SOC 2 Penetration Testing: Auditor-Ready Report and Attestation

What SOC 2 actually says

The Trust Services Criteria don't list "penetration test" as a control. Three criteria create the expectation. CC4.1 asks you to "perform ongoing and/or separate evaluations" that your controls are present and functioning. CC7.1 asks you to detect "susceptibilities to newly discovered vulnerabilities." CC7.2 asks you to monitor system components for anomalies and to evaluate vulnerabilities; a penetration test is the most direct evidence that this is being done. Auditors have settled on a practical reading: at least one external penetration test a year (internal too, if your infrastructure is in scope), with a written methodology and evidence that findings were fixed. Show up without one and expect an exception in your report or a delay.

For a Type 2 report the test, the fixes and the retest all need to fall inside the audit period, which is why most companies run the test early in the period and keep the retest evidence with the report.

What your auditor needs to see

A dated report covering the systems in your SOC 2 scope
The methodology used and the severity of each finding
Proof that findings were remediated and retested
A test performed within the audit period (usually the last 12 months)
A Letter of Attestation that states what was tested, when, by whom and the result, which you hand to the auditor alongside the report.

The report pack (Executive Summary, Detailed Report, Letter of Attestation, Scan Comparison and a findings spreadsheet) is generated in the portal the moment the test completes, and the PDFs upload as evidence files in Vanta, Drata, Secureframe or any other compliance platform.

Getting it done this week

Clone Systems automated external penetration testing runs attacker techniques against your internet-facing systems, starts in minutes, and produces an executive summary plus technical findings with retesting included. Authenticated web application testing is included, each confirmed finding carries proof of exploit, and you can retest inside your 30-day window. From $1,995 for one asset over 30 days; $3,495 for 10. Add the internal penetration testing from $2,995 if your servers or office network are in scope. If your auditor asks for a human-led test or your product has complex business logic, managed penetration testing by Clone Systems engineers is scoped per environment. Choose this when your auditor requires a human-performed test or your scope includes business logic, APIs or cloud configuration; it is run by a certified engineer with a free remediation retest.

See what the auditor gets

Every automated test produces the same report pack, so you can show your auditor a sample before you buy. The sample uses dummy data with the customer name and IP addresses masked.

View a sample pen test report

Why Clone Systems

PCI Approved Scanning Vendor since 2007, 100 million vulnerability checks a day, published prices, buy online. Startups on their first SOC 2 can start with the founder package.

Not sure which test you need? Answer a few questions.

Will your auditor accept it? See what is in the report.

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SOC 2 penetration testing FAQ

Does SOC 2 require a penetration test?

Not by name. The Trust Services Criteria do not use the words penetration test, but CC4.1, CC7.1 and CC7.2 expect you to evaluate whether controls work and to find vulnerabilities, and a dated pen test report is the evidence auditors ask for most. If your own policies or customer contracts name a pen test, it becomes a requirement.

How often do I need one for SOC 2?

At least once a year, and inside the audit period for a Type 2 report. Many companies also test after a significant change to the application or infrastructure.

Do I need an internal test or just an external one?

External testing covers the systems your customers and attackers can reach and is what most SOC 2 scopes need. Add internal testing if servers, office networks or internal applications are inside your SOC 2 boundary.

Will my auditor accept an automated penetration test?

Many do for external scope, because the report shows methodology, severity-rated findings, proof of exploit and retest evidence, and comes with a Letter of Attestation. If your auditor requires a human-performed test, or your scope includes business logic, APIs or cloud configuration, choose the engineer-led test. Confirm with your auditor before you buy; we are happy to send a sample report for them to review.

What is in the report?

An Executive Summary, a Detailed Report with evidence and remediation for every finding, a Letter of Attestation, a Scan Comparison showing what changed since the last test, and a findings spreadsheet. The pack is generated automatically when the test completes.

Can I upload the report to Vanta, Drata or Secureframe?

Yes. The report PDFs are evidence files you attach to the relevant control in any compliance platform. Clone Systems does not need an integration for this.

Clone Systems is a PCI Security Standards Council Approved Scanning Vendor, listed since 2007. This page is general guidance, not legal or audit advice.

Need an engineer-led test? See web application penetration testing, API penetration testing, cloud penetration testing and external network penetration testing.

Penetration testing for SOC 2