External Security Assessments
Identify & Secure External Vulnerabilities Before Attackers Exploit Them Cybercriminals constantly scan the internet for weak points in business networks. Our External Security Assessment helps organizations identify and remediate security gaps across public-facing assets, including cloud services, web applications, and perimeter defenses.
Proactive Security for External Threats
Attackers exploit misconfigurations, unpatched systems, and exposed services to infiltrate networks, deploy ransomware, or steal sensitive data. Businesses must continuously test their external attack surface to stay ahead of evolving threats.
Our External Security Assessment uncovers vulnerabilities in firewalls, web servers, cloud platforms, and internet-facing assets. Using a combination of advanced vulnerability scanning and expert manual verification, we provide accurate, actionable insights to help businesses reduce risk and strengthen defenses.
- Advanced vulnerability scanning to identify security risks
- Manual expert verification to eliminate false positives
- Comprehensive security report with an executive summary
- Post-remediation testing to ensure vulnerabilities are fixed
SOC 2
FISMA
SEC
FINRA
PCI DSS
GLBA
SOX
HIPPA
HITECH
GDPR
Targeted & Expert-Led Security Assessment
We follow a structured approach that combines scoping, automated scanning, manual security testing, and validation to thoroughly evaluate external attack surfaces while minimizing operational impact.
1. Scoping & Asset Identification
Before testing begins, we work with your team to define the scope of the assessment. This includes:
- Identifying internet-facing assets, such as web applications, cloud services, and network infrastructure.
- Establishing testing boundaries to prevent disruptions to production environments.
- Aligning with compliance requirements and business security objectives.
2. Automated Vulnerability Discovery
We conduct an in-depth scan of your firewalls, web servers, cloud environments, and perimeter defenses, running thousands of security tests to detect misconfigurations, outdated software, and known vulnerabilities.
3. Advanced Manual Testing & Verification
Our US-based security analysts go beyond automated scanning by conducting manual validation and security testing to uncover overlooked vulnerabilities and ensure accurate risk assessment—without causing system disruption.
- Reconnaissance & Asset Discovery – Identifying exposed services, misconfigurations, and hidden entry points that expand an attacker’s potential surface.
- Authentication & Access Control Testing – Checking for default credentials, weak authentication mechanisms, and misconfigured permissions.
- Service & Protocol Analysis – Assessing common network services, insecure configurations, and overlooked security gaps that automated tools may miss.
- Validation & Risk Prioritization – Confirming true exploitability of detected vulnerabilities to eliminate false positives and focus remediation efforts on critical risks.
4. Executive Summary & Prioritized Remediation Plan
We provide a detailed security report with an executive summary, outlining:
- Critical vulnerabilities, their potential impact, and remediation recommendations.
- Prioritized risk levels based on exploitability and business impact.
- Actionable insights to help strengthen security defenses.
5. Post-Remediation Testing & Validation
After remediation efforts, we conduct a follow-up security assessment to verify that:
- Vulnerabilities have been properly mitigated and no new security gaps exist.
- Security measures function as intended and remain resilient to threats.
Why Invest in an External Security Assessment?
External Security Assessments provide crucial insights that strengthen your security posture and support key business objectives:
- Prevent External Breaches – Identify and mitigate security gaps before attackers exploit them.
- Reduce False Positives – Manual expert verification eliminates unnecessary alerts, so your team can focus on real threats.
- Support Compliance & Regulatory Requirements – Helps businesses align with PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, NIST, and other security frameworks.
- Demonstrate Security to Customers & Partners – Strengthen vendor security assessments by showing proactive risk management.
- Optimize Security Investments – Gain clear, prioritized insights to focus resources where they matter most.
- Validate Security Fixes with Post-Remediation Testing – Ensure that patched vulnerabilities remain secure over time.
SECNAP has been a valuable cybersecurity partner for the City of Ormond Beach over the years. SECNAP is one of the best MDR/XDR solution in the market, offering next level security for Cyber protection. Their SOC team is proactive and professional, immediately reaching out and addressing any potential threats they find.
Whenever we need help with security events, the team is quick to respond, friendly and communicates clearly, by helping us coordinate appropriate incident response actions to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our data. I highly recommend SECNAP for any municipality or business that needs a dependable cyber solution.
IT Director, Local Government
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Let our experts help you find the best solution for your needs.
What does an external security assessment identify?
An external security assessment evaluates your public-facing infrastructure for security weaknesses that attackers could exploit. This includes:
- Exposed services & misconfigurations that could be used as entry points.
- Weak authentication & default credentials that allow unauthorized access.
- Unpatched software & outdated systems vulnerable to known exploits.
- Encryption weaknesses & insecure protocols that could expose sensitive data.
- Cloud service misconfigurations that increase risk in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud environments.
- Our assessment provides a prioritized report with remediation guidance to strengthen your external defenses.
How long does an external security assessment take?
The duration depends on the scope of your environment, but a typical assessment takes 1-2 weeks to complete.
This includes:
- Automated scanning to detect known vulnerabilities.
- Manual testing & validation to eliminate false positives.
- Analysis & risk prioritization to focus on critical threats.
- Detailed reporting with remediation guidance for quick resolution.
How do you prioritize vulnerabilities?
Vulnerabilities are categorized by risk level, using factors such as:
- Exploitability – How easily can an attacker exploit this vulnerability?
- Business Impact – What potential damage could this cause?
- Likelihood of Attack – How frequently is this type of weakness targeted?
Critical vulnerabilities are highlighted with immediate remediation steps, while lower-priority findings include best-practice recommendations to improve security posture over time.
Does this assessment help with compliance requirements?
Yes. While not a certification service, our Web Application Security Assessment helps organizations meet security requirements for:
- PCI DSS (Payment Security)
- SOC 2 / ISO 27001 (Security Best Practices)
- HIPAA / HITECH (Healthcare Data Security)
- NIST 800-53 & CIS Controls (Risk-Based Security Testing)
What happens after the assessment is completed?
Once testing is complete, you will receive:
- A detailed security report with identified vulnerabilities and risk rankings.
- An executive summary for leadership teams and stakeholders.
- Prioritized remediation steps with expert guidance.
- A post-remediation validation scan (optional) to confirm fixes.
We also offer ongoing security assessments and managed detection services for businesses needing continuous monitoring and protection.