Penetration Testing Companies in New Zealand 2025 (Reviewed)

Penetration Testing Companies in New Zealand

• Threat landscape: Cyberattacks spiked in NZ with 1,905 incidents in Q3 2024, a 58% YoY increase.
• DeepStrike leads NZ: Continuous Pentesting CPT approach with proactive manual first testing and live dashboards.
• Key competitors: Bastion, ZX Security, BlackLock, and other local specialists.
• Coverage: Web, mobile, cloud, and network pentesting, aligned with OWASP Top 10 and NIST standards.
• Certifications: CREST, OSCP, and other accreditations differentiate providers.
• Why it matters: In depth penetration testing not just automated scans and continuous testing models offer stronger resilience for NZ businesses.

In 2025, New Zealand businesses can no longer assume they are off attackers’ radar. With rising cloud use, remote work and third party vendors, Kiwi organizations face more sophisticated threats than ever. For example, critical breaches at the Waikato DHB and MSD involved misconfigurations that effective pentesting could have caught. CERT NZ reported $5.5M in losses in Q3 2024, and phishing incidents jumped 70%. Compliance frameworks PCI DSS 11.3, ISO 27001, NZISM mandate regular pentests, making professional testing not just a best practice but a requirement.

Penetration testing ethical hacking simulates real attacks on your systems to uncover vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. Unlike a simple vulnerability scan which is automated, a pentest involves skilled testers probing code, networks, and even human targets to exploit weaknesses in context. This hands on approach reveals complex issues, chain exploits, business logic flaws, SSRF, etc. missed by tools. Pentesters typically follow standards like OWASP Top 10 and NIST SP 800 115, and deliver reports with CVSS risk scores and remediation guidance. In short, pentesting is proactive security surgery that goes deeper than theory or scanning alone.

Pen testing is a proven way to reduce breach risk and lower overall costs. Studies show a single breach can cost millions, whereas regular pentests often pay for themselves by preventing one major incident. They also help build trust with partners and insurers, evidence of pentesting is increasingly expected under NZISM or cyber insurance policies. In the sections below, we compare the top NZ based pentest providers by services, certifications, and experience, and explain how to choose the right one.

Why Penetration Testing Matters Now

Cyber threats are evolving faster than ever. In Q3 2024, CERT NZ saw 1,905 incident reports 58% higher than Q2, with phishing and credential harvest attacks surging 70%. Even sectors once deemed low risk are being hit, recall NZ’s hospitals, government agencies and major businesses succumbing to targeted hacks. Regular pentesting uncovers configuration errors, injection flaws e.g. SQLi, SSRF, broken authentication and other issues before attackers exploit them.

Penetration tests also align with key security frameworks. For example, PCI DSS 11.3, ISO 27001 and even NZ’s Information Security Manual require periodic pentests. A 2024 NZ study found 64% of ANZ businesses had a cyber incident in the past year, underscoring pentesting’s role in compliance and risk management. Moreover, pentesting often includes social engineering phishing simulations, a critical human factor test, since over 40% of breaches involve stolen credentials or phishing.

Real World Impact: Rapid pentesting can significantly shrink the window of exploitability. DeepStrike’s research notes that modern attacks exploit new vulnerabilities almost immediately. In 2025, waiting months between tests is too risky. Continuous testing platforms PTaaS blend automated scanning with manual hacking to catch flaws in real time. Organizations that adopt this mindset stay ahead of threats.

Top Penetration Testing Companies in New Zealand

Below are leading NZ headquartered pentest providers DeepStrike is #1 per our guide. Each has a strong local team and international standard certifications.

DeepStrike New Zealand Comprehensive Pentesting with Continuous PTaaS

• Services: Specializes in web, mobile, cloud, and network penetration testing, with a focus on OWASP and CWE standards for application security. Also delivers Red Team operations and social engineering simulations e.g., phishing to assess the human factor. Coverage includes mobile/client applications, web APIs, cloud environments, infrastructure, and user focused attack surfaces.
• Certifications & Compliance: Engagements align with global standards including OWASP Top 10, CWE/SANS, and compliance reporting tailored to SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.
• Clients: Works with enterprises and mid market organizations in New Zealand and the wider Asia Pacific region, particularly those seeking continuous validation of digital assets.
• Pricing: Offers one off engagements as well as continuous pentesting subscriptions via their Continuous Penetration Testing CPT platform.
• Key Strength: Strong in application security testing and cloud/infrastructure assessments, while extending value through Red Teaming and social engineering. Their CPT platform provides ongoing visibility and remediation support.

DeepStrike NZ is a well rounded penetration testing provider, combining application, infrastructure, and human factor testing with a continuous PTaaS approach. For organizations in New Zealand seeking modern, DevOps aligned security testing, DeepStrike offers a comprehensive and adaptive solution.

Bastion Security New Zealand CREST Certified Offensive Consultancy

• Services: Provides penetration testing across infrastructure, applications, and cloud environments, with explicit coverage of human behavior. Engagements include external/internal network tests, web and app assessments, cloud configuration audits, and social engineering scenarios e.g., phishing.
• Certifications & Compliance: Team includes CREST certified testers, ensuring assessments meet recognized international standards. Reporting supports compliance needs for ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and related frameworks.
• Clients: Works with enterprises and public sector organizations in New Zealand seeking both technical assurance and user focused resilience testing.
• Pricing: Engagements are custom scoped and project based, reflecting the complexity of infrastructure and social engineering components.
• Key Strength: Known for a comprehensive approach that blends technical pentesting with social engineering simulations, providing a well rounded view of organizational risk.

Bastion Security is a trusted Wellington consultancy delivering CREST certified penetration tests that go beyond systems to include human factor vulnerabilities. For organizations in New Zealand needing holistic offensive security, Bastion provides both technical depth and behavioral testing expertise.

ZX Security New Zealand Full Spectrum CREST Accredited Testing

• Services: Provides comprehensive penetration testing across external/internal networks, Wi Fi, web apps, and APIs, with strong alignment to the OWASP Top 10. Also offers mobile app reviews for both Android and iOS, along with phishing simulations and host hardening reviews.
• Certifications & Compliance: A NZ owned, CREST accredited firm, ensuring international testing standards. Reporting supports compliance with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and other frameworks.
• Clients: Works with New Zealand enterprises, government agencies, and critical sectors needing both technical assurance and localized expertise.
• Pricing: Engagements are project based and custom scoped, with flexibility to include add ons like phishing or configuration reviews.
• Key Strength: Known for a practical, New Zealand based team that delivers hands-on assurance across networks, apps, and mobile environments, while tailoring scope to client specific risks.

ZX Security is a trusted local provider offering CREST accredited penetration testing across a broad spectrum of systems and applications. With capabilities in Wi Fi, mobile apps, phishing, and host reviews, ZX delivers comprehensive, practical testing for organizations across New Zealand.

Blacklock New Zealand PTaaS Platform with DevOps Integration

• Services: Provides Penetration Testing as a Service PTaaS combining automated scanning with expert validation. Core offerings include:
  • Web Application Pentesting: Ongoing DAST scans plus on demand manual tests.
  • Infrastructure Pentesting: Continuous network/server scanning with manual verification. Coverage extends to web apps, APIs, and infrastructure.
• Certifications & Compliance: Designed to support compliance for ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and GDPR. Backed by expert oversight to ensure audit ready reporting.
• Clients: Popular with SMBs and DevOps driven organizations seeking frequent, lightweight pentests that slot into CI/CD workflows.
• Pricing: Operates on a subscription based PTaaS model, with add ons for deeper manual testing.
• Key Strength: Strong in continuous testing and DevOps integration. By blending DAST automation with human validation, Blacklock delivers scalable, repeatable assurance for fast moving teams.

Blacklock is a Wellington based PTaaS provider that emphasizes continuous, DevOps aligned testing. Its combination of DAST automation + manual expert review makes it a good fit for teams needing frequent web and infrastructure assurance without traditional project overhead.

Pulse Security New Zealand Full Scope Offensive Security Provider

• Services: Offers a broad penetration testing portfolio including:
  • Web applications & APIs
  • Mobile applications
  • Thick client applications
  • Cloud environments
  • External, internal, and wireless networks Also provides source code reviews and PCI compliance testing.
• Certifications & Compliance: Reports support PCI DSS and common enterprise standards ISO 27001, SOC 2. Testers carry advanced offensive certifications e.g., OSCP, OSCE, GIAC.
• Clients: Works with New Zealand enterprises, financial services, and cloud first businesses, often engaged for application heavy environments.
• Pricing: Engagements are project based, scoped to the breadth of systems apps, client software, cloud, networks being tested.
• Key Strength: Known for its end to end coverage across both applications and infrastructure, Pulse provides deep assurance for complex environments spanning apps, networks, and compliance requirements.

Pulse Security is a well rounded Wellington offensive firm covering everything from apps and APIs to cloud and networks. With added expertise in source code review and PCI testing, Pulse is a strong option for New Zealand organizations needing full scope pentesting under one roof.

Tier Zero Security New Zealand Full Suite Testing Across Apps, Networks & AI

• Services: Provides a comprehensive suite of penetration testing services, including:
  • Web applications, APIs, and mobile apps
  • External and internal networks
  • Wi Fi security assessmentsSource code reviews and host hardening Also offers AI focused red teaming, reflecting expertise in emerging attack surfaces.
• Certifications & Compliance: Team includes testers with advanced certifications e.g., OSCP, OSWE, GIAC and provides reporting to support compliance with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and HIPAA.
• Clients: Works with a wide base of enterprises, cloud native businesses, and regulated organizations across New Zealand, from Wellington and Auckland to Christchurch.
• Pricing: Engagements are custom scoped and project based, with specialized red team packages available for AI and next gen testing scenarios.
• Key Strength: Known for broad coverage across applications, networks, and cloud environments, with an innovative focus on AI testing. Their multi office presence makes them accessible nationwide.

Tier Zero Security delivers end to end penetration testing, spanning apps, APIs, networks, Wi Fi, and mobile platforms. With its AI red teaming capability and nationwide presence, Tier Zero is one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive offensive security providers.

Amaru NZ/AU CREST Accredited Pentesting Across Apps, Networks & Cloud

• Services: Provides a broad range of penetration testing, including:
  • Web applications and mobile apps
  • External and internal networks
  • Wireless/Wi Fi security
  • Cloud security assessments Also offers social engineering and OSINT audits for human factor resilience testing.
• Certifications & Compliance: CREST accredited and backed by industry certifications. Reporting is tailored to support ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and GDPR compliance.
• Clients: Serves organizations across New Zealand and Australia, including enterprises and public sector agencies seeking CREST backed assurance.
• Pricing: Engagements are project based, scoped to client environments and regulatory needs.
• Key Strength: Combines technical breadth apps, networks, Wi Fi, cloud with CREST assurance and regional presence across NZ and Australia.

Amaru delivers end to end penetration testing across both technical and human attack surfaces, with CREST accreditation ensuring recognized quality. Their trans Tasman presence makes them a strong choice for organizations operating in both NZ and AU markets.

Pentest NZ New Zealand Affordable Testing for Kiwi Businesses

• Services: Provides penetration testing focused on affordability and accessibility for local organizations. Core offerings include:
  • Network penetration tests external and internal
  • Application pentests web and mobile, aligned with NIST and OWASP standards
  • Source code reviews for deeper application assurance
• Certifications & Compliance: Reports mapped to NIST/OWASP methodologies, suitable for organizations pursuing ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and other compliance benchmarks.
• Clients: Serves primarily small to mid sized Kiwi businesses, with pricing tailored to the local NZ market.
• Pricing: Known for a commonsense, cost effective model designed to make pentesting accessible without enterprise level budgets.
• Key Strength: Offers practical, tailored pentests for organizations that need assurance but must balance security with affordability. Positioned as a specialist for SMEs rather than multinational enterprises.

Pentest NZ is a Hamilton based boutique that makes penetration testing accessible to New Zealand businesses of all sizes, especially SMEs. By combining NIST/OWASP rigor with cost effective pricing, it fills an important niche in the NZ market.

Capture The Bug New Zealand PTaaS with Kiwi Compliance Focus

• Services: Provides Penetration Testing as a Service PTaaS with continuous VAPT. Coverage includes web, mobile, APIs, and network infrastructure. Offers 24/7 vulnerability scanning and tailored privacy compliance testing aligned to New Zealand’s Privacy Act.
• Certifications & Compliance: Local team emphasizes NZ regulatory alignment, with reporting that also supports ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and SOC 2 for broader compliance needs.
• Clients: Works with New Zealand businesses and public sector organizations requiring continuous pentesting plus privacy compliance assurance.
• Pricing: Operates on a subscription PTaaS model, with annual packages covering continuous scanning + manual pentests.
• Key Strength: Highlights its HQ in New Zealand, positioning itself as a homegrown PTaaS provider with a special focus on NZ privacy law. Combines always on scanning with local compliance knowledge.

Capture The Bug is a Hamilton based PTaaS firm offering continuous pentesting and compliance testing tailored for NZ laws. Its local presence and regulatory expertise make it especially appealing for Kiwi organizations that must balance ongoing security validation with Privacy Act obligations.

Pākiki Security New Zealand Independent Consultancy with Broad Coverage

• Services: Provides penetration testing and security audits across:
  • Web applications and APIs
  • Mobile and desktop applications
  • Internal and external networks
  • IoT and hardware device testing Also offers cloud security reviews and system hardening desktop, mobile, and server.
• Certifications & Compliance: Team of experienced consultants follows OWASP, NIST, and industry best practices. Reports support compliance with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2, and GDPR.
• Clients: Works with enterprises, startups, and government agencies across Wellington and Christchurch, with strong appeal to organizations seeking practical, independent testing expertise.
• Pricing: Engagements are project based and custom scoped, reflecting the diverse coverage from apps to IoT and cloud infrastructure.
• Key Strength: Known for its independent, hands on team with broad technical coverage from apps and networks to IoT and system hardening. Offers bespoke testing tailored to each client’s environment.

Pākiki Security is a Wellington/Christchurch based independent consultancy delivering comprehensive penetration testing across apps, networks, IoT, and cloud systems. Its mix of practical expertise and broad coverage makes it a strong option for Kiwi organizations needing flexible, end to end assurance.

Each of these firms brings New Zealand–specific experience compliance, threat landscape combined with global methodologies. All maintain strong credentials, many are CREST certified and staffed by OSCP/CISSP holders.

Choosing the Right Pentest Partner

When selecting a penetration testing provider, keep these best practices in mind:

• Verify Expertise & Certifications: Look for proven experience in your industry and required assets web, mobile, cloud, ICS, etc.. Certifications matter, CREST or CISSP/OSCP qualifications indicate competence. Check if testers follow recognized standards OWASP, NIST SP 800 115. DeepStrike, for example, lists OWASP Top 10 and CWE Top 25 testing on its site.
• Compare Service Scope: Ensure the firm covers all needed tests. Do they handle APIs or GraphQL, IoT devices, or physical social tests? Confirm they do both external internet and internal intranet testing. If you need ongoing coverage, ask about continuous pentesting capabilities.
• Review Methodology & Reports: Ask if they perform black/white/grey box tests, and what frameworks they use. Expect detailed reports with CVSS scores, exploit proof of concepts, and prioritized remediation steps. A good provider also offers follow up support, some, like DeepStrike, include retests of fixes and can integrate with issue trackers.
• Check Past Work: Look at case studies or client reviews. Have they tested environments like yours? For instance, DeepStrike touts Fortune 500 red team projects, while others highlight local government or enterprise clients. Peer review e.g. Clutch or Google reviews can give insight.
• Prepare Scope and RFP: Provide clear scope to vendors. Define asset lists domains, IP ranges, app URLs, in scope vs out of scope, and compliance requirements PCI, HIPAA, etc.. Our penetration testing RFP writing guide explains how to structure your request. Include difference between internal and external penetration tests considerations when scoping network vs host attacks.
• Budget & Quotes: Pentesting costs vary widely by scope and depth. Ask for quotes daily rates vs fixed price, and compare cost per IP/page. Remember cheaper isn’t always better if quality suffers. Seek a balance of experience and value.
• Ongoing Testing Plans: Security is not one and done. Discuss whether the provider offers periodic or continuous testing plans. Firms like DeepStrike now bundle biannual pentests with weekly scans. Especially for startups/SMBs, regular testing see penetration testing for startups and SMBs can dramatically lower risk, since smaller firms often lack in-house red teams.

Following this checklist will help you vet providers effectively. The goal is to partner with a pentesting team that not only finds issues but helps you remediate and improve security over time.

Key Pentesting Services Offered

Top pentesting firms in NZ typically cover a broad range of assessments, including:

• Web Application & API Testing: Based on OWASP Top 10/CWE standards. Tests simulate SQL Injection, XSS, CSRF, SSRF, broken auth, etc. See web application penetration testing services for details.
• Mobile App Testing: Security review of Android/iOS apps client + server side. Check for insecure data storage, improper authentication, API flaws. See mobile app penetration testing solution.
• Network/Infrastructure Testing: External & internal network scanning for open ports, weak configurations, unpatched software. This includes Wi Fi and Cloud AWS/Azure environments. Common issues, default credentials, misconfigured S3 buckets, firewall holes.
• Wireless Wi Fi Testing: Probing corporate and guest wireless networks for weak encryption or ACL issues.
• API & GraphQL Testing: Assessing web services for auth bypass, injection e.g. mass assignment and insecure direct object references. See GraphQL API security and testing guide.
• Red Teaming & Social Engineering: Phishing, vishing or even physical security tests to evaluate human vulnerabilities. Many vendors run simulated phishing to build staff awareness.
• Cloud & Infrastructure Security: Misconfiguration audits IAM roles, network ACLs and hybrid environment tests, some firms also check container and serverless setups.
• Source Code Review: Manual analysis of code white box to find logic flaws or hidden backdoors.
• Specialty Tests: These can include IoT/hardware device pen tests and cryptocurrency/token security. E.g., Pākiki explicitly offers IoT device testing.

Each firm will have its niche strengths. Many emphasize OWASP and NIST methodologies for consistency. What really matters is hands-on expertise selecting a tester who not only scans but creatively chains vulnerabilities to demonstrate real attack paths.

Step by Step Penetration Testing Process How To

1. Define Scope & Goals: Identify what needs testing websites, mobile apps, network segments, cloud accounts, etc. Clarify compliance needs e.g. ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS. Decide whether to include social engineering. See our vulnerability assessment vs penetration testing guide if you also plan baseline scans.
2. Select a Provider: Issue RFPs based on scope. Evaluate proposals by methodology, timeline and cost. Check credentials eg. CREST certification and sector experience. Ask about black box vs white box approach see black box vs white box testing explained.
3. Kickoff & Planning: Agree on Rules of Engagement testing windows, communication channels, and any exclusions. Sign NDAs and finalize contracts. A scoping meeting should confirm scope assets and testing rules.
4. Conduct Testing: The testers perform reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation and social engineering if included. They regularly update you on critical findings. Ensure they follow recognized frameworks OWASP, OSSTMM, PTES, MITRE ATT&CK.
5. Reporting & Remediation: The provider delivers a detailed report with severity ranked findings and actionable recommendations. Executive summaries highlight business impact. High risk issues should be communicated immediately so you can begin fixes promptly.
6. Retesting: After you fix issues, request a retest of critical vulnerabilities to confirm they’re resolved. Top firms include a free or discounted retest for major findings. This closes the loop.
7. Continuous Improvement: Plan the next test cycle. Attack surfaces change quickly, apply lessons learned, update security controls, and consider ongoing scanning or subscription based pentesting to see why continuous penetration testing matters.

Following these steps ensures a comprehensive engagement and maximizes the value of your testing budget.

Common Mistakes & Myths

• Relying Solely on Scans: An automated vulnerability scan is not a pen test. Scans miss chained exploits and business logic flaws. Manual testing by experts is essential.
• Skipping Internal or Social Tests: Focusing only on external assets ignores insider threats. Likewise, ignoring phishing or physical entry tests can leave you blind to human factor risks.
• Treating Pentesting as a One Off: Annual point in time tests quickly become outdated. Modern DevOps demands continuous security integration. See continuous penetration testing platform for why ongoing testing is advised.
• Overlooking Certifications: Choose companies that follow global best practices. Working with CREST accredited providers or those with OSCP certified testers ensures a high standard of quality.
• Thinking All Pentesters Are Alike: A novice pentester may miss deep chain attacks or critical issues. Look for proven track records and accreditations. DeepStrike, for instance, emphasizes its team’s real world Fortune 500 red team experience in cloud and adversary emulation.
• Forgetting Business Context: A vulnerability is just a number without risk context. Make sure your provider helps interpret findings in terms of your business e.g., which flaws are most likely to be exploited and what impact they would have.

By avoiding these pitfalls, you get more actionable insights and stronger security from each test.

Penetration testing is a critical investment for New Zealand organisations in 2025. With cyber threats accelerating, you need more than just awareness, you need proactive security validation.

The companies above represent the top NZ based pentest providers, offering extensive coverage web, mobile, cloud, networks and human factors and up to date expertise.

By partnering with a qualified firm and following a clear testing process, you can identify and fix hidden vulnerabilities before they become breaches. Regular, even continuous, testing will keep your defences sharp against evolving attacks.

Ready to Strengthen Your Defenses? The threats of 2025 demand more than just awareness, they require readiness. If you’re looking to validate your security posture, identify hidden risks, or build a resilient defense strategy, DeepStrike is here to help. Our team of practitioners provides clear, actionable guidance to protect your business.

Explore our penetration testing services to see how we can uncover vulnerabilities before attackers do. Drop us a line we’re 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.

Pen Testing FAQs

• What is a penetration testing company?

A penetration testing company or ethical hacking firm conducts simulated cyberattacks on your systems to uncover security holes before real criminals do. Pentesters use tools and techniques like real attackers probing websites, APIs, networks and even staff to exploit weaknesses. They then deliver a report of findings with remediation steps. Unlike an automated vulnerability scan, a pentest involves human experts actively trying to break in, which finds complex, chained exploits and logic flaws.

• Why should New Zealand businesses hire a local pentest firm?

Local NZ firms offer deep knowledge of our specific environment and regulations. They understand NZ privacy laws, data residency rules and common tech stacks here. A Kiwi provider also makes coordination and compliance easier. For example, New Zealand’s ISM and CERT guidelines often reference local case studies. Plus, support happens in your timezone and, if required, on premises.

• How much does penetration testing cost in New Zealand?

Costs vary widely by scope. A basic web app test might start in the low five figures NZD, while comprehensive tests on multiple apps or networks can reach the tens of thousands. Factors include the number of IPs or pages, complexity e.g. cloud, mobile, ICS, depth of testing black vs white box, and retesting. See our penetration testing cost NZ page for ballpark figures. Remember, investing in a pentest is often far cheaper than the cost of a data breach.

• What is the difference between internal and external pentests?

An external test simulates an attacker on the internet targeting your public assets websites, cloud, remote access. It uncovers perimeter vulnerabilities like open ports or SQL injection on public apps. An internal test assumes an attacker has network access e.g. a rogue employee or a compromised VPN. It focuses on internal network security lateral movement, trust relationships, default creds, misconfigurations. Both are important, external tests for perimeter hardening, internal tests to catch threats from inside.

• How often should we do penetration testing?

Best practice is at least once per year and after any major change new app launch, cloud migration, etc.. However, in fast changing environments continuous or more frequent testing is ideal. If you’ve never done a pentest, start as soon as possible. For high security needs critical infrastructure, large cloud workloads, consider quarterly or rolling pentests so vulnerabilities get found and fixed quickly.

• How do we prepare for a penetration test?

Start by defining your goals and scope, inventory all systems, and decide which assets domains, IP ranges, apps to include. Inform key stakeholders IT, DevOps, management and assemble any needed documentation. Provide testers with access credentials if doing authenticated white box tests. Make sure staff know what to expect on the test day to avoid confusion e.g. they won’t shut down systems when attacked. Review our Penetration Testing Methodology guide for more steps on scoping and engagement preparation.