As technology continues to evolve, cybersecurity has become a top priority for businesses of all sizes. One of the key components of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy is penetration testing.

Penetration testing, also known as pen testing, is the process of simulating a real-world attack on a system or network to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that could be exploited by hackers.

Here are statistics related to penetration testing that highlight the importance of this critical security measure:

Key Penetration Testing Statistics 2023 – MY Choice


  • The global penetration testing market size is expected to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2025. (Source: Grand View Research)
  • The average cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 million. (Source: IBM)
  • 94% of organizations experienced a phishing attack in 2020. (Source: Verizon)
  • The healthcare industry has the highest cost per breached record at $499 per record. (Source: IBM)
  • 53% of companies do not conduct regular vulnerability assessments. (Source: Ponemon Institute)
  • The average time to identify a breach in 2020 was 228 days. (Source: IBM)
  • 84% of hackers use social engineering tactics to gain access to sensitive information. (Source: KnowBe4)
  • 56% of IT decision-makers believe that their organization is vulnerable to a cyber attack. (Source: Security Magazine)
  • 30% of organizations have never conducted a penetration test. (Source: Cybersecurity Insiders)
  • The average time to contain a breach in 2020 was 83 days. (Source: IBM)

Penetration Testing Statistics

  1. According to a recent study, 71% of businesses consider cybersecurity as their top priority.
  2. 77% of companies use penetration testing to evaluate their security measures.
  3. The global penetration testing market size is expected to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2025.
  4. 57% of organizations have experienced a cybersecurity attack in the last year.
  5. 68% of businesses believe that a cyber attack is inevitable.
  6. The average cost of a data breach in the US is $8.19 million.
  7. 90% of cyber attacks start with a phishing email.
  8. 69% of organizations do not have a formal incident response plan.
  9. 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses.
  10. 60% of small businesses go out of business within six months of a cyber attack.

Table 1: Penetration Testing Market Statistics

StatisticValue
Global penetration testing market size in 2021USD 1.6 billion
Global penetration testing market size in 2026USD 3.0 billion
Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2021 to 202613.8%
Percentage of market contributed by top companies>50%
Percentage of market revenue from vendors offering penetration testing solutions35-40%

Table 2: Penetration Testing Software Statistics

StatisticValue
Percentage of tested companies with known software security flaws39%
Percentage of organizations that don’t believe their anti-threats can block detected threats69%
Percentage of companies that store billing addresses54%
Percentage of companies that regularly upgrade software solutions38%
Percentage of companies that monitor business credit reports31%
Top reasons for email delivery failure (bill/invoice, package delivery, legal/law enforcement, scanned document)15.9%, 11.5%, 13.2%, 15.3%
Top reasons for package delivery failure notice (bill/invoice, package delivery, email delivery failure)7%, 4%, 3%

Table 3: Penetration Testing Latest Statistics

StatisticValue
Percentage of external pentests that successfully breached network perimeter92%
Percentage of successful penetration vectors caused by poor protection of web resources75%
Percentage of systems where weak Wi-Fi security enabled access to resources on the LAN63%
Percentage of companies with breached network perimeter during external pentesting (2018)92%
Percentage of clients with network traffic analysis performed78%
Percentage of tested systems that failed to protect NBNS and LLMNR protocols86%
Percentage of tested systems with out-of-date OS versions on internal infrastructure44%
Percentage of successful cyberattacks against financial institutions5.3%
Percentage of successful cyberattacks against medical institutions38.9%
Percentage of IT budget spent on cybersecurity by medical centers<10%
Percentage of all successful cyberattacks against online services35.1%
Estimated total amount of losses incurred by US businesses due to cybercrime in 2015USD 525 million
Percentage of companies with successfully breached network perimeter and access to local network93%
Percentage of companies with potential easy penetration vector71%
Percentage of penetration vectors involving insufficient protection of web applications77%
Percentage of companies with at least one such vector86%
Percentage of companies with identifiers for web applications that use domain authentication bruteforced via Autodiscover service in Microsoft Exchange Client Access Server through timing attack25%
Percentage of companies where zero day vulnerabilities allowed penetration14%
Percentage of client typology comprised by startups~50%
Percentage of repeat clients who requested penetration testing in 202040%
Percentage of targets with at least one critical vulnerability29%
Percentage of targets with one or more important vulnerabilities44%
Percentage of targets with one or more medium vulnerabilities47%
Percentage of targets with medium, important or critical vulnerabilities62%
Percentage of flaws found that were critical vulnerabilities11%

Penetration Testing Facts

11. Penetration testing is also known as ethical hacking.

  1. It involves simulating a cyber attack to identify vulnerabilities in a network or application.
  2. Penetration testing can be manual or automated.
  3. Penetration testers use various tools and techniques to identify vulnerabilities.
  4. Penetration testing is not a one-time event; it should be done regularly.
  5. Penetration testing can help businesses comply with regulations and industry standards.
  6. Penetration testing can also help businesses avoid reputational damage.

Penetration Testing Benefits

18. Penetration testing helps businesses identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by attackers.

  1. Penetration testing can help businesses prioritize their security investments.
  2. Penetration testing can help businesses comply with regulations and industry standards.
  3. Penetration testing can help businesses avoid reputational damage.
  4. Penetration testing can help businesses avoid costly data breaches.

Penetration Testing Trends

23. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly being used in penetration testing.

  1. Cloud-based penetration testing is becoming more popular.
  2. Penetration testing is being integrated into the software development lifecycle.
  3. Bug bounty programs are becoming more popular.
  4. More businesses are outsourcing their penetration testing needs.
  5. The use of automation in penetration testing is increasing.

Penetration Testing Adoption

29. Large enterprises are more likely to adopt penetration testing than small and medium-sized businesses.

  1. The financial services sector is the largest user of penetration testing.
  2. The healthcare sector is increasing its adoption of penetration testing.
  3. The government sector is increasing its adoption of penetration testing.

Penetration Testing Overview

  1. The global penetration testing market is expected to reach $4.5 billion by 2025.
  2. Penetration testing is now a requirement for compliance with many industry regulations, including PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.
  3. According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, the global cost of cybercrime is projected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.
  4. Penetration testing is a proactive approach to identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities, rather than a reactive approach after a breach has occurred.

Penetration Testing Benefits

  1. Penetration testing can help identify and address vulnerabilities before they are exploited by hackers.
  2. Penetration testing can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of an organization’s security controls and policies.
  3. Penetration testing can help organizations meet compliance requirements and avoid costly fines.
  4. Penetration testing can help organizations protect their reputation and avoid damage to their brand.

Penetration Testing Frequency

  1. According to a survey by Cynet, 40% of organizations conduct penetration testing once a year or less.
  2. The National Institute of Standards and Technology recommends that organizations conduct penetration testing at least once a year, or whenever significant changes are made to the network or systems.
  3. The frequency of penetration testing should be based on the organization’s risk profile and the level of security required.

Penetration Testing Methodologies

  1. There are two main methodologies for penetration testing: white box and black box.
  2. In a white box test, the tester has complete knowledge of the system being tested, including system architecture, network layout, and source code.
  3. In a black box test, the tester has no prior knowledge of the system being tested and must conduct reconnaissance to gather information.
  4. Gray box testing is a hybrid approach that gives the tester some knowledge of the system being tested.

Penetration Testing Tools

  1. There are a variety of tools available for conducting penetration testing, including open source tools and commercial tools.
  2. Some popular open source tools for penetration testing include Metasploit, Nmap, and Wireshark.
  3. Some popular commercial tools for penetration testing include Rapid7, Qualys, and Nessus.

Penetration Testing Challenges

  1. Penetration testing can be time-consuming and expensive.
  2. Penetration testing requires specialized knowledge and expertise, which can be difficult to find and retain.
  3. Penetration testing can sometimes result in false positives, which can be a waste of time and resources.
  4. Penetration testing can sometimes result in false negatives, which can leave vulnerabilities undiscovered.

Penetration Testing Trends

  1. The use of artificial intelligence and machine learning is expected to play a larger role in penetration testing in the future.
  2. The rise of cloud computing has led to an increased need for penetration testing of cloud environments.
  3. The Internet of Things (IoT) is also creating new challenges for penetration testing, as connected devices can be difficult to secure.

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