Which Is Better? In-House or Outsourcing Penetration Testing

Cyber threats are evolving at an unprecedented pace.

Businesses in industries like healthcare, fintech, and e-commerce face continuous risks, making cybersecurity a non-negotiable priority in 2025. Among the tools available, penetration testing remains one of the most effective ways to identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Beyond risk mitigation, implementing regular penetration testing can even reduce cyber insurance premiums by up to 15%, providing measurable financial benefits.

As decision-makers, you face a critical question: Should penetration testing be handled in-house or entrusted to outsourced experts? This article explores both approaches to help you make an informed decision.

Building an in-house penetration testing team

1. The benefits of internal teams

Managing penetration testing internally offers several advantages:

• Full control: Businesses can oversee testing processes, schedules, and data management without third-party dependencies. This control ensures results are closely aligned with organizational goals.
• Tailored expertise: In-house teams develop a deep understanding of company systems and unique industry requirements. For organizations with intricate operations, this familiarity improves testing outcomes.
• Cost-efficiency for large enterprises: Organizations with frequent testing needs, like Fortune 500 companies, may find long-term cost savings by investing in internal teams rather than outsourcing repeatedly.

A big success with in-house penetration testing: A large mortgage company recognized the limitations of traditional security assessments and invested in building its in-house testing capabilities. Through collaboration with the Advanced Testing Services (ATS) team, they adopted new methodologies to evaluate endpoint security and SOC effectiveness. The insights uncovered significant gaps in their defenses, which were addressed with targeted investments. By leveraging their internal team’s familiarity with the company’s systems, they successfully improved their overall security posture and demonstrated clear, data-backed ROI to stakeholders.

2. The challenges of going in-house

While there are benefits, building an in-house team comes with significant hurdles:

• High recruitment and training costs: Hiring experienced penetration testers is expensive. On average, salaries for top-tier penetration testers exceed $120,000 annually. Continuous training adds further expenses.
• Tooling and infrastructure investments: Companies must purchase and maintain advanced tools for network scanning, vulnerability testing, and compliance checks.
• Limited skill set: Cyber threats are diverse and ever-changing. Internal teams may lack the breadth of experience to address emerging attack methods effectively.
• Burnout and retention risks: Skilled penetration testers are in high demand, and turnover can disrupt testing workflows.

3. When in-house teams make sense

In-house penetration testing works best for organizations with:

• Extensive IT and cybersecurity resources.
• Recurring, large-scale testing needs (e.g., quarterly or monthly).
• Sufficient budget for staffing, tools, and infrastructure.

Outsourcing penetration testing

1. The benefits of outsourcing

Outsourcing penetration testing offers flexibility and immediate access to expertise. Here’s why it’s a favored option for many:

• Access to top-tier experts: Third-party vendors provide seasoned professionals who have conducted diverse tests across industries. Their expertise ensures thorough and up-to-date testing.
• Cost-effective for SMEs: Small to mid-sized businesses benefit from outsourcing without the burden of hiring and maintaining full-time staff.
• Unbiased perspective: External testers approach systems with a fresh perspective, uncovering blind spots that internal teams might miss.
• Scalability and flexibility: Businesses can schedule testing on demand—whether annually, quarterly, or during critical projects—without incurring fixed costs.
• Compliance-ready reports: Many outsourced providers specialize in compliance testing, delivering reports aligned with HIPAA, PCI DSS, or GDPR standards.

Effective results from outsourcing penetration testing: The UK’s largest second-hand book retailer, World of Books, faced growing cybersecurity challenges as an e-commerce business. By outsourcing penetration testing to a CREST-accredited cybersecurity firm, they identified and remediated critical vulnerabilities across their platform. This not only ensured compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations but also strengthened consumer trust. Their success led to regular testing engagements, reducing security risks as the business scaled.

2. The trade-offs to consider

Outsourcing is not without challenges:

• Vendor trust and confidentiality: Sharing sensitive systems and data with a third party requires stringent confidentiality agreements and trust.
• Scheduling dependencies: Relying on external teams may delay urgent tests due to vendor availability.
• Variable quality: Not all providers deliver the same level of expertise. Choosing the wrong vendor can result in subpar results.

3. When outsourcing is the right choice

• Small to mid-sized businesses with limited cybersecurity budgets.
• Highly regulated industries (e.g., fintech, healthcare) requiring compliance-driven testing.
• Organizations lacking in-house cybersecurity talent or infrastructure.

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A quick comparison to help you weigh the options

Making the Right Decision for Your Business

Choosing between in-house and outsourced penetration testing depends on your organization’s size, budget, and cybersecurity maturity.

At Sunbytes, we understand that selecting the right approach can feel overwhelming. To help you evaluate your options effectively, we offer a free penetration testing phase, a critical first step in determining whether an in-house or outsourced solution best fits your needs.

For businesses planning penetration testing in the first quarter of 2025, Sunbytes is also offering a €5,000 penetration testing voucher to jumpstart your security initiatives. Contact us today to secure your organization’s future.