SOC 2 Penetration Testing: Requirements, Scope, and Pricing
Two speeds, one standard. AI SOC 2 pentest in 48 hours from $1,500. Hybrid (AI + senior US pentester) audit-ready in 5โ6 days from $5,000.
First report in 48h ยท From $1,500 ยท Free remediation retest
Get Scoped for Your SOC 2 Pentest in 24 Hours.
Sample reportShare a few details and pick a time to chat right after.
Rather skip the form?
Book a 30-minute scoping call insteadFrom scope to audit-ready in 5 days
Scope your SOC 2 boundary, our AI agents discover and exploit, a senior tester validates every finding, and you receive an auditor-ready report.
Confidential ยท Sample
From kickoff to auditor-ready report, delivered in 48 hours.
Most SOC 2 auditors require pentest evidence 30 to 60 days before audit. Don't start too late.
We specialize in SOC 2 pentest work for SaaS companies, AI platforms, and tech startups. If your auditor requires a pentest as part of SOC 2 Type I or Type II evidence, we scope, test, and deliver โ an AI SOC 2 pentest in 48 hours or a hybrid SOC 2 pentest audit-ready in 5โ6 days.
Trusted by Companies Where Security Isn't Optional
What customers say
The best choice for penetration testing
"The testing was thorough and the reports were structured precisely for the regulatory requirements. Explanation of issues along with steps to reproduce and remediation advice were detailed and clear, making corrections a breeze."
Jeremy M.
Director ยท IKO Corp ยท Medical Devices
What Is a SOC 2 Penetration Test?
A SOC 2 penetration test is an independent, exploit-validated security assessment of the systems in scope for a SOC 2 Type 1 or Type 2 audit. It produces the third-party evidence AICPA auditors use to confirm that Trust Service Criteria controls CC6.1, CC6.6, CC6.7, CC7.1, and CC7.2 are operating effectively, not just documented. A qualifying SOC 2 pentest must include all of the following:
- Defined scope covering production systems that store or process customer data.
- Active exploitation attempts โ not just an automated vulnerability scan.
- Findings mapped to SOC 2 controls with CVSS severity, evidence, and reproduction steps.
- Independent third-party tester (your internal security team cannot satisfy the requirement).
- Retest evidence confirming high and critical findings were remediated within the audit window.
Is a penetration test required for SOC 2?
The AICPA does not list a pentest by name in the SOC 2 Trust Service Criteria, but in practice a SOC 2 pentest is required: auditors need third-party, exploit-validated evidence to attest that controls CC6.1, CC6.6, CC6.7, CC7.1, and CC7.2 are operating effectively. A vulnerability scan, an internal review, or a self-attestation will not satisfy the requirement.
- SOC 2 Type 1: strongly recommended before issuance to validate control design.
- SOC 2 Type 2: expected at least annually inside the audit window, plus after any material change to in-scope systems.
- What counts as qualifying: independent third-party tester, defined production scope, active exploitation (not a scan), findings mapped to CC6.x / CC7.x, and retest evidence within the audit window.
SOC 2 Penetration Testing Requirements
Exactly what auditors expect, how often you need to test, and what scope a qualifying SOC 2 pentest must cover.
Does SOC 2 require a penetration test?
Yes, in practice. The AICPA does not name a pentest as a literal Trust Service Criteria control, but every major SOC 2 auditor expects third-party, exploit-validated evidence that controls CC6.1, CC6.6, CC6.7, CC7.1, and CC7.2 are operating effectively. Both SOC 2 Type 1 and SOC 2 Type 2 audits use the pentest report as primary evidence. See our SOC 2 penetration testing pricing or compare frameworks on the compliance penetration testing overview.
How often is a SOC 2 pentest required?
At minimum once per audit window. SOC 2 Type 2 covers 3 to 12 months, so most teams schedule one annual hybrid pentest and add monthly AI validation scans between audits so the report reflects current production state. Any material change to in-scope systems (new region, new auth flow, major rearchitecture) should trigger an additional test inside the same window.
What scope is required for a SOC 2 pentest?
A qualifying SOC 2 pentest must cover every production system that stores, processes, or transmits customer data: customer-facing web applications, public and partner APIs, external network surfaces, admin portals, and any third-party integration that touches the trust boundary. Internal-only systems out of scope for the audit can be excluded, but the boundary must be documented for the auditor.
What does the auditor expect to see in the report?
The auditor expects a written report from an independent third party that includes: defined scope and rules of engagement, evidence of active exploitation (not just a scan), findings with CVSS severity, reproduction steps, and screenshots, every finding mapped to CC6.x or CC7.x controls, remediation guidance, and a retest letter confirming high and critical findings were closed inside the audit window. StealthNet delivers all of the above in one PDF, see a redacted example on the homepage sample report.
Most Companies Fail Their First SOC 2 Pentest.
Your auditor flags pentest quality
Traditional firms deliver reports that don't map to CC6.x and CC7.x controls, which forces rework and delays.
You waited too long
Annual testing windows don't align with audit timelines, leaving you scrambling at the last minute.
You're overpaying
Legacy firms charge $20K to $60K for the same coverage StealthNet delivers with AI pentests starting at $1,500 and hybrid pentests starting at $5,000.
Pentest Reports Built for SOC 2, Not Retrofitted for It.
AI SOC 2 Pentest
$1,500
- 48-hour delivery (AI-only)
- Exploit-validated findings
- Pre-formatted for SOC 2 CC6.x / CC7.x controls
Best for: Early-stage companies, Type I preparation, pre-audit validation
Hybrid (AI + Human) SOC 2 Pentest
Starting at $5,000
Typical engagements range from $5,000 to $10,000 depending on scope
- AI attack simulation + senior US-based pentester validation
- Audit-ready report in 5โ6 days
- Dedicated project manager + private Slack channel
- Compliance-ready report + free retest included
Best for: SOC 2 Type II, production SaaS platforms, investor-facing audits
Everything Your Auditor Needs. Nothing They Don't.
Executive Summary
Business impact overview for leadership and auditors
Technical Findings
CVSS-rated, exploit-confirmed, with screenshots and evidence
SOC 2 Control Mapping
Every finding mapped to CC6.x / CC7.x trust criteria
Remediation Report
Free retest showing all fixes validated and verified
AI Handles Speed. Humans Validate Everything.
A named, US-based senior tester validates every finding before your report is delivered.
Reports are pre-formatted for SOC 2, so there is no manual reformatting and no delays at audit time.
Two speeds, one standard โ an AI SOC 2 pentest in 48 hours or a hybrid pentest audit-ready in 5โ6 days.
SOC 2 Pentest Timeline: Audit-Ready Report in 5โ6 Days
From scoping call to a SOC 2-ready report on day 5โ6, with a free retest before your audit window closes.
- Day 0
Intake call
30-minute scoping call. We confirm in-scope systems, audit window, and auditor expectations.
- Day 1
Scope locked + kickoff
Test plan, rules of engagement, and credentials handoff via private Slack channel.
- Day 2โ4
Active hybrid testing
AI-driven attack simulation validated by a senior US-based pentester. Daily progress updates and high/critical findings posted live to your Slack channel.
- Day 5โ6 Audit-Ready
Audit-ready report delivered
Senior-reviewed PDF report delivered on day 5โ6. Findings mapped to CC6.1, CC6.6, CC6.7, CC7.1, CC7.2 with CVSS, evidence, and reproduction steps. Executive summary and attestation letter included.
- Day 7โ30
Remediation + free retest
We retest every high and critical finding inside the audit window and issue a clean retest letter for your auditor.
SOC 2 Pentest Checklist + Fast-Track for Any Compliance Framework
Download the SOC 2 checklist as your starting point. The Fast-Track engagement covers ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST, CMMC, FedRAMP, FDA, and more with the same methodology and timeline.
SOC 2 does not explicitly mandate penetration testing, but auditors and enterprise customers commonly expect evidence that controls are tested, findings are tracked, and remediation is validated. This checklist helps teams prepare audit-ready documentation before their SOC 2 window. The Fast-Track engagement itself supports any compliance framework, SOC 2 is just where most teams start.
- Map pentest evidence to SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria
- Define in-scope systems, APIs, cloud assets, and third-party dependencies
- Package auditor-ready reports, remediation evidence, and retest validation
- Avoid common audit gaps around scope, ownership, and unresolved findings
- Same engagement methodology applies to ISO 27001, HIPAA, PCI DSS, NIST, CMMC, FedRAMP, FDA, and more
Get the Checklist
Sent to your inbox instantly. Need a different framework? Tell us in the timeline field.
SOC 2 Type 1 vs Type 2 Penetration Testing
The pentest evidence auditors expect differs by audit type. Here's what each requires.
StealthNet delivers Type 1 and Type 2 SOC 2 pentests on the same two-track cadence โ AI in 48 hours, hybrid audit-ready in 5โ6 days โ so your auditor has clean evidence whether you're issuing your first SOC 2 report or your fifth.
How SOC 2 Pentest Findings Map to CC6.x and CC7.x
Every StealthNet SOC 2 report tags findings against the specific Trust Service Criteria your auditor will test.
Logical access controls
Authentication, authorization, BOLA / IDOR, privilege escalation, session handling. The most commonly tested control in any SOC 2 pentest.
Boundary protection
External perimeter, VPN, firewall, and segmentation testing. Demonstrates that internet-facing systems are protected against unauthorized access.
Data in transit
TLS configuration, certificate validation, downgrade attacks, sensitive-data exposure across application and API surfaces.
System monitoring & vulnerability detection
Validates that your detection and response stack actually catches the exploit attempts our testers run. Findings include alerting gaps.
Anomaly detection & incident response
Tests whether anomalous activity (brute force, mass enumeration, privilege escalation) is detected, escalated, and contained.
Change management
Optional add-on. Validates that recent production changes have not introduced regressions to the security posture documented at Type 1.
SOC 2 Penetration Test vs Vulnerability Assessment
Both appear in SOC 2 evidence packages โ but they answer different questions and only one satisfies the AICPA expectation for active testing.
Most SOC 2 programs need both. A continuous vulnerability scan catches drift between audits, and an annual penetration test produces the exploit-validated findings auditors require to sign off CC6.x and CC7.x. StealthNet bundles both so you do not have to manage two vendors.
SOC 2 Type 1 Penetration Testing, Audit-Ready
Pentest evidence formatted specifically for SOC 2 Type 1 audits, the SOC 2 Type 1 to Type 2 transition, and pre-audit readiness.
Pentest before SOC 2 audit
A penetration test before a SOC 2 audit gives your auditor exploit-validated evidence that controls CC6.1, CC6.6, CC6.7, CC7.1, and CC7.2 are not just designed but effective. The single best signal we see for first-time SOC 2 success.
SOC 2 Type 1 web app pentest
Exercises every authenticated and unauthenticated surface on the application that holds customer data, mapped to CC6.1 logical access controls and CC7.1 system monitoring. Pre-formatted for your Type 1 readiness assessment.
SOC 2 Type 1 API pentest
Covers REST, GraphQL, and gRPC endpoints against the OWASP API Top 10, with focused testing of broken object-level authorization (BOLA), token handling, and tenant isolation.
SOC 2 Type 1 external pentest
Validates your internet-facing perimeter, VPN gateways, and remote access portals. Findings ladder up to CC6.6 (boundary protection) and CC7.2 (anomaly detection) and are accepted by every major SOC 2 auditor.
Pentest after SOC 2 Type 1
The bridge to Type 2. Gives you operating effectiveness evidence across the audit window, surfaces drift between point-in-time Type 1 controls and live production, and seeds your SOC 2 Type 2 readiness package.
Medtech SOC 2 pentest
Has to satisfy both SOC 2 trust criteria and HIPAA Security Rule expectations on the same systems. We scope a single hybrid pentest that covers both, with a unified report your SOC 2 auditor and HIPAA reviewer can each consume.
Managed Service Provider SOC 2 Pentesting
Built for MSPs and MSSPs that need SOC 2 pentest coverage for themselves and their managed clients.
Your MSP's own SOC 2
A hybrid AI plus human pentest of your own infrastructure, mapped to CC6.x and CC7.x, delivered audit-ready in 5โ6 days.
Your downstream clients
Per-tenant scoping with per-client reporting so every engagement can stand on its own at audit time. Co-branded reports optional.
You own the relationship. We deliver the pentest.
Bring the client and the SOC 2 timeline. We run the pentest, deliver a co-branded report mapped to CC6.x and CC7.x, and include a free retest.
Prepping Your First Audit? Get a Startup SOC 2 Pentest That Won't Blow the Budget
A focused startup SOC 2 pentest scope covers the production app, customer-facing APIs, and your single AWS or GCP account, mapped to CC6.x and CC7.x for your Type I or first Type II window.
One web app, one API, one cloud account. No fluff in the SOW so the bill matches the surface.
Schedule the test 30 to 60 days before fieldwork so the report and retest both land inside your Type I window.
Startup SOC 2 pentest engagements start at $1,500 for AI and $5,000 for hybrid, with a free remediation retest.
The same report supports your SOC 2 audit, customer security reviews, and follow-on HIPAA or ISO 27001 work.
Quick SOC 2 Pentest Questions
Get Your SOC 2 Pentest Scoped in 24 Hours
Share a few details and we'll follow up within one business day.
SOC 2 Penetration Testing Questions, Answered
Common questions about SOC 2 pentest requirements, scoping, timing, and cost.
Compare full SOC 2 pentest pricing, read our SOC 2 blog guide, review the SOC 2 auditor checklist, or see all compliance frameworks we cover.
Pentest Reports for Every Compliance Framework
Same AI plus human delivery model, mapped to the framework your auditor or customer cares about.
Security Rule ยง164.312 safeguards
Requirement 11.3 / 11.4 testing
Annex A control validation
800-53, 800-171, and CSF mapped
Level 2 (NIST 800-171) crosswalk
510(k) cybersecurity for medical devices
Moderate/High baseline pentest
EU Article 25 ICT pentest for financial entities
Pentest Services Included in Every Compliance Engagement
Every compliance pentest pulls from these test-type services as needed. Scope is sized to your environment, not padded with hours.