expected to have the second-highest CAGR of 15.8% since 2021 and until 2028.

White box penetration testing

White box testing involves a penetration test where the pentester has complete knowledge of the target system or network, including access to all the user accounts, source code, network diagrams, and other internal information. This testing type imitates an insider’s attack with unrestricted access to the system or network.

White box penetration testing statistics

• • The white box pen testing market is expected to reach $4.57 billion globally by 2028.

• • The market is predicted to be growing at a CAGR of 14.6% by 2028.

• • The white box application security testing held the largest market share at 36.3%.

• • The cloud-based white box pen testing is expected to have the highest CAGR of 17.2% during 2021-2028.

• • Until 2028, the white box global network security market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 18.2%.

• • In contrast, the healthcare sector is expected to have the highest CAGR of 17.4% for the same period.

• • The CAGR of the manufacturing sector is projected to reach the second-highest number of 16.8%by 2028.

• • The growth rate for the white box web application pen testing market is forecasted to reach 16.9% by 2026.

Infographic on penetration testing facts and figures

Impact of COVID-19 on penetration testing

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous organizations have had to put their planned security tests on hold or cancel them altogether, leading to decreased security testing and a risky security posture. However, the shift towards remote working has enhanced the vulnerability of many organizations, making pen testing a necessity rather than a luxury. Thus, the pandemic has profoundly impacted the penetration testing industry.

Organizations have had to adjust their security strategies to factor in the new remote working environment to combat the increased risk of cyberattacks. This includes utilizing cloud-based solutions like pen testing to protect their networks. Organizations must also ensure that their IT professionals are adequately trained and equipped with the tools and techniques to defend against potential cyber-attacks and threats.

Overall, while the pandemic has had a negative impact on the penetration testing industry due to budget cuts, its increased importance due to the increased attack surface of organizations has led to a shift towards more innovative and secure solutions. Organizations are now turning to cloud-based solutions, such as pen testing, to protect their networks and ensure their IT professionals are adequately equipped to defend against potential cyber-attacks and threats.

Conclusion

Penetration testing is a significant part of the cybersecurity process. It is a method to identify potential vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks before malicious actors or hackers can exploit them. By conducting regular penetration tests, organisations can ensure that their data, networks, and systems remain safe and secure.

The importance of penetration testing cannot be overstated. As digital threats evolve and become more sophisticated, organizations must invest in adequate security measures, including regular security tests. Doing so can help organizations reduce the risks of data breaches and cyberattacks, protect their customer data and brand reputation, and maintain the security of their systems.

Penetration testing is critical in detecting vulnerabilities and protecting organizations from harm. Organizations can help protect their data, networks, and systems from growing digital threats and attacks by implementing the proper security measures, such as penetration testing.

Organizations should invest in regular penetration testing to ensure their systems and networks remain secure and their data safe. With the proper security measures in place, organizations can protect their customers, their data, and their brand reputation—allowing them to stay one step ahead of potential cyber threats.

References

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• https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/flow-chemistry-market-1316.html 
• https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list.php
• https://nvd.nist.gov/general/visualizations/vulnerability-visualizations/cvss-severity-distribution-over-time
• https://www.cobalt.io/blog/the-state-of-pentesting-2022-how-labor-shortages-are-impacting-cybersecurity-and-developer-professionals
• https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/09/23/1036140/2021-record-zero-day-hacks-reasons/
• https://www.action1.com/2022-endpoint-management-and-security-trends-report/