Question 1

What is a pentest?

Accepted Answer

A pentest (penetration test) is a controlled attack simulation against your systems, networks or applications. The goal is to find real vulnerabilities before an attacker exploits them, delivering a detailed report with the flaws found and remediation guidance.

Question 2

What is the difference between a pentest and Red Team?

Accepted Answer

A pentest aims to find as many vulnerabilities as possible within a defined scope and timeframe. Red Team simulates a full real-world attack, including social engineering, control evasion and lateral movement, testing not only technology but also processes and people.

Question 3

Do you test firmware and physical devices?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it is our main practice. The work follows OWASP FSTM: obtaining the firmware (through an official update, extraction over UART/JTAG/SPI or a memory dump), file system analysis, emulation for controlled execution and binary analysis. For that we need device samples — preferably more than one unit, since part of the testing is destructive — and any hardware documentation available.

Question 4

When do I need reverse engineering?

Accepted Answer

When there is no source code to read: a vendor binary, a proprietary protocol, a legacy device without documentation or an artifact found during an incident. We use static and dynamic analysis, debugging and instrumentation, and deliver an understanding of the format or protocol, with a proof of concept when there is an exploitable flaw.

Question 5

What do you assess in a cryptographic implementation?

Accepted Answer

Choice of primitives and mode of operation, quality of the randomness source, key lifecycle management per NIST SP 800-57, secret storage and HSM usage, plus constant-time behaviour when the scenario requires it. FIPS 140-3 is the reference for deciding whether a cryptographic module holds up.

Question 6

Do we need to hand over the source code?

Accepted Answer

Not mandatory. We work black box when that is what exists. With access to the code, however, the result goes deeper and usually takes less time, because we stop spending hours inferring what could be read directly. For critical code review and cryptographic implementation review, access is required.

Question 7

How long does a project take?

Accepted Answer

It depends on scope and complexity. A pentest on a web application usually takes 1 to 3 weeks. Firmware analysis and reverse engineering vary considerably with the target, because part of the time goes into understanding the artifact before testing it. Red Team operations usually run 4 to 8 weeks. The schedule is set during pre-engagement, before any work starts.

Question 8

Are my systems at risk during the test?

Accepted Answer

No. We work under rules of engagement agreed in advance, avoiding actions that could cause downtime or data loss. When more aggressive testing is required, we agree on maintenance windows and rollback procedures beforehand.

Question 9

What kind of report do I get at the end?

Accepted Answer

We deliver a report with an executive summary for leadership and technical detail for the IT team. Each vulnerability includes a description, evidence, risk rating (CVSS), impact and remediation guidance. We also offer retesting after remediation.

Question 10

How do you handle confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

A non-disclosure agreement is signed before any scope discussion. Client data stays in a controlled environment separated per project, the report is delivered over a secure channel, and collected material is destroyed at the end of the period agreed in contract. We do not use a client name as a commercial reference without written authorisation.

Question 11

Who carries out the project?

Accepted Answer

A small, stable team runs the work end to end. When a project requires a specific specialty or a formal certification, we bring in certified professionals allocated to that scope. You know who is on the project before it starts.

Question 12

What size of company do you work with?

Accepted Answer

We serve everyone from startups to large corporations. Our services are on demand and adapted to each client’s reality and security maturity. What matters is the company’s willingness to protect its assets.

Question 13

Do I need an in-house security team?

Accepted Answer

No. Many of our clients have no dedicated security team. In those cases we work directly with the IT team and provide clear guidance so the fixes get implemented.

Question 14

How does hiring us work?

Accepted Answer

You get in touch, we align scope and objectives, define the rules of engagement and formalise everything in a contract. After execution we deliver the report and schedule a meeting to present the results.

FAQ — frequently asked questions on pentest, firmware and cryptography

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