// Penetration Testing

External Network
Penetration Testing.

Your internet-facing perimeter is the first thing attackers see. HackLabs simulates a real external threat actor targeting your public IP ranges, exposed services, and edge infrastructure.

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// The Case for Testing

What does an attacker see from the outside?

External network penetration testing evaluates your organisation's exposure to internet-based attackers. Our testers take a black-box perspective — working with nothing but publicly available information and your IP ranges — to discover exposed services, exploit vulnerabilities, and attempt to establish a foothold. It's the most accurate simulation of a real external attack your organisation will experience.

// Attacker's Perspective

Black-box and grey-box options

We start with the same information an attacker would have — IP ranges, domain names, and publicly available data — before progressively testing exposed services.

// Exploitation Focus

Proof-of-compromise, not just discovery

Where safe, we go beyond finding vulnerabilities to demonstrate exploitation — giving your team irrefutable evidence of what an attacker could achieve.

// Perimeter Coverage

Complete external attack surface

We discover and test all exposed services, not just what's in scope documents. DNS, email, VPNs, remote access, cloud assets — nothing is assumed secure.

// What We Cover
  • Network service discovery and enumeration
  • Vulnerability identification in internet-facing services
  • Web application vulnerabilities on external hosts
  • VPN and remote access gateway testing
  • Email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, relay testing)
  • DNS infrastructure analysis
  • SSL/TLS configuration weaknesses
  • Firewall and ACL bypass attempts
  • Password spraying and credential attacks on exposed services
  • Cloud asset discovery and misconfiguration testing
// Capabilities

External testing capabilities

Perimeter Discovery

Comprehensive enumeration of your external attack surface including exposed ports, services, domains, cloud assets, and forgotten infrastructure.

Service Exploitation

Testing of all discovered services for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and authentication weaknesses — with controlled exploitation.

Remote Access Testing

VPN gateways, Citrix, RDP, SSH, and other remote access services tested for authentication bypass, version vulnerabilities, and credential attacks.

Email Security Assessment

SPF, DKIM, DMARC configuration review plus relay testing, header injection, and phishing simulation readiness.

Web Application Testing

All internet-facing web interfaces tested for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities as part of the external assessment.

Cloud Perimeter Testing

Discovery of cloud-hosted assets, S3 buckets, Azure blobs, and public-facing cloud services for misconfiguration and access control weaknesses.

// Methodology

Our testing process

01

Scoping

We define the engagement boundaries, objectives, and rules of engagement. Clear scope means focused testing and accurate results.

02

Testing

Senior consultants conduct both automated and manual testing, replicating real-world attack techniques against your environment.

03

Reporting

Detailed technical findings with risk ratings, proof-of-concept evidence, and clear remediation guidance for both technical and executive audiences.

04

Remediation Support

We stay engaged beyond the report. Our team answers remediation questions and offers a complimentary re-test on critical findings.

// Why HackLabs
CREST
Accredited

CREST-certified testers across all disciplines. Independently audited methodology you can trust.

3,000+
Pen Tests Delivered

Extensive track record across enterprise, government, and critical infrastructure sectors.

20+
Years Established

Founded by Chris Gatford — over two decades of offensive security experience at your service.

100%
Senior Testers

No graduates on client engagements. Every test is run by experienced, certified professionals.

// Related Services

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// Get Started

Ready to secure your external perimeter?

Talk to a HackLabs specialist and get a tailored assessment proposal within one business day.

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