The Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES) Simply Explained
PTES is a guide that enables testers to perform effective penetration testing.
What Are Pentesting Guidelines?
Pentest standards are an essential resource for companies of all sizes. These guidelines enable testers to carry out effective, structured penetration tests.
But why conduct a penetration test in the first place? A pentest reliably uncovers potential vulnerabilities in your cybersecurity posture. In short, performing a penetration test gives you a significant boost in security by revealing how hackers could gain access to sensitive data.
Crucially, penetration testing for SMBs and large enterprises alike must follow best practices — the pentest guidelines mentioned above. This is the only way to ensure consistent, meaningful results. The PTES therefore serves as a form of quality control that safeguards both you and your organization.
This standard was defined by a group of cybersecurity experts. Although the original guideline dates back to 2009, it remains relevant today because the core components of penetration testing are unchanged. What evolves over time are the specific methods and techniques.
It is worth noting that the best pentest providers will always adhere to established pentest standards, delivering optimal results and high quality. If your current provider does not meet this benchmark, it may be time to make a change.
The Seven Phases of the Pentest Standard (PTES)
When selecting a new pentester, make sure they follow recognized standards such as the Penetration Testing Execution Standard. This is a hallmark of any reputable pentest provider — regardless of whether the engagement involves an SMB or a large enterprise. Even if you plan to conduct a pentest only once, the following seven phases of the PTES are indispensable. They make the process manageable and help you carry out the test successfully. Each phase is important on its own, but it is their combination that drives meaningful results.
Pre-Engagement Interactions (Preparatory Work)
Whether you are conducting a one-time or recurring pentest, expect an initial investment in preparation. This phase requires close collaboration with your pentester to define the scope and establish clear objectives. The result is a shared set of goals that ensures all relevant areas are covered.
Pre-engagement also involves high-level planning: this includes establishing communication channels within your organization and, where necessary, coordinating with third-party vendors who are not directly involved in the testing.
Intelligence Gathering
The second phase of the pentest standard focuses on information gathering. Here, all relevant details about the defined scope are identified and compiled in a format that all stakeholders can understand. In most cases, this data is drawn from publicly available sources. The goal is to determine which publicly accessible information creates a potential attack surface and how it can be recognized.
Thorough information gathering is an essential part of every pentest — whether you opt for web penetration testing or a local assessment.
Threat Modeling
Threat modeling — also known as threat analysis — helps the tester examine specific threats in greater detail. Both the scope itself and the organization are assessed. This process reveals which business processes are considered critical, typically those that handle and store sensitive data.
Because this phase uncovers additional potential threats, threat modeling provides an important foundation for interpreting and evaluating the results that follow.
Vulnerability Analysis
At the heart of every pentest lies the vulnerability analysis. In this phase, vulnerabilities are identified and validated. The analysis can be performed manually, automatically, or — as is most common in practice — through a combination of both.
The reason is straightforward: automated tools are faster and cover a broader scope, but they produce less nuanced results. Moreover, they are limited in their ability to detect multi-stage vulnerabilities.
Exploitation (Exploiting Vulnerabilities)
A pentester employs essentially the same methodology as an attacker intent on compromising your organization. Following the vulnerability analysis, they attempt to exploit the identified weaknesses. This puts the integrity, availability, confidentiality, and traceability of your systems to the test — aspects that could otherwise jeopardize your business processes.
The exploitation phase can be highly involved, requiring close collaboration and continuous communication between the pentester and the client. Working through individual attack scenarios often creates a lasting benefit within organizations: heightened awareness of potential cyber threats.
Post-Exploitation
The final phase of the active test simulates a real attack on the discovered vulnerabilities — for example, by attempting to extract sensitive data from a database or infiltrate the company's internal network. Naturally, the pentester does not cause any actual damage. This step reveals how valuable a given vulnerability would be to a cybercriminal: What data can be accessed? How far could an attacker extend their control over the corporate network? Post-exploitation answers these and other critical questions.
Reporting
The final step of the pentest standard is also one of its most critical components: reporting. This phase documents and evaluates all findings within the broader context of the engagement. In addition, you receive actionable recommendations for countermeasures to remediate the identified vulnerabilities.
PTES — But with Method
Regardless of whether you choose web penetration testing or another form of pentesting, it is essential that every step is carried out methodically. This is the only way to achieve the best possible results. Since the individual steps are not formally standardized, pentest standards offer the most reliable framework for a structured approach. A key advantage of the PTES is that it is a public standard, freely available for review online. This transparency helps maintain and continuously refine the quality of the model.
Beyond the PTES, several other important standards provide guidance in the field of IT security — including the OSSTMM, the BSI's Practical Guide for IT Security Penetration Testing, and the OWASP Testing Guide.