Answers
What is penetration testing?
In short
Penetration testing is an authorised, simulated attack against a system to find vulnerabilities before real attackers do — typically annually and after major architectural change.
Short answer
Penetration testing is an authorised, simulated attack against a system to find vulnerabilities before real attackers do — typically annually and after major architectural change.
What this actually means in practice
Effective pen testing is scoped, has clear rules of engagement, produces actionable findings and triggers remediation tracked to closure. A pen test that produces a PDF that gets filed is worse than no pen test.
The most common pitfall
Receiving a 200-page report and never closing the medium-severity findings.
What to do next
Triage every open pen-test finding and set a deadline for closure.
Frequently asked questions
Does Forth Systems help with this?
Yes — Forth Systems works with banks, payment institutions, insurers and infrastructure operators on exactly this kind of work. Engagements start with a fixed-scope assessment so you see the shape before committing.
How experienced is the team?
Engagements are staffed by named, UK-based senior engineers — not a rotating offshore pool. References from the second line of comparable clients are available on request.
Where are you based?
Edinburgh-based, delivering UK-wide with onsite presence in London and across Scotland as required.
How fast can we start?
Most engagements start within 2-4 weeks of a signed SoW, faster where an existing supplier framework is in place.