PCI DSS Penetration Testing Providers
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard · Global
PCI DSS is the global security standard for organisations that process, store, or transmit payment card data. PCI DSS v4.0, which became mandatory in March 2025, has strengthened penetration testing requirements significantly. Requirement 11.4 mandates external and internal penetration testing at least annually and after significant changes, using an industry-accepted methodology.
Testing must cover the entire cardholder data environment (CDE), including network segmentation controls that isolate the CDE from other networks. PCI DSS requires that pen testing be performed by qualified internal resources or qualified external parties, and CREST-certified testers are widely accepted as meeting this qualification requirement.
Additionally, Requirement 11.3 requires quarterly vulnerability scans by an Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV). PCI DSS v4.0 also introduces requirements for authenticated scanning and more rigorous testing of segmentation controls. Organisations must address all high-risk and critical vulnerabilities found during testing and retest to confirm remediation.
SECFORCE
Leading UK offensive security consultancy based in Canary Wharf, delivering CREST-accredited penetration testing and adversary simulation to organisations with the most demanding security requirements.
NCC Group
Global cybersecurity consultancy with CREST, CHECK, and CBEST accreditation, renowned for deep technical research and comprehensive penetration testing services.
Nettitude
CREST, CHECK, and CBEST accredited UK consultancy within Lloyd's Register, delivering premium penetration testing for government and critical infrastructure.
NetSPI
Leading penetration testing firm with the Resolve platform for continuous attack surface management, trusted by nine of the top ten US banks.
Trustwave
Global managed security provider with the elite SpiderLabs penetration testing team and deep PCI DSS compliance expertise.
Bridewell
Fast-growing CREST and CHECK-accredited UK cybersecurity consultancy with deep expertise in critical national infrastructure sectors.
Pentest People
CREST and CHECK-accredited UK penetration testing firm with an innovative SecurePortal platform and transparent pricing for mid-market organizations.
Mandiant
World-renowned cybersecurity firm now part of Google Cloud, delivering threat intelligence-led penetration testing and red teaming informed by front-line incident response experience.
Bishop Fox
Premier US-based offensive security firm known for elite penetration testers, cutting-edge research, and the Cosmos continuous attack surface management platform.
Rapid7
Creators of Metasploit offering enterprise penetration testing integrated with their comprehensive vulnerability management and security operations platform.
Coalfire
Compliance-focused cybersecurity advisory firm and FedRAMP 3PAO specializing in penetration testing that meets stringent regulatory requirements.
WithSecure
Leading European cybersecurity firm offering penetration testing with deep expertise in EU regulatory compliance including GDPR, NIS 2, and TIBER-EU.
Claranet
CREST and CHECK-accredited European managed services provider delivering penetration testing with deep infrastructure and cloud hosting expertise.
HackerOne
World's largest ethical hacker platform with over one million researchers, offering bug bounties and structured penetration testing to the US DoD and Fortune 500.
Integrity360
CREST-accredited pan-European cybersecurity services provider delivering penetration testing and managed security from Dublin with a strong UK and Ireland presence.
Black Hills Information Security
Community-driven penetration testing firm known for free security education, open-source tools, Wild West Hackin' Fest, and practical offensive security services.
SEC Consult
Leading European cybersecurity consultancy from Vienna with a prolific vulnerability research program and deep expertise in IoT and embedded systems security.
CrowdStrike
Global cybersecurity leader leveraging world-class threat intelligence from the Falcon platform to deliver intelligence-led penetration testing and red teaming.
IOActive
Elite boutique security consultancy specializing in IoT, SCADA/ICS, embedded systems, and hardware security research with world-renowned researchers.
Secureworks
Dell Technologies-backed cybersecurity firm with elite Counter Threat Unit intelligence informing enterprise penetration testing and adversary simulation.
Rhino Security Labs
Cloud security penetration testing specialists known for the Pacu AWS exploitation framework and deep expertise across AWS, Azure, and GCP environments.
Praetorian
Offensive security firm founded by former DoD professionals, offering elite penetration testing and the Chariot continuous attack surface management platform.
Offensive Security
Creators of OSCP, Kali Linux, and Exploit-DB, offering elite penetration testing services from the team that trains the world's ethical hackers.
Bugcrowd
Leading crowdsourced security platform offering managed bug bounty programs and crowd-powered penetration testing with hundreds of thousands of ethical hackers.
Synack
FedRAMP-authorized crowdsourced penetration testing platform combining vetted elite hackers with AI-powered Hydra technology for continuous security testing.
Aon Cyber Solutions
Cybersecurity consulting division of global insurance leader Aon, uniquely combining penetration testing with cyber risk quantification and insurance expertise.
Securin
Vulnerability intelligence-driven penetration testing firm providing contextual security assessments informed by threat actor exploitation data and ransomware tracking.
BreachLock
Cloud-based Penetration Testing as a Service platform combining AI-driven automation with expert manual testing at accessible price points.
Cobalt
Pioneer of Pentest as a Service, delivering fast, platform-based penetration testing with a vetted global community of security researchers.
PCI DSS FAQs
What are the PCI DSS pen testing requirements?+
PCI DSS v4.0 Requirement 11.4 requires annual external and internal pen testing covering the CDE and critical systems, testing from both inside and outside the network, and testing network segmentation controls every six months.
Who can perform PCI DSS penetration testing?+
Testing must be performed by a qualified internal resource or external third party. Qualifications include industry-recognised certifications (CREST, OSCP) and demonstrated pen testing experience. The tester must be independent of the environment being tested.
What methodology should be used?+
PCI DSS requires an industry-accepted penetration testing methodology such as NIST SP 800-115, OWASP Testing Guide, PTES, or CREST standards. The methodology must be documented and followed.