Penetration Testing Companies in Austria 2025 (Reviewed)

• Regulatory context: Denmark’s digital economy and strict EU mandates GDPR, NIS2 make proactive security testing a business necessity.
• DeepStrike leads Denmark:
  • Hacker-led PTaaS model with 100% manual testing.
  • Continuous testing, unlimited retests, and transparent pricing.
  • Designed for audit-ready compliance and rapid onboarding.
• Key competitors: CSIS Security Group, Dubex Conscia Denmark, Trifork Security, ReTest, Improsec, and AppSecure all recognized leaders in Danish cybersecurity.
• Service scope: Web, mobile, cloud, OT/ICS, and DevOps-focused pentesting aligned with OWASP and NIST SP 800-115 frameworks.
• Compliance coverage: ISO 27001, CREST, PCI DSS, and NIS2 readiness integrated into testing deliverables.
• Evaluation criteria: Compare providers by services, pricing models, client sectors, certifications, and reporting clarity.
• Key takeaway: For Danish enterprises, DeepStrike’s manual-first, continuous PTaaS approach offers unmatched visibility, compliance assurance, and risk reduction in 2025’s evolving threat landscape.

Penetration testing ethical hacking is now a must have for cyber defense. In a nutshell, a pentest is a simulated attack on your own systems by trusted experts to expose security weaknesses before real adversaries do. Rather than relying only on automated scans, professional pentesters follow a structured workflow reconnaissance, exploitation, etc. to validate real exploitability.

This red team approach mimics real world threats, giving you actionable results and proof of concept vulnerabilities. The average cost of a data breach is now roughly $4.4M, so catching even one critical flaw early when testing costs are typically just a few thousand dollars can pay for itself many times over.

Moreover, regulations demand it: standards like PCI DSS explicitly call for regular pentests, and auditors for ISO 27001, SOC 2 or HIPAA look favorably on documented testing. In short, penetration testing helps companies comply with rules and stop breaches before they happen.

What is Penetration Testing?

NIST defines penetration testing as security testing where evaluators mimic real world attacks to find ways around your defenses. Think of it as hiring ethical hackers to break into your own fortress in a controlled way. A typical pentest goes from simulate and exploit to analyze and remediate, ensuring you not only discover hidden flaws but also fix them.

DeepStrike summarizes the cycle as Attack Simulation, Structured Testing, Secure Outcomes, illustrating how each stage exposes weaknesses and builds compliance e.g. meeting PCI DSS, ISO 27001 by the end of the process.

In practice, penetration testers use both automated tools Nmap, Nessus, Burp Suite, etc. and manual techniques to probe every angle: open ports, web forms, APIs, configurations, even employee phishing.

As one DeepStrike guide explains, automated vulnerability scans only flag potential issues, but a pentester actively chains and exploits them to demonstrate real risk. For example, a scanner might say SQL injection possible, while a pentester actually dumps the database contents to prove it.

The result is a report that shows how a breach could happen and how serious it would be, not just a checklist of tickets.

Why Penetration Testing Matters in 2025

Cyber threats have never been more sophisticated. Attackers now use AI, cloud misconfigurations, and zero day exploits to find new entry points. In 2025, regular pentesting is more important than ever to stay ahead. As DeepStrike notes, pen testing is one of the most effective ways to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Each major software update or configuration change can introduce new bugs; relying on a single annual test is like allowing flaws to accumulate until the next audit. Organizations need continuous validation.

Penetration testing delivers clear business value. By fixing issues before attackers strike, you can prevent multi million dollar breaches. Remember, IBM reports the average breach costs $4.4M. Even a single discovered vulnerability, say, an exposed admin portal or stolen credentials could save months of incident response.

Pentesting also validates your defenses: if a skilled tester is caught by your security controls, that’s a success; if not, it highlights a blind spot. Finally, a formal pentest underpins compliance: most security frameworks GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, etc. treat regular testing as a best practice or requirement. In short, a robust pentest program transforms unknown risks into documented improvements, keeping your Austrian business resilient against modern attacks.

Top Penetration Testing Companies in Austria 2025

Below are some of the leading penetration testing firms serving Austrian clients. Each has its niche:

DeepStrike Cloud Pentest as a Service

DeepStrike is a modern, cloud-driven penetration testing provider that combines human expertise with SaaS-style delivery. The company conducts manual web, mobile, cloud, and infrastructure pentests, plus full red-team simulations, all managed through its PTaaS Pentesting as a Service platform. Clients interact in real time through dashboards, remediation trackers, and collaboration channels, eliminating the delays of traditional PDF-only reporting.

Services & Model:

DeepStrike operates on two flexible service tiers:

• Basic Plan: A one-off, fixed-scope engagement that begins within 48 hours and includes 12 months of free retesting ideal for point-in-time audits or compliance validation.
• Premium Plan: A subscription-based continuous testing model that provides biannual pentests, ongoing vulnerability scans, dark-web exposure monitoring, and attack-surface management for proactive risk reduction.

Both tiers integrate directly with DevSecOps workflows through Slack, Jira, and ServiceNow plugins, allowing security and development teams to collaborate seamlessly during remediation.

Clients & Industries:

DeepStrike’s client base includes leading tech and SaaS organizations such as Carta, Klook, and Mural, alongside enterprises in finance, healthcare, and cloud services. Customers consistently highlight the team’s deep technical insight and ability to uncover complex, multi-step vulnerabilities that automated scanners overlook.

Certifications & Compliance:

DeepStrike’s pentesters hold elite credentials OSCP, OSWE, OSCE, and CREST Registered Tester while its processes align with ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA, and PCI DSS 11.3 frameworks. Reports are compliance-ready, mapping each finding to relevant controls and remediation guidance.

Why They Lead:

• Manual-First Testing: Every engagement is expert-led, ensuring logic and authorization flaws are identified.
• Continuous Validation: PTaaS model allows teams to test every deployment, not just annual releases.
• Unlimited Retesting: Included in all tiers, clients can verify every fix at no extra cost.
• Real-Time Collaboration: Dashboards, chat, and ticketing integrations streamline communication and closure.
• Speed & Transparency: 48-hour onboarding, predictable tiered pricing, and transparent reporting.

DeepStrike bridges the gap between traditional pentesting and modern DevSecOps. Its combination of hacker-level manual expertise, cloud automation, and collaborative workflows delivers rapid, repeatable, and continuous security validation. For organizations seeking a fast, scalable, and compliance-ready PTaaS solution, DeepStrike stands out as a clear industry leader.

SEC Consult Enterprise-Scale Security Testing & Research

SEC Consult, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, is one of Europe’s most established cybersecurity consultancies and now part of Capgemini’s Eviden group. With a global footprint and over two decades of experience, SEC Consult delivers large-scale penetration testing, red teaming, and security research across diverse technologies and industries.

The firm conducts over 600- 800 pentests per year and operates its own Vulnerability Lab, contributing regularly to global security studies and CVE discoveries.

• Services:
  • Comprehensive offensive and advisory offerings covering web, mobile, cloud, API, IoT/OT, SAP, and embedded systems testing, as well as red teaming, source code analysis, and compliance reviews for NIS, DORA, and Digital Acts.
  • Their Glass Box audits blend white-box code review with real-world exploit validation.

• Pricing:
  • Tailored to enterprise and government clients, with custom project-based pricing.
  • Engagements are typically large in scope and may involve multi-phase assessments or continuous partnerships.

• Clients:
  • Serves major corporations and government agencies across finance, telecommunications, and energy sectors, as well as critical infrastructure operators in regulated environments.

• Certifications:
  • Holds ISO 27001 certification and is CREST-accredited, ensuring adherence to recognized international testing and quality standards.

• Strengths:
  • SEC Consult’s major advantages are its global scale, technical research depth, and compliance expertise.
  • Its in-house Vulnerability Lab and unique Glass Box methodology enable advanced code and system analysis beyond traditional pentesting.
  • The firm is ideal for large, regulated organizations seeking comprehensive testing and advisory coverage, though smaller firms may find its enterprise focus and timelines less flexible than boutique providers.

7Security Pentesting & Compliance Experts

7Security, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, is a mid-sized cybersecurity firm specializing in penetration testing and compliance-driven audits. With a team of roughly 10- 50 professionals, the company delivers both offensive testing and formal compliance assessments tailored to regulated industries.

7Security emphasizes manual, methodology-based audits rather than fully automated PTaaS models, ensuring accuracy and traceability for compliance validation.

• Services:
  • Comprehensive web, network, and API pentesting, DDoS simulation, vulnerability scanning, and compliance audits including PCI DSS, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 readiness.
  • The firm also provides tailored remediation and advisory support for organizations preparing for certification.

• Pricing:
  • Rates are competitive for the European market, typically around €100- 150 per hour depending on project complexity.
  • Fixed-scope quotes are available for compliance engagements.

• Clients:
  • Primarily serves Austrian and German SMEs, with a strong footprint in finance, telecom, and technology sectors.
  • Case studies include financial software providers seeking PCI compliance and mid-market enterprises pursuing ISO certification.

• Certifications:
  • Certified under ISO 27001 and recognized as a PCI Qualified Security Assessor QSA. The team’s individual experts hold OSCP, CISSP, CEH, and related credentials.

• Strengths:
  • 7Security stands out for its regulatory compliance expertise, transparent communication, and hands-on technical rigor.
  • Clients appreciate its responsiveness and audit precision, making it a dependable choice for businesses that need traditional, compliance-oriented pentesting.
  • While less automation-driven than platforms like DeepStrike, 7Security’s manual approach and QSA credentials make it ideal for regulated environments where certification readiness is key.

OSM Solutions Agile Boutique Pentesting for SMEs

OSM Solutions, based in Vienna, Austria, is a boutique cybersecurity firm founded in 2017 that specializes in penetration testing and managed security for small and medium-sized businesses. With a compact team of highly certified professionals, OSM delivers personalized, hands-on assessments and practical guidance.

The company combines technical testing with managed protection tools, offering a balance of prevention and validation.

• Services:
  • Comprehensive external and internal network tests, web and mobile app pentests, white-box/code reviews, red teaming including threat-led scenarios, and PCI DSS assessments.
  • OSM also provides managed security solutions such as WAF management and endpoint protection, aligning operational defense with offensive insights.

• Pricing:
  • Fully customized and SME-friendly, designed for affordability while maintaining professional standards.
  • OSM’s smaller size allows for flexible engagement scopes and faster turnaround times.

• Clients:
  • Focused primarily on Austrian startups and local enterprises, particularly those in tech, fintech, and e-commerce looking for accessible, high-quality pentesting without enterprise overhead.

• Certifications:
  • Staff hold recognized credentials including CISSP, CEH, and other industry certifications.
  • While OSM itself does not list large-scale accreditations e.g., CREST or ISO, its team adheres to best-practice methodologies such as OWASP and PTES.

• Strengths:
  • OSM’s advantage lies in its agility, personal service, and deep technical engagement.
  • Each assessment is tightly tailored, with direct consultant involvement from start to finish.
  • The firm combines cutting-edge testing techniques with clear, actionable reporting, making it an excellent choice for SMEs seeking hands-on expertise and flexibility rather than large-scale bureaucracy.
  • Its small size around 4- 5 specialists enables high adaptability, though with less capacity for enterprise-scale projects.

Hackner Security Intelligence Elite Red Team & Offensive Research

Hackner Security Intelligence, headquartered in Krummnussbaum with offices in Vienna, is one of Austria’s most technically advanced offensive security boutiques. The firm is renowned for its deep expertise in red teaming, vulnerability research, and multi-vector attack simulations.

Hackner’s specialists perform a wide range of advanced testing from network and application pentests to physical and social engineering engagements for high-profile organizations across the DACH region.

• Services:
  • Full-spectrum offensive testing including internal/external network assessments, Active Directory and cloud infrastructure pentests, web, desktop, and mobile application testing, payment system assessments, and social engineering email, phone, and physical intrusion.
  • The company also conducts advanced red team campaigns with custom exploit and stealth implant development for real-world attack simulation.

• Pricing:
  • Positioned at the enterprise level, reflecting the firm’s high technical specialization and bespoke red team engagements.
  • Projects are fully customized to scope, target environment, and threat model.

• Clients:
  • Serves leading Austrian and German enterprises, including Top 50 DACH companies in finance, healthcare, energy, and select international organizations requiring expert-led offensive operations.

• Certifications:
  • Certified under ISO 27001, with team members holding elite offensive credentials including OffSec OSCP, OSCE, OSWE, GIAC GPEN, GXPN, and Microsoft CARTP, among others.

• Strengths:
  • Hackner’s defining edge lies in its technical depth and research-driven methodology.
  • Its consultants regularly develop custom exploits and stealth attack tools, enabling realistic, intelligence-grade simulations across IT, human, and physical domains.
  • The firm is smaller and more R&D-focused than platform-based providers like DeepStrike but offers unmatched expertise for clients demanding precision red teaming and advanced adversary emulation.

XSEC Consortium Made in Austria Pentest Alliance

The XSEC Consortium, based in Vienna, Austria, is a national alliance of cybersecurity and penetration testing experts operating under the Made in Austria initiative. Bringing together over 200 specialists and more than 30 years of collective experience, XSEC represents one of Austria’s largest independent pentesting ecosystems.

The consortium serves over 500 clients across key industries, particularly manufacturing, industrial control, and retail.

• Services:
  • Broad-spectrum application and network pentesting, OT/SCADA assessments, secure code reviews, and cybersecurity awareness training.
  • All testing aligns with OWASP, MITRE ATT&CK, and national ÖNORM standards, ensuring methodological rigor and compliance with Austrian and EU security norms.

• Pricing:
  • Geared toward enterprise and industrial clients, with pricing positioned at the upper mid-to-enterprise level, reflecting the consortium’s depth of expertise and standardized quality assurance processes.

• Clients:
  • Serves major Austrian and Central European enterprises, especially in manufacturing, industrial automation, energy, and retail industries requiring operational resilience and tested infrastructure.

• Certifications:
  • Consultants hold OSCP and related offensive certifications, while partner organizations within the consortium maintain ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications, guaranteeing adherence to international quality and security standards.

• Strengths:
  • The consortium’s strength lies in its scale, pedigree, and consistency.
  • By uniting veteran Austrian pentesting experts under a standardized, audited framework, XSEC delivers trust, reliability, and certified quality traits valued by mission-critical and conservative industries.
  • In contrast to DeepStrike’s agile, high-tech startup energy, XSEC emphasizes audited assurance and long-term client relationships, making it a go-to partner for traditional sectors seeking dependable security validation.

Comparison of Top Australian Pentest Firm

Choosing a Penetration Testing Provider

Not all penetration testing companies are alike. The right vendor depends on your needs, budget, and industry. Here are key criteria to consider as outlined by industry guides:

• Tester Expertise & Credentials:
  • Look for teams of certified specialists. Top firms tout testers with OSCP, CEH, CISSP, GWAPT/GXPN, CREST, etc..
  • For example, DeepStrike’s materials highlight roles like Red Team Lead OSCP/OSWE/CREST and AppSec Specialist OWASP, CEH, while 7Security explicitly notes its pentesters are certified OSCP, CISSP, CEH professionals.
  • These credentials signal that your auditors know the latest attack techniques.
  • Also check company accreditations: ISO 27001, PCI ASV, PASSI/CREST membership can be a mark of quality.
• Scope of Services:
  • Ensure the provider covers all the areas you need web, mobile, API, network, cloud, IoT, OT, physical/social engineering, etc..
  • Some firms specialize e.g. just web apps, while others do full red team exercises.
  • In Austria, most leading companies DeepStrike, SEC Consult, Hackner, etc. offer broad services.
  • For example, Hackner’s team breaks into IT systems, networks, web and desktop apps, Active Directory, cloud, mobile, and even OT/SCADA. follows OWASP, MITRE ATT&CK and local standards for diverse tests.
  • Be sure the vendor can test your unique environment and threat model.
• Testing Model One Off vs. PTaaS:
  • Decide if you need a one time engagement or an ongoing service. Traditional pen tests are point in time; afterward, you remediate and wait months until the next scan.
  • For faster moving DevOps teams or SaaS firms,Penetration Testing as a Service PTaaS can be invaluable.
  • This subscription model provides continuous testing, on demand scans, and real time results.
  • DeepStrike and others have cloud native PTaaS platforms. As one industry guide notes, continuous testing lets you integrate security into your development cycle and avoid long gaps between audits.
  • If you release code frequently, PTaaS with automated triggers and dashboards is worth considering.
• Reporting & Support:
  • A clear, prioritized report is crucial. Good testers will show proof of concept steps, screenshots, logs and map findings to business impact.
  • Ask if they provide detailed executive summaries and developer friendly advice.
  • Also check retesting policy: some firms allow only one re-test per issue; top providers like DeepStrike offer unlimited re-testing for a period. Integration with your workflow is another plus: many vendors now support direct Slack channels or Jira ticket creation for findings.
  • This speeds remediation DeepStrike, for example, automatically channels everything into Slack so teams can assign fixes on the fly.
• Pricing & Value:
  • Penetration test costs vary widely with scope. Smaller web or mobile app tests often run in the low thousands e.g. $3K- $10K for a few days’ work, while large enterprise engagements can be much more.
  • Clutch data suggests Austrian providers like 7Security charge roughly $100- $149 per hour.
  • Beware of extremely low bids that might signal a superficial audit. Instead, focus on ROI: a slightly higher priced vendor with thorough expertise can save far more by uncovering critical breaches.
  • Also ask about retests, included hours, and any automated tools vs. manual effort these all affect value.

By following these guidelines verifying credentials, scope, methodology, and integration capabilities you can pick an Austrian pentesting partner that not only finds vulnerabilities, but helps you fix them. See also our penetration testing RFP writing guide for creating clear test scopes and comparing vendor bids.

Each provider has merits. SEC Consult excels in scale and accreditations, ideal for very large or regulated projects. 7Security shines on compliance driven audits with great service. Hackner offers deep, research driven red teaming for DACH corporates. OSM brings flexibility for agile SMEs. leverages extensive local expertise and ISO certified processes for mission critical sectors.

Meanwhile, DeepStrike stands out by merging thorough manual testing with modern PTaaS features: it uses automated monitoring JavaScript, API docs, change logs to trigger tests on every release, provides live result dashboards and Slack communication, and allows unlimited retesting.

This continuous pentesting model helps catch issues immediately rather than on an annual schedule. Organizations that want both hands-on expertise and speed of delivery often find DeepStrike’s approach compelling.

In summary, penetration testing in Austria is a vibrant field: from global consultancies to niche boutiques, top firms cover web/mobile/cloud testing, APIs, networks, and social engineering. They all emphasize frameworks like OWASP/MITRE and high certifications.

Your choice should match your industry, size and compliance needs. Smaller companies might value the flexibility and price of a firm like 7Security or OSM, while large enterprises may lean on SEC Consult or Hackner.

DeepStrike offers a modern alternative with 24/7 PTaaS support. The most important factors are expertise, scope, and a collaborative process a good pentester not only finds vulnerabilities but helps you fix them efficiently.

Penetration testing is an essential defense in 2025’s threat landscape. Austria’s leading pentest companies each bring unique strengths: some offer unmatched scale and certifications, others focus on agility or research depth. If you need continuous, hands-on testing with quick feedback loops, DeepStrike’s cloud platform and expert team can help you stay secure.

Ready to strengthen your defenses? The cyber threats of 2025 demand action. DeepStrike is here to help you proactively uncover hidden risks before attackers do.

Explore our penetration testing services to see how we can harden your security posture. Drop us a line our team is always ready to dive in.

About the Author

Mohammed Khalil is a Cybersecurity Architect at DeepStrike, specializing in advanced penetration testing and offensive security operations. With certifications including CISSP, OSCP, and OSWE, he has led numerous red team engagements for Fortune 500 companies, focusing on cloud security, application vulnerabilities, and adversary emulation. His work involves dissecting complex attack chains and developing resilient defense strategies for clients in the finance, healthcare, and technology sectors.

FAQs

• Who are the leading penetration testing companies in Austria?
  • The top firms include DeepStrike cloud PTaaS leader, SEC Consult large consultancy, 7Security compliance focused SME, OSM Solutions boutique, Hackner Security specialized red teamers and elite consortium.
  • Each offers web, mobile, cloud and network tests, plus social engineering.

• What services do these providers offer?
  • All cover core pentest services: external/internal network testing, web application and API testing, mobile app security, and cloud infrastructure reviews.
  • Many also do IoT/embedded device testing, wireless/OT assessments, and human factors phishing, vishing.
  • For example, SEC Consult and Hackner explicitly include OT/SCADA and physical security in their portfolios, while mentions secure code reviews and awareness training.

• How much does penetration testing cost in Austria? Pricing varies by scope.
  • A small web/mobile app test typically costs a few thousand euros e.g. $3K- $10K for 3 days of work. Hourly rates are often in the €100- 150 range.
  • Large or complex engagements, multiple systems, red teams, regulatory audits can run much higher.
  • Remember to consider what’s included: retesting, report detail, and service levels. 7Security’s Clutch profile cites $100- 149/hr as typical.
  • DeepStrike uses custom quotes but emphasizes unlimited retests in its plans.

• What qualifications should I look for in a pentest firm?
  • Ensure the team holds recognized certifications OSCP, CISSP, CEH, GWAPT/GXPN, CREST, etc., and that the company has relevant accreditations ISO 27001, PCI QSA, CREST, PASSI.
  • Check that they follow known methodologies e.g. OWASP Top 10, NIST SP 800 115, PTES and have experience in your industry.
  • Also look for clear reporting and strong remediation support.
  • As the DeepStrike blog advises, top firms hire OSCP/CEH/GXPN certified testers and many have bug bounty or government hacking experience.

• How often should we do penetration testing?
  • Best practice is to test at least annually and after any major change.
  • Some Austrian experts recommend integrating pentests into your Information Security Management System ISMS so that every significant release or network change triggers a test.
  • Continuous PTaaS subscriptions like DeepStrike’s Premium plan can provide rolling coverage.
  • In short: test whenever you deploy new code or systems, and at minimum once a year, to keep pace with evolving threats.

• Is there a difference between vulnerability scans and penetration tests?
  • Yes. Vulnerability scanners automatically check for known issues and often produce many false positives.
  • Penetration testing goes further by actively exploiting vulnerabilities to prove real risk.
  • For example, a scan might flag an open port or missing patch, but a pentester will exploit the combination of issues like chaining an unpatched server to gain domain admin rights to show how a breach can occur.
  • See our guide vulnerability assessment vs penetration testing for more.

• How do pentesting services help with compliance?
  • Most security standards either require or strongly encourage penetration testing.
  • For example, PCI DSS 4.0 explicitly mandates both internal and external tests, and ISO 27001 audits look favorably on documented pentests.
  • Running official pentests and keeping the reports helps demonstrate to regulators that you’re proactively securing data.
  • Firms like DeepStrike provide compliance ready reporting tailored to SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR and other frameworks, making audit time smoother.