Netragard

05/27/2026

Quick quality check for your last pe*******on test report:
1️⃣Open any finding in your last pentest report
2️⃣Copy the description, risk statement, and remediation text
3️⃣Strip out environment-specific details (IPs, hostnames, app names, account names)
4️⃣Search what's left in Google with quotes around it

If you get hits from other vendor reports, scanner documentation, or template libraries → your finding was copied or generated, not written for your environment.

Real human-driven pe*******on testing produces findings unique to your engagement.

This is one of 5 practical signals you can use to evaluate whether you received genuine adversary emulation or automated scanning with a polished cover page.

The other signals include:
→ Whether findings include context about YOUR environment and business logic
→ If the report contains a documented Path to Compromise unique to your infrastructure
→ The false positive rate (experienced human testers deliver near-zero; automation produces them in high volume)
→ Whether your provider asked detailed scoping questions before providing a quote

We just published a complete guide on the 5 pe*******on testing basics every buyer should understand to tell real tests from compliance theater.

Read it here: https://netragard.com/blog/5-pe*******on-testing-basics/

Explore the top-5 basics of pe*******on testing that all IT security professionals should know when approaching pentesting for their organization.

05/19/2026

DORA has brought Threat‑Led Pe*******on Testing (TLPT) into the conversation for a lot of financial organizations.

We put together a straightforward, high‑level article that explains what TLPT is in this context and how it fits into broader resilience and testing work, without getting too deep into the weeds. If you’re looking for a simple introduction you can share with colleagues, this might help.

Read it here: https://netragard.com/blog/dora-requirements/

The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is transforming financial cybersecurity. Explore our comprehensive overview of ICT risk management.

05/12/2026

When's the last time your organization ran a real pe*******on test - not an automated scan, but an actual human-driven assessment?

There's a big difference. Automated tools find known vulnerabilities. Human testers find the ones that will actually get you breached - the novel attack paths, the business logic flaws, the complete chain from initial access to your most sensitive data.

This is what we've been doing since 2006 with no shortcuts, no false positives - just real findings that help you build smarter defenses.

If you're interesting in genuine pe*******on testing and what it could do for your specific organization, read our latest blog: Manual vs Automated Pe*******on Testing: Which is Better?

https://netragard.com/blog/manual-vs-automated-pentesting/

*******onTesting

Explore the differences between manual and automated pe*******on testing, including the pros and cons of each and when they are best to use.

04/28/2026

Here's something most businesses don't realize until it's too late: a perfectly secure network can still host a catastrophically vulnerable web application.

Web application attacks were involved in 26% of all breaches in 2024. Customer portals, payment systems, APIs - they're your front door. And attackers know exactly how to test the locks.

The real danger isn't the vulnerabilities that automated tools flag. It's the ones only a skilled human tester can find: the business logic flaw no scanner understands, the multi-step attack chain that looks innocent at every individual step.

At Netragard, we've been testing web applications since 2006 across every major framework, language, and architecture. We don't run a scanner and reformat the output. We think like attackers, because that's the only way to find what attackers will actually use.

If your web application touches customer data or financial transactions, it deserves a real test - not just a checkbox.

Learn more about what a genuine web application pe*******on test looks like: https://netragard.com/blog/what-is-web-application-pe*******on-testing/

*******onTesting

Learn what web application pe*******on testing is, why it's critical for security, and how expert testing finds exploitable flaws scanners miss.

04/23/2026

AI didn’t kill pe*******on testing.
But the hype might kill your security strategy.

Vendors are selling “AI pentests” that are really just prettier scanners.
Mythos-style lab wins are being marketed like they equal real adversaries in defended networks.

They don’t.

This post breaks down, in plain technical terms:
✔️Why lab benchmarks ≠ real attack paths
✔️How AI threatens checkbox/compliance pentests, not real adversary emulation
✔️Where AI actually makes human operators more dangerous
✔️What “assume breach” defense looks like in practice

If you make security buying decisions, read this before your next AI security pitch.

🔗 A technical reality check for security decision makers: https://netragard.com/blog/claude-mythos-and-the-hype-that-will-get-you-breached/

04/15/2026

“Do we actually need a network pe*******on test?”

If you’ve heard that question, this post can help answer it. It explains:
✅What network pe*******on testing is
✅The kinds of systems that get tested
✅Situations where a test is especially important
✅Examples of weaknesses these tests often reveal

Share it with your team if you’re discussing how to validate your current security posture.

Read more:

Discover how network pe*******on testing identifies real attack paths, uncovers critical weaknesses, and helps reduce security risk in this in-depth guide.

04/07/2026

GLBA compliance is no longer just about having policies on paper. Regulators now expect:

✅A written risk assessment that actually drives your testing scope
✅Documented safeguards like MFA, encryption, and secure development
✅Evidence that you regularly “test the effectiveness of safeguards” with genuine pe*******on testing

Our new blog post explains what this means in practice and how to align your pe*******on testing program with the Safeguards Rule in 2026.

🔗Learn more:

Learn the GLBA security requirements for 2026 and review Netragard's security compliance checklist. Learn how pe*******on testing supports the Safeguards Rule.

03/24/2026

Your company just passed a "pe*******on test" — but were you actually tested?

Many cybersecurity vendors today are selling automated vulnerability scans and AI-driven tools repackaged as pe*******on tests. It satisfies auditors. It checks the compliance box. But it doesn't stop real attackers.

Skilled human attackers don't follow scripted workflows. They adapt, chain vulnerabilities together, exploit business logic, and find paths that no automated tool can predict. If your "pen test" can't do the same, you're not protected — you just think you are.

Netragard has delivered genuine, human-driven pe*******on testing since 2006. We believe organizations deserve real answers about whether their defenses actually work — not a false sense of security.

Our latest blog breaks down the difference between real pe*******on testing and compliance theater. It could save your organization from the next breach.

👉 https://netragard.com/blog/what-is-pe*******on-testing/

*******onTesting

Explore the fundamentals of pe*******on testing in our comprehensive guide, including how it works and why it’s a critical part of a modern cybersecurity strategy.

03/17/2026

The average organization takes 194 days to detect a breach. Not because they lack tools — but because they lack the right strategy.

Our founder and CEO Adriel Desautels just published a new perspective piece in SC Media that challenges the way most companies think about security spending.

The core idea: a genuine, manual pe*******on test — not a scan, not an AI-driven tool, but real human testers using real attacker techniques — generates contextualized threat intelligence unique to your environment. Everything else flows from that.

Some highlights from the article:

🍯Honeypots in cybersecurity are very effective and don’t cost a fortune. Deployed strategically along the exact paths your pe*******on testers uncovered, they produce zero false positives. A full deployment might run $5K–$20K. A SIEM? $100K–$500K per year.

🦜Credential canaries — fake accounts and API keys planted where real credentials were harvested during testing — cost almost nothing and deliver immediate, high-confidence breach alerts.

The Equifax case study alone is worth the read. Attackers moved freely through their network for 76 days and reached 147 million records — because there were no intelligence-driven defenses waiting along the paths they took.

You don’t need an enterprise budget to build a breach-ready posture. You need a smarter starting point.

🔗https://netragard.com/blog/build-enterprise-security-without-enterprise-budget/

*******onTesting

Most organizations overspend on security tools and underspend on real security intelligence. Here's how to fix that.

03/10/2026

Our Founder & CEO, Adriel Desautels, sat with OpenTechTalks and gave a completely unfiltered take on how AI is changing — and NOT changing — cybersecurity.

Some highlights from the conversation:
❌Most "AI pentesting" tools are really just fancy vulnerability scanners in disguise.
✔️AI is lowering the bar for simple attacks — but elite threat actors are still way ahead.
⚠️Companies are adopting GenAI tools way too fast without understanding the security risks.
✅The best defense? Real pe*******on testing that shows you how attackers move THROUGH your systems — not just how they get IN.

Adriel also shares the story of how Netragard was born — breaching a client's domain in just 4 minutes using a method automated scanners completely missed. It’s a must watch!

Whether you're in tech, security, or just curious about where AI is really headed — this episode is for you.

Watch the full interview on OpenTechTalks! https://youtu.be/uFi7jR8yADs?si=38eBHAbQ9o8VDNxr