Automated vs Manual Penetration Testing - What's The Difference

After all, if giants like Tesla fail to fully protect their systems, what can be said about businesses with smaller budgets and less experience?

Penetration testing is a must in a world where cyber threats are becoming increasingly dangerous, compromising the security of companies across various industries, from healthcare to finance.

Today, you’ll gain the following key takeaways:

• What penetration testing is and why it’s so crucial.
• A statistical overview.
• The strengths and weaknesses of automated and manual pentesting.
• A detailed comparison of manual vs automated penetration testing to help you determine which option suits your needs best.

What is Pentesting?

Penetration testing, also known as pentesting, is a structured process that simulates real-world cyberattacks to evaluate the cybersecurity of IT systems, networks, and applications. A security specialist's task here is to mimic the tactics, techniques, and procedures of malicious hackers. Such an approach helps find vulnerabilities and weak spots that other testing methods may not notice.

Basically, penetration testing services are like a rehearsal for a real cyberattack. Security specialists identify potential entry points, assess how far a hacker could go, and estimate the damage they could cause. But, instead of causing harm, pentesters help your business fix the flaws they find and strengthen its security posture.

Fixing vulnerabilities before they can be exploited minimizes the risk of breaches and supports overall cybersecurity readiness. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Some stats

Before we move to the difference between manual vs. automated penetration testing. Here are some important statistics to consider. Firstly, experts predict that the global penetration testing market size will reach $6.35 billion by 2032.

In 2024, 92% of U.S. and European organizations increased their overall IT security spending last year. How did it affect pentesting spending? Penetration testing budgets were raised by 85%.

Penetration testing and OWASP

The OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) outlines six major steps for pentesting.

1. Plan and investigate. Setting goals, defining what to test, and gathering details about the system.
2. Scan. Looking for active services, open ports, and weak spots.
3. Exploit. Testing those weak spots to see what kind of damage a hacker could do.
4. Check for persistent access. Checking if an attacker could stick around unnoticed.
5. Report. Documenting what the tester found, the risks, and how to fix them.
6. Retest. Double-checking to make sure the fixes actually worked.

This framework helps specialists spot major security gaps, fix them in the right order, and stay ahead of cyber threats while meeting compliance rules.

Manual Penetration Testing

Manual penetration testing is a rigorous process in which trained security engineers manually simulate real-world attacks. The main emphasis in such testing is on using the unique human experience to identify vulnerabilities that are often overlooked by machines.

How does this happen? Pentesters simulate hacker-style methods to identify vulnerabilities and assess risks. They also prepare instructions for their reproduction and correction.

Manual pen testing process (PTES standard)

1. Pre-engagement interactions. Set goals, define the scope, agree on rules, and align expectations with the client.
2. Intelligence gathering. Collect publicly available information about the target system using OSINT tools.
3. Threat modeling. Identify potential threats and entry points and prioritize attack vectors.
4. Vulnerability analysis. Scan for weaknesses like outdated software and misconfigurations using both automated and manual methods.
5. Exploitation.  Attempt to exploit vulnerabilities to gain access and test the system’s defenses.
6. Post-exploitation. After breaching the system, explore deeper access and test persistence.
7. Reporting. Create a report detailing vulnerabilities, exploitation methods, and recommendations for fixing issues.

Pros of manual pentesting

Why is manual penetration testing worth it? When it comes to testing your system’s defenses, whether it is AWS penetration testing services or other options, this method offers advantages over automated techniques, primarily because it blends human expertise with precision. Let’s take a look at some specific benefits.

• Minimum number of false positives – no wild goose chases. Manual testers validate every vulnerability by actually exploiting it. This means no chasing imaginary problems, just real issues you can fix.
• Real human intelligence and expertise. Machines can’t think like hackers, but skilled penetration testers do. They adjust their methods to fit your system’s unique setup, spotting risks automated pen testing tools would overlook.
• Deeper and more exhaustive testing: Automated scanning can miss the mark on things like business logic errors or complex attack chains. Manual testing uncovers these hidden risks, offering a full picture of your system’s security.
• Thorough and detailed reports. Manual testers don’t just hand over a list of issues. They provide detailed reports with easy-to-follow steps for reproducing and fixing problems. They may also assist you in implementing these fixes.
• Meeting compliance requirements. Everything is simple here. Regulations like PCI-DSS often require manual testing to meet stringent security and audit standards.
• Custom fit. Manual tests focus on the threats, scenarios, environment, and compliance needs that matter most to your organization.

Basically, manual penetration testing is the “gold standard” for accuracy and insight. It keeps false alarms at bay, helps you meet regulatory requirements, and gives you peace of mind.

Cons of manual pentesting

While this approach offers significant benefits, we can’t skip the part with pitfalls. Let’s consider some limitations.

• The manual approach requires time. Compared to automated tools, real people need time to prepare, focus, and explore (particularly in the case of large or complex systems). So here, you need to choose between deep and unique security testing or quick automated checks.
• Higher costs. Skilled testers have unique expertise and certifications, so they are costly. So, this option may require a higher financial investment.
• Risk of human error. Even experienced testers can make mistakes or overlook subtle vulnerabilities. That’s why they combine manual techniques with automated tools. To avoid potential gaps in the assessment, you need to find a reliable penetration testing company.

Manual testing delivers exceptional depth and accuracy, but you’ll need to be patient and prepare some resources and time. Try to carefully balance your security priorities when choosing the proper testing strategy.

Automated Penetration Testing

Automated penetration testing is a process that uses specific software and tools to scan and locate vulnerabilities in your systems, networks, or applications. It works by conducting simulated breaches using vulnerability databases and running pre-set test cases. This approach may be a good option when you have simpler applications or even have limited resources.

Penetration testers use this technique for identifying and ranking high-risk and critical vulnerabilities. With proper preparation and guidance, it can improve your baseline security without extra cost. In this case, automated tools, instead of humans, take care of the heavy lifting: scanning, assessing weaknesses, testing, and reporting.

Automated penetration testing process

• Scanning. The tool identifies open ports, running services, and software versions to detect known vulnerabilities.
• Vulnerability assessment. Categorizes vulnerabilities by severity, helping organizations prioritize their remediation efforts.
• Exploitation. Some tools can simulate attacks on identified vulnerabilities to evaluate potential impact.
• Reporting. Generates reports that include remediation steps and actionable insights.

Pros of automated penetration testing

What makes this method effective? Let’s explore several important advantages.

• Speed. Speed. So far, automated pentesting tools are quicker than even the most intelligent human. So they can scan and identify vulnerabilities much more quickly. Which, in turn, reduces the time spent on testing.
• Scalability. These tools handle large or complex systems with ease, running multiple tests at once. They also fit perfectly into CI/CD pipelines, so testing is continuous and seamless.
• Cost-effectiveness. Automated tools need fewer people to run, saving on testing costs. They may be perfect for organizations working with a tight budget.

In short, it’s all about the quick, affordable improvement of security systems. It’s the perfect solution when you don’t need customization and have strict budget limitations.

Cons of automated penetration testing

Despite its advantages, this approach has notable limitations, and they really must be considered.

• False positives. This is a real problem. Automated testing tools often flag issues and flaws that may not be genuine vulnerabilities. So, this way or another, you’ll need to involve manual testing and spend additional time and resources on manual verification.
• Limited precision. Automated penetration tests are only as good as their programming, meaning they often miss more complex issues like business logic flaws or intricate attack chains.
• Generic insights. Reports from automated tools tend to be more surface-level. They lack the deep understanding and context that manual testers bring, which can lead to less useful advice for fixing problems.
• Lower market acceptance. As was already said, many compliance standards require manual testing because it's more thorough and accurate. So, if you need to achieve regulatory compliance, you have to do manual pen testing.

Lack of precision, depth, and reliability are serious considerations. So, maybe you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket and think of a balanced approach, combining both automated and manual testing for the best results.  

Automated vs Manual Penetration Testing: What is the Difference?

So, what are the differences between manual and automated pentesting? When choosing between them, you should consider the strengths and limitations of each option. They serve different purposes but can also complement one another harmoniously.

Speed

Manual penetration testing is thorough and methodical, and it highly relies on the expertise of human testers. While this approach is quality and detail, it can be a bit more time-consuming, especially in cases of larger systems.

On the flip side, automated vulnerability scanners are a great option when it comes to speed. They can quickly scan systems, pinpoint critical vulnerabilities, and produce standard reports. That's why automation can be a great choice for urgent projects requiring quick results.

Accuracy

One of the most important benefits of manual testing is its accuracy. Experienced testers closely examine each result, which helps eliminate false positives. Their ability to distinguish between major vulnerabilities and minor issues means you get precise insights that can really help in directing your remediation efforts.

While automated testing is efficient, it can occasionally throw out false positives or overlook significant vulnerabilities because it works off predefined algorithms. However, when you mix in some automated testing with manual efforts, you can capitalize on fast vulnerability detection while still catching the more nuanced issues.

Depth

In the case of the depth factor, manual penetration testing is truly unbeatable. Security engineers can find complex vulnerabilities like business logic errors and advanced attack vectors that require chaining several vulnerabilities together. They dig deep into potential weaknesses that automated testing tools might miss.

Automated testing, on the other side, is excellent for broad coverage, working on vulnerabilities and standardized test cases effectively. This is especially useful for catching common issues quickly, but it can’t compete with a manual approach.

Costs

Manual pen testing can lean towards the pricier side since it requires specialized skills and a significant time investment. But that cost often pays off, the detailed insights and personalized recommendations from human testers can lead to lasting improvements in security.

In many cases, annual penetration testing doesn’t happen at all, and budgets are the real problem. 1 in 3 companies claims that money is their reason for not conducting pen tests more frequently. So, budget-friendly automated testing may be a middle ground. This is especially good for small businesses or those with tighter budgets.

Scalability

Scaling manual penetration testing can be a bit tricky. You'll need to find skilled testers. Still, for projects that require in-depth analysis, this method is a must.

The automated approach is designed to handle multiple systems or large environments all at once. This makes it perfect for organizations that need regular or extensive testing without deep assessment and professional management of security needs.

Detecting complex vulnerabilities

There are some critical flaws and vulnerabilities that can be detected by manual pentesting. These are:

• Flaws in payment processing manipulation.
• Escalation of privileges through attacks.
• Advanced Broken Access Control vulnerabilities.
• Cross-site scripting allows exfiltrating of sensitive data and performs other malicious actions far beyond showing alerts.
• Errors related to business logic.
• Complicated file upload attacks.
• Exploiting complex vulnerabilities in third-party components.

Moreover, the manual approach is a good option for detecting blind SQL injection in parts of the app where automated software tools may struggle. Automated algorithms are limited to predefined parameters. Result? They are useless in detecting intricate vulnerabilities and often fail to identify issues requiring logical reasoning or contextual understanding.

Your choice between manual and automated pen testing can depend on various factors. These may be your particular security and business needs, resources, or even risk tolerance. Human intuition and creativity are security testers' superpowers that help them find hidden flaws. However, the best approach is to create a comprehensive security strategy. So here, you'll have to combine both approaches.

Benefits of Partnering With Us in Penetration Testing

At TechMagic, we know from experience that cybersecurity is essential for businesses of every scale and field. That's why we adjust our security services to every particular company and their needs.

As for the penetration security testing, we cut our teeth on it. And here are the main reasons to partner with us:

We focus on security and compliance

We are very serious about security, and we perfectly know that meeting regulatory requirements is a big part of a strong security posture.  You can be sure that we’ll help you mitigate risks like data breaches, financial losses, and legal liabilities with tailored security solutions.

We have a team of certified security specialists

Our team of experts holds certifications like PenTest+, CEH, eMAPT, and eWPT. We bring deep technical skills to your project so it is easy to identify vulnerabilities and simulate real-world attacks. To ensure thorough security, we specialize in cloud, mobile, API, and network security testing.

You can check our proven track record

With numerous successful projects, we provide actionable remediation guidance and use real-world attack methods to expose vulnerabilities in your systems.

After penetration testing, you get:

• Penetration testing report with detailed findings, vulnerability prioritization, risks, and potential impacts.
• Remediation plan with clearly prioritized, actionable steps to resolve critical vulnerabilities.
• Confirmation of testing (if needed) to show security commitment to stakeholders or regulatory bodies.

So, if you have any questions, we are here to help. Just book a free consultation to discuss your security needs.

Conclusion

So, both manual and automated pentesting is highly important for keeping your business safe and your cyber security system strong. Each option has its own limitations and opportunities.

From one perspective, automated testing is great for quickly spotting common vulnerabilities. On the other hand, manual cybersecurity testing uses all the possibilities of a unique human approach. It brings the depth, high creativity, and adaptability that machines simply can't match.

What to choose? Well, as cyber threats evolve and become more and more sophisticated, relying on just one method can leave your security parameter exposed. So, to effectively guard against breaches, try to mix both manual and automated security penetration testing.

We have a team of experienced and, what is no less important, certified engineers who can help you combine manual pen tests with automated scanning. Contact us today to prevent breaches tomorrow.

FAQ

1. What is the difference between manual and automated pen testing?

   Manual pen testing involves skilled testers using human intelligence and experience to simulate real-world cyberattacks, identifying complex vulnerabilities in an organization's security posture that automated penetration testing tools might overlook. Automated pen testing, on the other hand, utilizes algorithms to scan for known security vulnerabilities quickly and efficiently. So, manual vs. automated pentesting is depth and accuracy vs. speed and scalability.

2. Which is better, automation testing or manual testing?

   Both manual and automated security testing have their strengths and are best used in combination. Automated testing is ideal for quickly identifying common vulnerabilities and handling large-scale systems efficiently. Manual testing, however, excels in uncovering complex security flaws that require human intuition and creativity. For optimal security, integrating both approaches is recommended.

3. Will automation replace manual testing?

   Considering the modern comparison of automated vs manual pentesting, automation will not completely replace the manual approach. While automated penetration tests offer speed and efficiency, they lack the depth and contextual understanding that human testers bring. Manual penetration testing remains crucial for identifying intricate vulnerabilities and providing comprehensive security assessments. A balanced approach using both automated and manual pentesting ensures robust security.