A scan lists known weaknesses. A penetration test has people actively attempting to exploit them, using full-scope, objective-based engagements that simulate a real attacker. It finds the issues automation alone can't, and it tells you how far someone could actually get.

It depends on the size and complexity of your environment. We scope it with you first and then give you a fixed-price quote, so you know the number before the engagement starts rather than after.

Often, yes. Testing is increasingly expected by insurers, and evidence of it can affect both eligibility and pricing. We can also help you answer the security questionnaire itself, which is usually where renewals actually get stuck.

No. Engagements are scoped and scheduled with you, with rules of engagement agreed before anything starts. The point is to find out how your defenses hold up, not to find out how your business copes with an outage.

A detailed scorecard with prioritized, recommended remediations — not a raw tool dump. It tells you what was found, what it would actually let an attacker do, and what to fix first, in an order that matches your risk rather than the scanner's severity rating.

At least annually, and again after any significant change to your network, applications or access model. Compliance frameworks often set the floor; the more useful trigger is change, because that's when new gaps appear.