- New Greek law 5160/2024 implements NIS2 EU Directive 2022/2555, raising cybersecurity requirements. Along with GDPR, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS mandates, this makes regular penetration tests essential for many Greek businesses.
- Leading Greek providers include DeepStrike manual first PTaaS, CENSUS S.A. CREST accredited, TwelveSec, and others. We compare their services web, mobile, API, infrastructure, expertise OSCP, CREST, and pricing models.
- DeepStrike stands out for its continuous testing model Pentest as a Service with real time dashboards, Slack/Jira integration, and a team of CISSP/OSCP certified experts. This combines deep manual analysis with automated scans and free retesting.
- Effective pentests cover both external and internal assets and focus on OWASP Top 10 and other threat scenarios. They follow recognized standards e.g. NIST SP 800 115 to prove vulnerabilities are exploitable.
- Costs vary by scope: a full web/API pentest might range from a few thousand to $20-40K, while a mobile app test often runs $7K- $35K per platform. Greek companies in Athens/Thessaloniki should compare quotes and clarify scope, number of apps/IPs, retesting policies, etc. before choosing a vendor.
Cyber threats are surging worldwide. For example, the FBI reported 859,532 complaints of internet crime >$16 billion in losses in 2024, and the average cost of a data breach hit $4.45 million globally.
Web applications are especially vulnerable 98% of tested web apps had at least one security flaw. In Greece, attackers often target financial, public, and healthcare systems. New regulations like NIS2 Greek Law 5160/2024 force critical businesses to lock down their defenses.
Penetration testing simulates real attacks beyond automated scans to find these hidden bugs before criminals do. It’s an essential part of any 2025 security program to protect data, maintain trust, and avoid costly breaches.
What regulations and standards drive penetration testing in Greece?
Greek companies face multiple compliance drivers. NIS2 Law 5160/2024 now applies to energy, transport, finance, healthcare, digital services, etc., requiring strong cybersecurity measures. Regular pentesting is implicitly required to demonstrate risk management under NIS2. Likewise, GDPR EU data protection demands appropriate security for personal data, this is often met by documented vulnerability assessments and pen tests see GDPR Art. 32.
ISO 27001 Annex A.12 mandates vulnerability management and security testing for a certified Information Security Management System.
PCI DSS 4.0 explicitly requires annual penetration tests of the Cardholder Data Environment Req. 11.4 covering both internal and external networks. In practice, auditors in Greece will expect pentest reports to align with these rules, so choosing a provider familiar with NIS2/GDPR/PCI frameworks is key.
What types of pentesting services do companies offer?
Greek pentest firms offer a full spectrum of security tests:
Web Application & API Testing:
- Experts probe websites, web services, and APIs for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities injection, broken auth, XSS, etc. and business logic flaws.
- They use automated scanners e.g. Burp, OWASP ZAP plus expert manual attacks to validate true impact. Reputable providers follow industry standards NIST SP 800 115, OWASP Testing Guide to ensure thorough coverage.
Mobile App Penetration Testing:
- Review of iOS/Android applications against the OWASP MASVS criteria e.g. secure storage, authentication, code tampering.
- This includes reverse engineering or dynamic analysis. A high quality mobile test goes beyond an automated scan, the tester will exploit flaws on real devices. Industry benchmarks note that professional mobile pentests typically range around $7,000- $35,000 per platform.
Infrastructure & Cloud Testing:
- External tests target internet facing assets web servers, firewalls, cloud endpoints to see if an outsider can penetrate the perimeter.
- Internal tests simulate an on premises breach, checking what a compromised employee or malware could do. Additionally, teams can assess cloud configurations e.g. AWS, Azure for insecure setups or identity issues, helping meet ISO/PCI security scopes.
Red Team & Phishing Simulations: For mature orgs, some firms offer adversary emulation or red teaming. This blends cyberattacks with social engineering like phishing to test how well an organization detects and responds. In Greece’s high risk sectors, these exercises can be critical for demonstrating incident readiness.
Who are the leading penetration testing companies in Greece?
Several firms specialize in Greek market pentesting. For example:
DeepStrike Manual Led Continuous Pentesting Platform
- Model: Manual first Penetration Testing as a Service PTaaS provider combining expert human testing with a real time dashboard for continuous security validation. DeepStrike’s Athens team delivers deep dive assessments tailored for modern hybrid infrastructures.
- Services:
- Web, mobile, API, and cloud penetration testing
- External and internal network assessments
- Red teaming and social engineering upon request
- Continuous retesting and live remediation tracking through the DeepStrike PTaaS Dashboard
- Certifications & Expertise:
- Testers hold CISSP, OSCP, OSWE, eCPPT, and CREST aligned certifications
- Reports mapped to compliance frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS
- Engagements follow OWASP, NIST SP 800 115, and MITRE ATT&CK standards
- Pricing:
- One off engagements start around $5K+ for smaller scopes
- Subscription model for ongoing testing typically ranges $10K–$50K+ per year
- Includes unlimited free retesting to validate remediation
- Key Strengths:
- Human led methodology: uncovers logic flaws and chained exploits automation misses
- Continuous PTaaS model: ensures visibility and faster remediation cycles
- Seamless integrations: connects with Slack, Jira, ServiceNow, and developer pipelines
- Ideal for tech companies, fintechs, and cloud native enterprises needing ongoing assurance
DeepStrike Athens leads with manual expertise and continuous validation through its PTaaS platform, blending human depth with automation for real time risk visibility. The firm’s certified experts, compliance ready reports, and free retesting policy make it a top regional choice for organizations seeking continuous, human driven pentesting.
CENSUS S.A. CREST Accredited Pentesting and Secure Code Review Specialists
- Model: Established cybersecurity consultancy specializing in penetration testing, red teaming, and secure code review. CENSUS is one of Greece’s longest operating offensive security firms, recognized for its rigorous methodologies and regulated sector expertise.
- Services:
- Web, mobile, and infrastructure penetration testing
- Red team and adversary simulation exercises
- Source code and application security reviews
- Security architecture assessments and regulatory audits
- Expertise in PCI DSS and GDPR compliance testing for critical systems
- Certifications & Compliance:
- CREST accredited for penetration testing and red teaming
- Aligns with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and NIST standards
- Reports designed to meet financial and government audit requirements
- Clients:
- Trusted by Greek and EU banks, telecoms, energy companies, and government agencies
- Frequently selected for engagements requiring confidentiality and certified assurance
- Key Strengths:
- High trust partner for sensitive and regulated environments
- Strong reputation for secure code auditing and deep technical reviews
- Proven record in financial sector cybersecurity and data protection compliance
CENSUS S.A. is a CREST accredited Greek cybersecurity pioneer, providing penetration testing, red teaming, and code review services with a focus on regulated sectors such as banking and government. With PCI and GDPR expertise, ISO aligned processes, and high technical rigor, CENSUS stands as one of Greece’s most trusted and technically advanced pentesting providers.
TwelveSec Blended Automation + Manual Pentesting Expertise
- Model:Greek cybersecurity consultancy formed from the merger of multiple local security boutiques, TwelveSec combines technical depth with scalability. Its approach balances automated scanning and manual expert validation, ensuring comprehensive coverage across complex infrastructures.
- Services:
- Cloud, infrastructure, and application penetration testing
- Web, mobile, and API security assessments
- Configuration audits and vulnerability management programs
- Security consulting and DevSecOps integration for continuous improvement
- Ongoing collaboration with clients for risk triage and prioritization
- Certifications & Expertise:
- Staff hold OSCP, CEH, and ISO 27001 Lead Auditor certifications
- Testing aligned to OWASP, NIST 800 115, and MITRE ATT&CK frameworks
- Engagements follow strict reporting and remediation validation workflows
- Clients:
- Serves financial, telecom, energy, and technology firms across Greece and the EU
- Known for responsive collaboration and adaptable methodologies for midsized enterprises
- Key Strengths:
- Balanced automation + manual testing model for efficiency and accuracy
- Collaborative triage process with clients ensures actionable, business focused results
- Local expertise with regional scale, ideal for Greek organizations modernizing cloud infrastructure
TwelveSec Athens delivers comprehensive, hybrid pentesting services blending automation speed with manual precision. Backed by OSCP certified professionals and a client collaborative approach, TwelveSec stands out among Greek pentesting firms for its ability to scale, adapt, and integrate testing within modern DevSecOps environments.
Secura S.A. & ADACOM Enterprise Scale Cybersecurity with International Partnerships
- Model:Established Greek cybersecurity providers with strong international affiliations and enterprise clientele. Both firms deliver large scale penetration testing and security consulting engagements, often embedded within broader digital risk management programs.
- Services:
- Network and application penetration testing external, internal, and cloud
- Infrastructure audits and vulnerability assessments for complex environments
- Red team and compliance readiness exercises for critical infrastructure
- Incident response, SOC integration, and security governance consulting
- Certifications & Affiliations:
- Secura S.A.: Maintains CREST affiliations and international testing partnerships, emphasizing technical assurance and regulated sector testing
- ADACOM: Recognized for collaboration with OSE Greek National Cybersecurity Authority and alignment with EU Cybersecurity Agency ENISA initiatives
- Both follow ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and NIST 800 115 standards for testing and reporting
- Clients:
- Serve major Greek enterprises across banking, telecom, energy, and government
- Known for multi country coordination and support for compliance driven security programs
- Key Strengths:
- Deep enterprise experience — capable of handling national scale infrastructures
- International credibility through CREST and OSE partnerships
- Strong collaboration with regulators and compliance bodies, making them go to partners for critical sectors
Secura S.A. and ADACOM represent two of Greece’s most established cybersecurity consultancies, known for large scale, compliance driven penetration testing and international alliances. With CREST accreditation Secura and official cooperation with OSE and ENISA ADACOM, they bring technical depth, regulatory trust, and enterprise delivery capabilities to Greece’s cybersecurity landscape.
Each provider has strengths: some excel at deep application logic and MASVS aligned app tests, others at large infrastructure/Red Team projects. Reading reviews and comparing service sheets and asking about CREST/OSCP accreditations can clarify who fits your needs.
Why is DeepStrike often considered Greece’s top pentest provider?
- DeepStrike is frequently highlighted for its continuous Pentest as a Service PTaaS approach and expert focus. Rather than a one off audit, DeepStrike assigns a dedicated team that continuously monitors your apps and even API docs for changes. Every time you release new code, their platform and bots trigger a fresh test, drastically reducing the vulnerability window. They provide an intuitive online dashboard so clients see real time findings, and offer direct Slack/Jira integration to file and track issues instantly.
- Importantly, the DeepStrike team is 100% manual during assessment phases, automated scans are used for quick mapping, but real exploits are crafted by certified testers OSCP, OSWE, CISSP, etc. to prove impact.
- This combination of ongoing testing, human expertise, and transparent metrics meets both security best practices and the strictest compliance checkboxes. In practice, clients cite DeepStrike’s thoroughness in finding issues others miss and service free retests, custom reports as distinguishing factors.
External Penetration Test:
- Simulates an attack from outside your network. The tester only knows public info about your domain/IP.
- They try to exploit internet facing assets websites, VPNs, firewalls to gain entry. This answers Can an outsider breach our perimeter? It’s ideal for evaluating firewalls, WAFs, open ports, and server vulnerabilities.
Internal Penetration Test:
- Simulates an attacker already inside your network e.g. a disgruntled employee or malware. Testers often get a foothold like a generic user account and then try to elevate privileges or move laterally.
- This reveals flaws in internal network segmentation, stale admin credentials, and unpatched desktops/servers that could lead to a full breach.
In summary, external tests focus on perimeter security, while internal tests check what happens once that perimeter is crossed. Both are needed for full coverage, especially under standards like PCI DSS which requires testing both. Typically a provider will quote separately for each scope, or offer both as a combined engagement.
Automated vulnerability scanners like Nessus, OWASP ZAP are useful for quickly finding low hanging fruit outdated software, common misconfigurations, but they have limits. A manual penetration test, by contrast, involves skilled testers creatively chaining exploits and hunting logic flaws. Key differences:
- Depth of Analysis: Scanners follow known signatures or inputs, a human can pivot from one issue to find deeper problems. For example, a scanner might flag a SQL injection, but a tester will craft payloads to actually dump data or bypass controls.
- False Positives: Scanners often report many potential issues. Manual testers validate each finding, reducing noise. This means your team won’t waste time chasing false alarms.
- Business Logic Testing: Automated tools can’t reason about app specific logic. A manual tester might discover, for instance, that customers can overwrite each other’s orders something a tool wouldn’t flag.
- Scope Flexibility: In a manual test, the scope can evolve and the tester finds an unforeseen entry point and pursues it. Automated scans are rigid.
- Cost: Automated scans are cheaper and faster, but their reports can’t stand alone for compliance. Many standards require a human led test. Often the best approach is to use automated scanning as a baseline and complement it with expert pentesting to fill gaps.
What is Pentest as a Service PTaaS vs traditional pentesting?
Traditional Pentest:
- Usually a fixed scope, point in time project. A team visits or connects for 1 2 weeks, tests systems thoroughly, then delivers a report.
- After fixes, there may be one re-test. This is useful for annual audits or one off acquisitions, but it can leave long periods untested.
PTaaS Continuous Pentesting:
- This is a subscription model. A provider assigns analysts to your account over months, continuously testing updates. Every new feature or API change can trigger an incremental test. Results are posted on demand to your dashboard.
- The advantage is speed as soon as you deploy code, new security gaps are found and remediated quickly. PTaaS plans often include free re-tests on any fixes within the term. For Greek companies needing rapid compliance e.g. frequent PCI launches, fast DevOps cycles under NIS2, PTaaS offers up to date security. The trade off is price: PTaaS is often more expensive than a one off test, but it averages out if you’d otherwise do multiple annual tests.
What factors influence penetration testing costs in Greece Athens/Thessaloniki?
There’s no fixed price list, the cost depends on scope and needs. Key drivers: number and type of assets, websites, apps, IPs, complexity, modern tech stacks require deeper testing, and level of access black box vs gray/white box.
For example, a simple external network scan might be a few thousand euros, while a large web+mobile+internal bundle could reach tens of thousands. The experience of the testers matters to teams with OSCP/CREST credentials often charge premium rates but find more issues.
Local factors vendors in Athens or Thessaloniki might have slightly lower day rates than in Western Europe, but you should ensure they speak Greek/English well and understand local laws. Generally, get multiple quotes by sharing your scope and compliance needs. Expect to pay on the order of €5k €30k for most mid size engagements, very high security environments banks, telcos may budget more. Always clarify what’s included reporting detail, retests, integrations to compare fairly.
penetration testing services are no longer optional for Greek organizations in regulated industries, it’s mandated by new laws and expected by customers. The right provider will blend manual expertise with the latest methodologies, while addressing NIS2, GDPR, PCI DSS and other Greek market requirements.
DeepStrike’s team, for instance, offers tailored PTaaS plans with continuous testing, Slack/Jira dashboards, and certified experts to keep your Athens or Thessaloniki infrastructure secure year round.
To strengthen your cyber resilience today, contact DeepStrike for a consultation and a detailed quote. Their security consultants can explain how ongoing pentesting fits your compliance ISO 27001, PCI DSS and help plan a test that protects your most critical assets.
Author: Mohammed Khalil, Cybersecurity Architect at DeepStrike. Mohammed has over 15 years of experience in penetration testing and red teaming for Fortune 500 companies. A CISSP/OSCP/OSWE certified consultant, he specializes in translating complex security challenges into practical testing strategies.
FAQ:
- How do internal and external penetration tests differ?
External tests assume an attack from outside your network testing internet facing assets to breach the perimeter. Internal tests assume an attacker is already on the inside testing internal systems, like workstations and servers, to see how far a breach could spread. Both are needed external tests to check your front door, while internal tests reveal what happens if the front door is bypassed.
- Is penetration testing required under NIS2/GDPR in Greece?
NIS2 Greek Law 5160/2024 and GDPR don’t explicitly say you must do a pentest, but they require robust security measures. In practice, Greek regulators and auditors expect organizations to perform risk assessments and security testing that often take the form of pentests.
For sectors like energy or finance under NIS2, a professional pentest is now a normal compliance step. GDPR’s Article 32 requires regular security testing, so many firms meet that by including pentesting in their controls.
- What certifications should I look for in a pentest provider?
Look for testers with OSCP, CREST, OSCE/OSWE, GPEN, CISSP, or similar qualifications. CREST accreditation, a UK/EU standard for a firm indicates a certain process maturity. Individual certifications OSCP, OSCE show technical skill. Don’t rely solely on sales claims, ask for bios or verification.
Certified testers not only know how to hack, but also how to document issues for auditors.
- How often should I test to stay PCI or ISO 27001 compliant?
For PCI DSS, you must do penetration tests at least annually and after any significant change to your cardholder data environment. ISO 27001 doesn’t prescribe frequency, but expects that you test regularly, commonly once a year or whenever major systems change.
NIS2 will require appropriate testing schedules as well. Many organizations aim for bi annual to quarterly tests, or continuous PTaaS, especially if they deploy updates frequently.
A vulnerability scan is an automated check that finds known issues like missing patches across systems. It’s lightweight and quick. A penetration test is deeper: it uses both tools and skilled hackers to actively exploit flaws and prove what an attacker could actually do.
Think of a scan as a health check, while a pentest is a stress test on your defenses. Both have value, but only a pentest shows real attack impact.
- Can penetration tests be integrated into DevOps/CI CD pipelines?
Yes. Modern providers like DeepStrike offer integrations so that every code build or deployment can trigger automated scans and notify pentesters via Slack/Jira. For example, a PTaaS plan may run scheduled scans after each commit and have a workflow where developers see findings in real time tickets.
This DevSecOps integration ensures security is built into the development lifecycle rather than done at the end.
- How do I get a penetration testing quote in Athens or Thessaloniki?
Prepare a clear scope systems, apps, IPs to test and any compliance context PCI, NIS2, etc.. Contact a few reputable firms local and international for proposals. Reputable companies will ask about your environment, provide a proposal, and often sign an NDA before detailed scoping.
Be wary of very low prices, effective pentesting requires skilled humans. Compare deliverables report detail, retesting policy, timelines to find the best fit for your budget and needs.
