The best network penetration testing companies for most buyers in 2026 are White Knight Labs, for manual-heavy internal and external testing that extends to OT, air-gapped and hybrid networks; Raxis, for remote internal testing through a plug-in device plus a free retest and attestation letter; and Bishop Fox, for deep internal and external testing backed by its own tooling and a managed exposure program. The rest of this guide to the Top Network Penetration Testing Companies In 2026 covers seven more firms, from Canadian and UK specialists to large managed security providers, with what each one actually tests and delivers.
This list is for IT, security and compliance leads who need an outside firm to attack their perimeter and internal network, whether for PCI DSS, SOC 2, cyber insurance or simply to learn how far an attacker could get. We only included service firms that publish a named network or infrastructure pentest offering covering both internal and external testing. We then compared what each firm says about scope, methodology, manual versus automated work, reporting and retesting, using the companies’ own service pages and service descriptions. If you are still deciding which type of test you need, start with our internal vs external penetration testing guide.
Best Network Penetration Testing Companies In 2026
1. White Knight Labs — Manual-Led Internal And External Testing Across IT, OT And Air-Gapped Networks
White Knight Labs is a boutique offensive security firm founded in 2017, with offices in Guys Mills, Pennsylvania, and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Its network penetration testing services cover both sides of the perimeter. On the external side, testers go after routers, firewalls, IDS and other appliances that filter internet traffic, run password spraying against Office 365 accounts to check whether MFA is actually enforced, and probe web servers for custom flaws that could open a path inside.
The internal test is framed as a malicious insider scenario. Engineers map the network, go after high-value systems, reuse any credentials they capture to reach physical and virtual machines, and pivot toward administrative control. Notably, the firm says the work does not stop at Domain Admin: testers continue to show whether sensitive data can be reached and taken out. The scope also stretches beyond a typical corporate LAN to OT and SCADA systems, air-gapped networks, cloud hosts and hybrid setups, which matters for manufacturers and utilities.
White Knight Labs describes its mix as roughly 20% automation and 80% manual testing, run through a six-step process from scoping and OSINT through exploitation, reporting and remediation testing. Reports include an executive summary, a technical walkthrough of each risk, several remediation options per finding and, for internal tests, an attack path analysis that lays out every step taken. The firm also holds CREST Pathway+ status and is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, and it runs a separate Active Directory security assessment for teams that want a deeper identity review.
Best for: Organizations that want senior, mostly manual internal and external network testing, especially those with OT, air-gapped or hybrid environments.
2. Raxis — Remote Internal Testing Via A Plug-In Device With A Free Retest
Atlanta-based Raxis splits its network work into separate external and internal tests, plus a dedicated Active Directory assessment. For internal testing it ships a small device it calls the Transporter, which plugs into the client network and connects back to Raxis engineers. One unit per site can cover several offices, nothing gets installed on workstations, and nobody has to travel. Testing starts either unauthenticated or as a single standard user, with assumed breach available on request.
The internal scope names specific techniques: Kerberoasting, delegation abuse, LLMNR poisoning with hash capture and offline cracking, lateral movement, and checks that sensitive segments such as PCI cardholder data environments are actually isolated. The external test runs from Raxis attack infrastructure and covers OSINT, full service enumeration, password spraying against VPN, email and login portals, exposed web login pages and internet-facing assets in AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. Raxis says the methodology follows MITRE ATT&CK and NIST SP 800-115, and that the engineer on the scoping call is the one who does the testing and the retest.
Deliverables are unusually concrete: an executive summary, technical findings with reproduction steps, an attack storyboard, an attestation letter for customers and partners, and a free retest with a final report. Results are tracked live in the Raxis One portal. Buyers can choose a point-in-time test (Raxis Strike) or continuous testing (Raxis Attack). Raxis publishes a starting price of around $3,500 for external tests, with most engagements running one to two weeks including reporting.
Best for: Multi-site companies that want remote internal testing without on-site visits, and teams that need an attestation letter for auditors or customers.
3. Bishop Fox — Enterprise Perimeter And Insider Testing With In-House Tooling
Bishop Fox, based in Tempe, Arizona and established in 2005, groups its network work under a network security practice with separate internal and external penetration testing services. The external test starts with attack surface discovery, using OSINT, active scanning and database searches, then applies techniques seen in current real-world attacks, with extra attention to recently disclosed high-profile vulnerabilities. Scope can extend to public cloud storage such as AWS S3 and to internet-facing applications, and optional post-exploitation shows how a perimeter weakness could lead to internal systems and data.
Internal tests can be zero, partial or full knowledge and follow a repeatable four-step process: network discovery, service enumeration, vulnerability identification and exploitation. The firm highlights lateral movement, privilege escalation and credential theft, and it can test how far an on-site visitor could get by plugging into a network jack. A useful extra is that testers also check whether your security team and tools actually alert on the activity.
Bishop Fox combines open-source, commercial and its own internally built tools, and rates findings by likelihood of exploitation as well as impact on critical assets. Reports come in executive and technical versions, followed by a live walkthrough with Q&A. For organizations that want ongoing coverage rather than an annual test, Bishop Fox also runs a managed continuous threat exposure management service.
Best for: Large enterprises with sprawling external footprints that want both point-in-time network tests and an option for continuous exposure management.
4. Packetlabs — Identity-Focused Infrastructure Testing With 95% Manual Work
Packetlabs is headquartered in Toronto, with offices in San Francisco and Sydney, and sells network work as infrastructure penetration testing. Engagements can start externally, internally or from an assumed-breach foothold. External scope covers firewalls, VPNs, remote access portals, exposed services and email gateways. Internal work focuses on lateral movement through misconfigurations, weak protocols, unpatched systems and exposed credentials.
What sets Packetlabs apart is how much weight it puts on identity. Its infrastructure test explicitly covers Active Directory and Entra ID, including Kerberos and NTLM weaknesses, excessive permissions, privilege escalation paths and risky trust relationships. It also tests segmentation across on-premises, cloud and hybrid boundaries, including wireless and VLANs. The firm says testing is about 95% manual, with targeted automation and AI used only where it helps, and every finding is validated by a human tester.
Every Packetlabs tester holds at least the OSCP, and the company is CREST accredited and SOC 2 Type II attested. Findings are prioritized by how they chain together and what they mean for the business, and retesting is included so teams can confirm fixes. Findings can also be mapped to common compliance frameworks.
Best for: Organizations running hybrid Active Directory and Entra ID environments that want identity attack paths tested as part of the network engagement.
5. Triaxiom Security — Transparent Process And A Free Retest Within 90 Days
Triaxiom Security is a Charlotte, North Carolina firm with US-based testing teams and a deliberate policy of avoiding hardware and software vendor partnerships so its advice stays neutral. Its network penetration test offering is split into external, internal and wireless tests. The external test includes reconnaissance, a full TCP scan and a scan of the top 1,000 UDP ports, vulnerability scanning, exploitation attempts and password attacks.
The internal test aims for domain admin or root access and access to sensitive files. Triaxiom lists the techniques plainly: traffic sniffing, LDAP and SMB enumeration, ARP, LLMNR and NBNS spoofing, pivoting and password attacks. Wireless testing adds WPA cracking, guest network segmentation checks, SSID spoofing and rogue access point discovery.
The buying process is well documented. A lead engineer joins the scoping call, a proposal with scope, pricing and an engineer bio usually follows within hours, and active testing typically lasts one to two weeks. Reports pass two rounds of quality review before delivery through a secure portal and a findings presentation. Clients get one free retest of remediated findings within 90 days. Listed engineer credentials include OSCP, PNPT, OSWE, CISSP and PCI QSA.
Best for: Mid-sized companies that want a predictable, well-documented engagement and a vendor-neutral tester.
6. NCC Group — Manual, Hybrid And Autonomous Network Testing Tiers
NCC Group is a Manchester-headquartered security firm listed on the London Stock Exchange, with roots going back to 1999. Its network penetration testing services cover internal and external networks and come in four tiers: autonomous vulnerability discovery for baselining without active exploitation, autonomous penetration testing for a fast, broad test, hybrid testing that blends automation with consultant depth, and fully manual testing for mature security programs.
The autonomous and hybrid tiers run on Horizon3.ai’s NodeZero platform, which chains weaknesses together the way a human tester would to show real impact. That gives buyers a way to test more often at lower cost while keeping manual testing for high-stakes scopes. NCC Group says reports are built to stand up to audit review for frameworks including PCI, HIPAA and SOC 2.
For UK public sector and regulated buyers, NCC Group is also listed by the National Cyber Security Centre as a CHECK penetration testing provider, with CHECK staff holding at least SC clearance. That combination of government assurance and automated options is rare among firms of its size.
Best for: Organizations that want to mix frequent autonomous network tests with periodic manual engagements, and UK buyers that need a CHECK provider.
7. Secureworks — Threat-Model-Driven Internal Tests In Fixed Tiers
Secureworks, the Atlanta-based managed detection and response provider that became part of Sophos in 2025, publishes unusually detailed service descriptions for its network tests. The external test is sold in tiers of up to 50, 250 or 500 internet-facing IPs and works through port scanning, enumeration of DNS, SNMP, SMTP, SMB, LDAP and cloud storage, exploitation with brute force and breached credentials, and post-exploitation to show impact. Scan data is handed over after the test.
The internal test is goal based. Clients pick a threat model, such as a rogue employee, a breached DMZ server, a compromised endpoint or compromised credentials, and set goals like breaching Active Directory, reaching backups, breaking segmentation or reading an executive’s email. Testers then go after roughly 10% of in-scope assets, using a remote testing appliance for some scenarios. Internal tiers support environments of up to 500, 2,500 or 5,000 systems.
One remote remediation validation is included for high and critical findings, but the timing rules are strict: request it within 30 days of the report and complete remediation within 90 days. Buyers should note those deadlines before signing.
Best for: Larger organizations that want clearly tiered, goal-based internal testing, especially existing Secureworks or Sophos customers.
Seattle-based Rhino Security Labs is known for offensive research, including dozens of zero-day disclosures and Pacu, its open-source AWS exploitation framework. Its network penetration testing service covers external infrastructure such as routers, firewalls and filtering appliances, plus internal testing that harvests credentials, hunts for sensitive data and attempts to compromise physical and virtual machines.
Rhino also offers wireless testing as part of the network practice, including a check it calls Wireless Bleeding: measuring how far outside your building an attacker could still pick up your WiFi signal. The methodology runs through scoping, OSINT, enumeration and scanning, exploitation, reporting and optional remediation testing. The firm says scanners are used only in the early phases and that manual work drives the findings.
Reports include an executive summary, a technical risk walkthrough, multiple remediation options per finding and impact analysis. Rhino publishes a sample network pentest report, which makes it easy to judge depth before buying.
Best for: Teams that value a research-heavy tester and want wireless testing scoped alongside internal and external work.
9. Rapid7 — Metasploit-Backed Testers And Goal-Based Segmentation Tests
Boston-based Rapid7 is best known for its security platform and as the steward of the Metasploit Project, and its penetration testing services include point-in-time external and internal network tests. Rapid7 says its testers contribute to Metasploit and spend up to 20% of bench time on attacker research, which keeps their techniques current.
For deeper internal coverage, Rapid7 runs a Goal Based Internal Network Penetration and Segmentation Test within its continuous red teaming offering. Clients deploy a Rapid7-supplied virtual machine on the internal network, and testers then try to cross segmentation boundaries, gain elevated privileges and reach sensitive data. The deliverable includes a report on services and ports exposed across segment boundaries, which is useful evidence for PCI segmentation testing.
Reports focus on strategic recommendations across controls, training and programs, and flag issues that may create compliance exposure. The main trade-off is that Rapid7’s service pages are less specific about methodology than boutique competitors, so ask for a sample report.
Best for: Organizations already using Rapid7 tools that want network testing and segmentation validation from the same vendor.
10. BreachLock — PTaaS Network Testing That Can Start Within Days
BreachLock, with offices in New York and Amsterdam, delivers network testing through its penetration testing as a service platform. The network offering covers four scopes: internal, external, individual hosts and thick-client applications. Internal focus areas include weak authentication, privilege escalation, lateral movement, insecure protocols, poor segmentation and shadow IT. External testing looks at open ports and services, outdated software and firmware, DNS hijacking risks and exposed web and API surfaces.
BreachLock says on-demand CREST-certified pentests can launch in 24 to 48 hours, and its in-house testers hold credentials such as OSCP and OSCE. It pairs human testing with autonomous, AI-driven testing and continuous attack surface monitoring, so buyers can combine a scheduled network test with ongoing discovery of new external assets.
Best for: Fast-moving SaaS and mid-market companies that need a compliance-ready network test quickly and prefer managing findings in a platform.
How To Choose A Network Penetration Testing Company
Do They Cover Internal And External Network Testing Separately?
Good vendors treat internal and external network testing as two distinct jobs, because they answer different questions. External testing shows whether someone on the internet can get in; internal testing shows how far they get once inside. A good vendor scopes and prices them separately and explains where each one starts, such as unauthenticated, as a standard user or from an assumed breach.
How Much Of The Work Is Manual?
Several firms on this list publish a ratio, from 80% manual at White Knight Labs to 95% at Packetlabs, while NCC Group and BreachLock openly sell autonomous options. Neither model is wrong, but you should know what you are paying for. Ask how findings are validated and whether a human chains issues together to show real impact.
How Will They Reach Your Internal Network?
Remote internal testing usually relies on a shipped device or a virtual appliance, like Raxis’s Transporter or the virtual machines used by Rapid7 and Secureworks. Confirm what you need to install, what network access it requires and whether on-site testing is available for segmented or air-gapped networks.
Is Active Directory In Scope?
Most internal compromises run through identity. Check whether the vendor tests Kerberoasting, delegation abuse, relay and poisoning attacks, and cloud identity such as Entra ID, or whether that requires a separate Active Directory assessment.
What Do The Report And Retest Include?
Ask for a sample report. Look for an executive summary, reproduction steps, an attack path narrative and remediation guidance you can act on. Then check retest terms: Triaxiom gives 90 days, Secureworks requires a request within 30 days and covers only high and critical findings, and Raxis includes a free retest with a final report. If you need proof for auditors, ask about attestation letters and our penetration testing for compliance guide.
How Is Pricing Scoped?
Network tests are usually priced by the number of live external IPs, internal hosts or sites, plus the depth of testing. Get quotes on the same scope from at least two firms. Our penetration testing cost guide breaks down what firms charge for different engagement sizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Network Penetration Testing?
Network penetration testing is an authorized, simulated attack on your network infrastructure, including firewalls, VPNs, servers, workstations and directory services, to find weaknesses an attacker could exploit and show what they could reach. For a broader primer, see what is penetration testing.
What Is The Difference Between Internal And External Network Testing?
External testing attacks internet-facing systems from outside, looking for a way in. Internal testing starts inside the network, as an insider or a compromised device, and measures lateral movement, privilege escalation and access to sensitive data. Most organizations need both.
How Long Does A Network Penetration Test Take?
For a small to mid-sized scope, active testing usually takes one to two weeks, with the report following shortly after. Raxis and Triaxiom both cite one to two weeks. Large enterprise or multi-site scopes take longer.
How Often Should You Run Network Penetration Testing Services?
At least once a year and after major changes, such as a new data center, a cloud migration or a merger. PCI DSS also requires internal and external testing at least annually. Teams that change often may prefer continuous or PTaaS models offered by firms like Raxis, BreachLock and Bishop Fox.
Conclusion
The right choice among these network penetration testing companies depends on your environment. White Knight Labs suits teams that want mostly manual testing that reaches into OT and air-gapped networks, Raxis suits multi-site companies that want remote internal testing with fixed deliverables, and Bishop Fox suits enterprises with large, complex perimeters. Packetlabs, Triaxiom, NCC Group, Secureworks, Rhino Security Labs, Rapid7 and BreachLock each fit specific needs, from identity-heavy hybrid networks to fast PTaaS starts.
Whichever firm you pick, compare penetration testing services on the same scope, insist on a sample report and confirm retest terms in writing. For broader vendor options, see our top penetration testing companies list, or browse the full penetration testing hub for guides on scoping, cost and compliance.
If you want to feature your company on this list, email us or submit a form in the Top Choices section. After a thorough assessment, we’ll decide whether it’s a valuable addition.
