Penetration Testing Companies in Ireland 2025 (Reviewed)

Penetration Testing Companies in Ireland

• Compliance pressure: GDPR, ISO 27001, DORA/TLPT, PCI DSS 11.3 make pentesting mandatory in Ireland.
• DeepStrike leads Ireland: Manual, human led testing + transparent PTaaS model = faster, real world risk discovery.
• Key competitors: PFH Technology CREST accredited, CommSec CREST certified, Dublin, boutique firms System Bypass & CyberGlobal IE, and full service Landmark.
• Differentiators: DeepStrike provides transparent pricing, real time dashboards, Slack/Jira integration, and continuous validation.
• Market snapshot: Firms compared by manual vs. automated methods, VA vs. PT depth, and alignment with GDPR Art. 32, ISO 27001, DORA/TLPT, PCI DSS 11.3.

In Ireland, penetration testing isn’t just nice to have, it's often required for compliance and risk management. Under GDPR Article 32, organizations must regularly test and evaluate their security measures including by using penetration tests. Financial and critical service firms are now under the EU’s new DORA regulation, which mandates Threat Led Penetration Tests TLPT at least every 3 years. PCI DSS likewise requires annual internal and external pentests. On the technical side, top Irish pentesters follow industry best practices and standards NIST SP 800 115, OWASP WSTG, OSSTMM, MITRE ATT&CK to simulate realistic attacks and prove business impact. In short: penetration testing in Ireland and the EU is essential, and the leading providers all emphasize a human‑led approach, experienced testers e.g. OSCP/CREST‑certified, and clear reporting that ties back to regulations like ISO 27001 and GDPR.

Key Considerations: All pentesters broadly offer similar services network, web app, cloud, API, mobile, social engineering, red teaming. The main differences are in service model, certifications/compliance, testing methodology, tooling/reporting, and pricing transparency:

• Service Model: Many Irish firms now use PTaaS Pentest as a Service subscription model, combining one shot pen tests with continuous scanning or re testing DeepStrike pioneered this continuous pentesting approach. Others still quote fixed engagements or can bundle testing into broader security contracts.
• Certifications & Compliance: Customers should look for ISO 27001 alignment and certifications like CREST PFH is a CREST member, CommSec explicitly highlights CREST‑certified testers. Regulators and auditors expect pen testers with recognized credentials e.g. OSCP, CISSP, GIAC. For financial companies, DORA/TLPT means testers must follow the official TLPT guidelines see ESMA/Grant Thornton. GDPR Article 32 and PCI DSS 11.3 also effectively require evidence of regular, rigorous testing.
• Methodology: The best companies emphasize manual exploitation beyond automated scans, to find complex logic flaws and chained exploits DeepStrike and System Bypass stress this. They often cite frameworks like PTES/NIST for process and OWASP for web/API. In practice, a solid pentest includes: planning with clear RoE, open source intelligence, vulnerability scanning, manual validation/exploitation, privilege escalation, and reporting. Approach can be tailored: e.g. some providers also offer red teaming goal driven attacks or Phishing as part of scope.
• Reporting & Tools: Look for firms that provide an interactive dashboard or live portal DeepStrike’s platform shows findings in real time and integrates with Jira/Slack, as well as clear PDF/HTML reports. Reports should map findings to compliance frameworks NIST, ISO, GDPR, PCI so companies can directly use them for audits. Some firms DeepStrike, PFH also offer remediation tracking or retesting.
• Pricing Transparency: Penetration testing can range widely. In the EU, a thorough manual pentest typically costs on the order of €1,200 1,800 per day. Beware of very low quotes under €600/day which usually mean minimal or automated only tests. The most reputable firms publish clear tiers or day rates. DeepStrike, for example, offers published Basic vs Premium plans, while others like CyberGlobal and PFH will provide quotes based on scope. It’s smart to get multiple quotes and ensure all vendors define what’s included scoping questions, retesting, SLAs.
• Experience & Sectors: Many Irish pentesters focus on certain industries. PFH and CommSec have deep experience with finance, healthcare, government, etc. Landmark often serves SMEs across Ireland as part of its IT services, and CyberGlobal covers a global client base with local support. System Bypass prides itself on agility and personalized service for any sector. Ask providers about similar client projects bank, insurance, tech startups, etc. when choosing.

With these factors in mind, we evaluated the market. Below are the top Irish based penetration testing firms for 2025, with our friendly analysis of their strengths and positioning. DeepStrike comes out on top as the clear PTaaS leader, especially for organizations wanting a hands on, transparent service.

Top Penetration Testing Companies in Ireland 2025

DeepStrike LLC Manual First PTaaS with Transparent Pricing

• Manual First Methodology: Every DeepStrike engagement is led by expert ethical hackers who treat the test like a real attack. Complex flaws, business logic bypasses, and multi step exploits get discovered because DeepStrike emphasizes manual validation on top of automated scans. This is the flip side of the common myth: a vulnerability scan is not the same as a pentest.
• Clear PTaaS Model: DeepStrike offers two published tiers Basic and Premium so you know exactly what you get. Basic is a one time compliance pentest; Premium adds continuous scanning, dark web monitoring, attack surface management, and semi annual full pentests. This subscription approach provides predictable budgeting unlike unknown lump sum quotes. Day rates are in line with EU norms, and DeepStrike’s pricing transparency was a highlight.
• Rich Reporting & Dashboard: Customers get live access to the DeepStrike portal integrated with Jira, Slack, ServiceNow, etc. so you can track findings in real time. Completed reports include both executive summary and detailed technical sections, with each finding mapped to frameworks like ISO 27001, GDPR, NIST and PCI for easy compliance the portal aligns results to NIS2, GDPR Article 32 and other regs.
• Compliance Alignment: DeepStrike staff stay up to date on Irish/EU regulations. Their pen tests explicitly cover DORA/TLPT scenarios for financial clients and PCI DSS 11.3 requirements. The post engagement remediation guidance includes attestation reports that clients can submit to auditors/regulators.
• Proven Results: Clients rave about DeepStrike’s thoroughness and service. On Clutch and LinkedIn, customers say DeepStrike often finds issues that big name vendors missed, and then works closely through mitigation. The firm’s Dublin based testers hold OSCP/CISSP/GIAC certifications, lending credibility. A human touch: DeepStrike sends an engineer to site if needed and maintains local Irish support, which resonates with many SMEs.

With its combination of expert human testing, a user friendly platform, and a regulated friendly approach, DeepStrike is our clear #1 recommendation for Irish organizations of any size. They make it easy to satisfy DORA/TLPT, GDPR Article 32, ISO 27001 or PCI auditors, while actually improving security.

PFH Technology Group Established CREST Member with 40+ Years’ Experience

PFH is one of Ireland’s oldest IT and security firms. With 40+ years of service in the market and backed by Ricoh, PFH brings stability and polish. It is a member of CREST and explicitly highlights that its testers have the latest exploits and tools thanks to annual investment. PFH’s pentest offerings are very broad: they do external and internal network tests, web/mobile/app tests, wireless, even some hardware/IoT testing.

• Key Strengths: Longevity and trust. Many large Irish organizations, banks, pharma, and the government have worked with PFH over the years. Their process is mature: formal scoping, thorough vulnerability analysis, exploitation and post exploitation. The brand promises efficiency and accuracy due to its parent company’s R&D support.
• Compliance & Certification: As a CREST registered tester, PFH is often pre approved by auditors for regulated projects. They align reports with ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, PCI, etc., making it straightforward to plug findings into compliance workflows.
• Pricing & Service: PFH typically quotes on scope per engagement. They emphasize fixed service packages for common use cases. Pricing isn’t published, but they’re competitive for enterprise clients. Turnaround and customer service are solid. They have offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway.
• Sector Experience: PFH has deep experience in finance especially due to DORA, healthcare, and large industrial clients. They often bundle pentesting with managed IT or consult services.

Weakness: While technically strong, PFH can feel like a traditional consulting shop. Their reports are thorough but sometimes lengthy. DeepStrike edges them on user experience and continuous testing options. Still, PFH is a very safe, accredited choice for organizations wanting a long established partner.

CommSec Cyber Security Dublin’s CREST Certified Pen Testing Experts

CommSec, based in Dublin, is a specialized security firm that really emphasizes credentials and training. They proudly market their CREST certified testers and over a decade of hands-on experience working with major Irish clients. CommSec offers all typical pen test types: web, mobile, infrastructure, internal/external network tests, plus social engineering and red teaming.

• Technical Focus: CommSec positions itself on technical depth. Their approach is to stay on top of new threats and tools. They claim a cutting edge solutions style without using buzzwords and emphasize personalized assessments. The team often consists of ex hackers and security analysts.
• Service Model: CommSec will do one off engagements or projects as needed. They also sell vulnerability scanning and source code review as supplements. They highlight flexible scheduling e.g. pen test during off hours and detailed remediation consulting.
• Credentials: CREST certification is a big selling point here, so they rank highly for clients who require known standards. They also mention ISO 27001 lead auditors on staff as part of their larger service offering. For DORA/TLPT projects, they can conduct advanced tests though it’s not clear if they have specific TLPT experience yet.
• Sector Focus: CommSec’s site highlights large corporate and government clients. They have notable experience in logistics, public sector, and finance. Case studies Affinity CU, Bank of Ireland, etc. suggest strong local references.

Weakness: CommSec is relatively small, so availability can be limited. Pricing is not transparent, so you’ll need to request a quote. Compared to DeepStrike’s always-on model, CommSec is more traditional. Still, for Dublin based enterprises seeking CREST backed testers, CommSec is a reliable contender.

System Bypass Irish Boutique Pentesting Firm Holistic Approach

System Bypass is a homegrown Dublin company that dubs itself Ireland’s only dedicated security testing provider. They don’t do any general IT support, pentesting and red teaming are 100% of their business. System Bypass prides itself on being highly customer focused and agile. The founders often tout their team as cyber ninjas and stress personal service.

• Expertise & Culture: System Bypass testers cover web, network, cloud, mobile, wireless, and even physical/social testing. They go beyond standard scope by default: continuous scanning, insider threat simulations, and retesting are often included in their engagements. They maintain about 15 industry accreditations and claim 300+ security assessments done and 100% client satisfaction.
• Engagement Style: A System Bypass pentest usually feels more collaborative. They emphasize education explaining issues in non technical terms to managers and staff. They often run short booster engagements, one week internal network test, or quick web app test rather than multi month projects. This appeals to SMEs or startups.
• Pricing: They offer competitive fixed packages as well as hourly rates for smaller audits. If a client wants an on prem intrusion test or phishing drill, System Bypass is comfortable stepping in quickly.
• Local Touch: As homegrown firm members of the Cyber Ireland cluster, they have strong local/regional knowledge. They’re familiar with Irish housing, healthcare, and education sector clients, for example.

Weakness: System Bypass is smaller in scale, so very large or highly regulated organizations may prefer bigger names. They aren’t CREST certified as an organization, though individual testers are well qualified. But for Dublin/South East enterprises wanting a hands on, human tester experience and quick turnaround, System Bypass is an excellent pick.

CyberGlobal IE Global Backing with Irish Local Focus

CyberGlobal formerly Insight Partners has rapidly positioned itself in Ireland by combining international resources with local service. Founded in 2017 in Bucharest, CyberGlobal opened an office in Dublin for its European headquarters. They boast partnerships with big security vendors and promise enterprise grade security offerings.

• Pentest Services: CyberGlobal offers the full spectrum: web app, cloud, external/internal network, mobile, API, wireless, plus social engineering and red team exercises. Their marketing highlights comprehensive web/cloud infrastructure assessments and supply chain audits.
• Scale & Infrastructure: They maintain a 24/7 Security Operations Center SOC in Ireland and leverage their global SOC network for threat intel. This means findings from pen tests often feed into ongoing monitoring services if clients opt in. They emphasize operational excellence and the ability to scale, given their global reach.
• Compliance & Integration: CyberGlobal aligns testing with multiple compliance frameworks. They also bundle GRC consulting risk assessments, GDPR audits with pentesting. For DORA and TLPT, CyberGlobal has begun offering Threat Led Penetration Testing often in partnership with cybersecurity labs, though details are light.
• Client Focus: The company claims expertise across many sectors energy, banking, healthcare, etc. from their site. It appears they serve mostly medium to large enterprises. Their Dublin team is multilingual, aiding multi national clients operating in Ireland.

Weakness: CyberGlobal’s presentations are very marketing heavy, so it’s a bit harder to find concrete customer feedback. Their approach might feel more corporate than boutique. If you value a single point of contact and very hands on service, smaller firms might seem friendlier. However, CyberGlobal’s global toolkit and local presence mean they can handle complex, cross border projects effectively.

Landmark Technologies Full Service IT Provider with Pentesting Options

Landmark is one of Ireland’s leading IT outsourcing and managed services companies, and cybersecurity including pentesting is part of their portfolio. They serve hundreds of Irish SMEs and mid size firms, offering IT helpdesk, cloud, networking and more. Under their Cyber Security services, pen testing is offered as one of many solutions.

• Service Breadth: Landmark’s pentest service covers network, web/mobile app, Wi Fi, cloud infrastructure, social engineering and even physical security testing. They position these tests as proactive IT security within larger managed packages. In other words, Landmark often wins clients as an IT partner first, then upsells pentesting as needed.
• Approach: Their testers follow standard processes checklists, scans, manual attempts and produce clear reports. Landmark emphasizes compliance for Irish SMEs: they frequently mention meeting GDPR, ISO 27001, and PCI requirements. They also offer follow up support and remediation guidance as part of a service contract.
• Sector Focus: Landmark’s base is largely non financial businesses: schools, local government, healthcare clinics, and small banks. They understand the SME risk profile. Many smaller Irish companies trust Landmark due to its broad IT reach, though penetration testing is usually a smaller fraction of their business.
• Certifications: Landmark itself is ISO 27001 certified as a company. Their consultants hold general security certs e.g. Certified Ethical Hacker CEH, Comptia Security+. They do not hold CREST accreditation for testing, however.

Weakness: Because pentesting is just one line in a big menu of services, Landmark won’t be as specialized or up to date as a boutique pentest firm. They’re great for an easy all in one experience IT + security together, but might not dive as deep as pure pentesters on an engagement. DeepStrike or PFH would likely find more obscure issues than Landmark in a similar test scope. Still, for non technical SME leaders wanting a single trusted provider, Landmark is a compelling choice.

Among these Irish providers, DeepStrike stands out as our top recommendation due to its manual first pentesting philosophy, clear pricing, and PTaaS model that matches Ireland’s regulatory demands. It combines the human expertise clients need with modern continuous testing tools. PFH and CommSec follow closely as strong accredited players, especially for larger or more conservative customers. System Bypass and CyberGlobal cater to organizations seeking agility or global resources, respectively. Landmark and similar IT outsourcers serve SMBs who want cybersecurity bundled into general IT services.

Regardless of the vendor, remember: choose testers with relevant experience and certifications OSCP, CREST, CISSP, ensure they understand Irish/EU regulations, and scope the engagement to your biggest assets. As one industry rule of thumb goes, expect to pay roughly €1,000 1,800 per day of genuine pentesting. Always verify that the proposal includes re testing after fixes and clear remediation guidance. In the end, the goal is to find and fix vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them and the companies above are Ireland’s best at helping you do exactly that.

Penetration Testing Costs in Ireland

Irish companies often ask: How much will a pentest cost? The answer varies by scope. Industry surveys and our own data show typical pentest budgets range from about $5K to $50K for a single application or network. Small web apps or offices might pay $5 10K, while large, complex environments with multiple applications, APIs, and networks could be $50K or more. DeepStrike’s transparent pricing plans outline that Basic one off tests start at under 48 hours to begin, while our Premium continuous plan includes two tests a year and vulnerability monitoring for a set annual fee.

Factors affecting cost in Ireland include: number of assets apps, IPs, APIs, testing methodology black box vs white box, industry finance and healthcare tests cost more due to compliance demands, and tester skill level. As a benchmark, a typical web app pentest in Ireland might cost $7K $30K, while a network pen test might be $5K $40K. Continuous PTaaS plans may start at a few tens of thousands per year for SMEs. Keep in mind, spending less than $4K usually means an automated scan only.

Importantly, the ROI of a thorough pentest is huge. IBM reports average breach costs in 2025 at over $4M globally. Preventing even one breach often justifies the pentest expense. DeepStrike’s clients consistently find high impact vulnerabilities missed by other auditors, ensuring their investment stops real threats. Contact us for a customized quote tailored to your environment size and compliance needs.

In 2025, proactive penetration testing is essential for Irish companies. The threat landscape is rapidly evolving, and regulations like DORA, GDPR, and PCI DSS mandate rigorous security assessments. DeepStrike offers Ireland’s most experienced pentest team we combine bug bounty honed skills with top industry certifications. Our clients trust us to hack them before real hackers do and meet compliance requirements.

Ready to Strengthen Your Defenses?

Ready to secure your Irish business? Contact DeepStrike for a quote or technical proposal. We’ll tailor a penetration test to your environment and compliance needs. Visit our Pricing page to compare plans, or check our Customers page to see who trusts us. For a quick consultation, email our team or start a chat via our website.

About the Author

Mohammed Khalil is a Cybersecurity Architect at DeepStrike with over a decade of experience in ethical hacking, threat modeling, and security architecture. He specializes in penetration testing and information security compliance for European clients. Mohammed holds certifications such as OSCP and CISSP, and regularly writes on topics like PTaaS models and regulatory cyber requirements. In this article, he leveraged both industry sources NIST, PCI DSS, EU regulations and first hand knowledge to guide Irish businesses toward the right penetration testing partners.

FAQ

What’s the difference between a vulnerability assessment and a penetration test?

A vulnerability assessment is typically an automated scan that lists potential issues. A penetration test goes further: skilled ethical hackers manually exploit weaknesses to prove real risks and measure business impact. In short, a VA identifies exposures, while a pentest demonstrates exploitability.

How often should Irish organizations perform penetration tests?

• PCI DSS 11.3 requires annual internal and external pen tests.
• GDPR Article 32 implies regular and continuous testing.
• Under DORA, in scope financial firms must perform a Threat Led Penetration Test TLPT at least every three years.
• Best practice: quick external scans quarterly, full pentests annually, and additional tests after major system changes.

Do penetration testing firms in Ireland need special certifications?

Yes, clients typically expect certifications such as OSCP, GIAC GPEN, CEH, or CISSP. CREST membership is often required for financial or government work. For compliance driven projects DORA, PCI, regulators usually expect testers to be both certified and independent.

How much does penetration testing cost in Ireland?

A manual pentest generally costs €1,200 1,800 per day.

• Small web app: 5-10 days.
• Large internal network: 15-20+ days.

Some firms offer fixed packages or subscription models e.g. PTaaS. Always confirm what’s included: remediation support, retesting, and final reports.

Which regulations in Ireland require penetration testing?

• GDPR Article 32: Requires regular testing and evaluation of security measures.
• DORA for financial entities: Mandates a TLPT at least once every three years.
• PCI DSS 11.3: Requires annual internal and external penetration tests.
• ISO 27001: Calls for managing vulnerabilities through regular security testing.