SOC 2 Penetration Testing for Type I and Type II Audits
SOC 2 does not strictly require a penetration test, but almost every auditor and enterprise customer expects one. Scantra Security provides SOC 2 penetration testing with findings mapped to the Trust Services Criteria, an attestation letter for customers and retest evidence for your auditor, so your report and sales process move forward together.
Last reviewed 2026-09-28 by the Scantra Security testing team
Where pentesting fits in SOC 2
- CC4.1 Monitoring activities and separate evaluations
- CC7.1 Detection of vulnerabilities and configuration changes
- CC3.2 Risk identification
- CC8.1 Change management and testing
Timing for Type I and Type II
For a Type I report, complete the test before the point-in-time audit so findings can be fixed. For Type II, the test should fall inside the observation window, with remediation evidence recorded. We plan the test date with your compliance platform and auditor timeline in mind.
What to include in scope
Test the production application, its APIs and the cloud account that hosts customer data. Internal tools with access to customer data should also be considered.
Process
1. Scope with your auditor's expectations
Align scope with the system description in your SOC 2 report.
2. Testing
Manual application, API and cloud testing.
3. Free retest and certificate
We verify fixes at no extra cost and issue an updated report and certificate.
4. Attestation letter
A shareable letter for customers and prospects.
Frequently asked questions
Does SOC 2 require penetration testing?
Not explicitly, but auditors widely expect it as evidence for monitoring and vulnerability controls.
Do you work with compliance platforms?
Yes. Our reports can be uploaded as evidence in common compliance automation tools.
How long before the audit should we test?
Allow enough time to fix findings and complete the retest, typically four to eight weeks.