External Network Penetration Testing

External Network Penetration Testing Australia

The perimeter is breached through oversight, not zero-days.

Senior-led external network penetration testing for Australian organisations. We simulate determined adversaries to identify critical misconfigurations, exposed VPNs, and unpatched infrastructure before they are weaponised.

Engagements starting from A$5,200 ex GST
View Pricing & Scope See Attack Paths
The Perimeter Paradox

Adversaries don't need highly sophisticated malware if the front door is unlocked.

Most catastrophic breaches do not happen because of complex, nation-state zero-days. They happen because an IT administrator temporarily exposed an RDP port to the internet, a VPN appliance missed a critical security patch, or a legacy web service was forgotten during a cloud migration.

Your external attack surface is constantly shifting. Our specialists systematically map, enumerate, and exploit your internet-facing perimeter to find the exact pathways an opportunistic or targeted threat actor would use to breach your internal network.

What We Test

Our rigorous external reconnaissance targets:

  • Exposed VPNs and Gateways
  • O365 & Azure AD misconfigurations
  • Unpatched Infrastructure (CVEs)
  • Forgotten Legacy Subdomains
  • Exposed RDP and SSH Services
  • Web Application Attack Surfaces
  • DNS Configuration Flaws
  • Weak SSL/TLS and Cryptography
Real-World Scenarios

Example Attack Paths We Validate

We don't just run scans. We manually chain low-severity findings together to demonstrate critical impact on your business operations.

Unpatched VPN Appliance → Remote Code Execution (RCE) → Reverse Shell Access → Total Perimeter Breach
Leaked Credentials → MFA Bypass on O365 → Email Account Takeover → Business Email Compromise (BEC)
Exposed RDP Port → Brute Force Compromise → Internal Network Pivot → Ransomware Deployment
Rigorous Validation

Our 6-Phase Adversary Methodology

We don't just run an automated vulnerability scanner and hand you a PDF. We simulate a persistent threat actor systematically working to compromise your external infrastructure.

01
OSINT & Reconnaissance
Passive footprint mapping to identify domain names, exposed subnets, routing infrastructure, and leaked employee credentials on the dark web.
02
Active Enumeration
Thorough active enumeration to map all live hosts, exposed services, open ports, and firewall configurations across your perimeter.
03
Vulnerability Analysis
Interrogating the exposed services for known CVEs, outdated software, weak encryption protocols, and logical deployment flaws.
04
Controlled Exploitation
Moving beyond theory. We safely and surgically exploit identified vulnerabilities to definitively prove the real-world impact of the flaw.
05
Post-Exploitation
Once a foothold is gained, we assess whether an external breach can be used to pivot laterally and compromise the internal corporate domain.
06
Strategic Reporting
Delivering an executive summary, prioritised technical remediation guidance, and the formal Certificate of Penetration Testing required for compliance.
Comprehensive Output

Deliverables & Evidence

You receive more than a list of vulnerabilities. We provide actionable intelligence required for both technical remediation and board-level reporting.

Executive Summary
Detailed Technical Findings
Visual Attack-Path Diagrams
Proof-of-Concept Evidence Screenshots
Prioritised Remediation Roadmap
Perimeter Risk Themes
Certificate of Penetration Testing
Executive Debrief & Optional Retest

How It Compares

Understanding the boundaries between assurance services.

Capability External Pentest Internal Pentest Vulnerability Scan Red Team
Perspective Internet-Facing Assume Breach (Inside) Automated Discovery Full Spectrum (Phishing/Physical)
Active Directory Exploitation ✗ No ✓ Yes ✗ No ✓ Yes
Manual Attack Path Chaining ✓ Yes ✓ Yes ✗ No ✓ Yes
Evasion Techniques Used? ✗ No (Noisy) ✗ No (Noisy) ✗ No ✓ Yes (Stealth)
Frictionless Procurement

Transparent Pricing & Scope

External Network Engagement
Comprehensive manual and automated testing for your internet-facing perimeter.
From A$5,200 ex GST
Fixed-fee pricing available for clearly defined scopes. Larger or denser attack surfaces are priced based on live hosts, exposed services and required validation depth.
Proceed with Engagement

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an external network penetration test?
An external network penetration test is a controlled, ethical hacking engagement targeting your internet-facing assets. We simulate a malicious actor attempting to compromise your exposed systems, such as web servers, VPN gateways, firewalls, and public IP ranges, to identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in a real cyber attack.
How is an external penetration test different from a vulnerability scan?
A vulnerability scan is a fully automated process that simply identifies known software flaws based on a database of signatures (CVEs). An external penetration test goes much further. Our senior consultants manually investigate, chain multiple low-severity findings together, attempt to safely exploit them, and rule out false positives, providing a true assessment of your security posture.
What systems are included in an external network penetration test?
The scope typically includes all internet-facing infrastructure owned or managed by your organisation. This encompasses public IP addresses, VPN endpoints, web and email servers, firewalls, cloud-hosted services (like AWS, Azure, or GCP instances), and any exposed administrative interfaces.
How much does an external network penetration test cost in Australia?
At Lean Security, we provide transparent pricing starting from A$5,200 ex GST. Fixed-fee pricing is available for clearly defined scopes. Larger or denser attack surfaces are priced based on the number of live hosts, exposed services, and the required validation depth.
How long does an external network penetration test take?
A standard engagement for a small to medium enterprise typically takes between 3 to 7 days of active testing, followed by a period for reporting. We work with your team to schedule the testing window to ensure minimal disruption to your daily operations.
Do you test VPNs, firewalls and cloud-hosted services?
Yes. Any asset that is accessible from the public internet and forms part of your defined scope will be rigorously tested. This includes searching for misconfigurations in firewalls, exploiting unpatched vulnerabilities in VPN appliances, and assessing the security of externally facing cloud storage buckets or instances.
Will we receive a penetration testing certificate?
Yes. Upon completion of the test and delivery of the final executive and technical reports, Lean Security provides a formal Certificate of Penetration Testing. This certificate can be shared with clients, partners, and auditors as proof of your proactive security measures.
Does external penetration testing satisfy ISO 27001, PCI DSS or APRA CPS 234 requirements?
Supports ISO 27001, PCI DSS and APRA CPS 234 audit evidence where appropriately scoped. It should be treated as part of a broader assurance programme, not a standalone compliance guarantee.

Secure your perimeter.

Identify exposed administrative interfaces, unpatched vulnerabilities, and forgotten cloud infrastructure before an opportunistic attacker finds them.

Book Your External Pentest