As the title states, the most important part of a pen test is the report. It’s what companies are paying tens or hundreds (depending on what services are needed) of thousands of dollars for. Unfortunately, still to this day, we see reports written by other organizations that are full of grammatical, spelling, and formatting errors. Then there are the reports which contain little to no executive summary, missing methodology, a vague description of findings, missing tools used and so on.
To be honest, this is really upsetting for the information security industry. Offensive security is a luxury, a company probably moved around budgets, employers may have handed out smaller raises to employees; to spend thirty (30) thousand dollars on a few pen tests that yielded subpar findings, an incomplete report and no step by step direction on how to reproduce the findings.
So if you are a business owner, CISO, I.T. manager below is an outline of what you should expect to see on a pen test report at the minimum. We have attached sample reports here. If you are a security professional, take a quick refresher of some of the core components of a comprehensive pen test report.
Key Components of a Penetration Test Report
1. Executive Summary
The executive summary should be written in plain language, highlighting:
- The scope of the engagement
- Overall risk posture
- Major findings
- Business impact
- High-level recommendations
This is often the only section non-technical stakeholders will read—make it count.
2. Methodology
This section outlines the approach, tools, and frameworks used. Include:
- Testing standards (e.g., OWASP, NIST, PTES)
- Rules of engagement
- Types of testing (black box, gray box, white box)
- Timeline of testing activities
This builds transparency and trust in your process.
3. Findings and Vulnerability Details
For each finding, include:
- Title: Clear and specific (e.g., “Unauthenticated Access to Admin Portal”)
- Description: What the vulnerability is, with context
- Risk Rating: Using CVSS or a custom risk matrix
- Evidence: Screenshots, logs, or outputs
- Impact: Business and technical implications
- Recommendations: Concrete, prioritized steps to remediate
- References: Links to advisories or documentation
Organize findings by severity or category for easier consumption.
Tips for Writing Better Pen Test Reports
- Know your audience. Balance technical depth for engineers with high-level summaries for management.
- Be objective. Stick to facts. Avoid exaggeration or downplaying issues.
- Use visuals. Diagrams, charts, and annotated screenshots can make findings clearer.
- Standardize your format. Use templates or consistent structure across reports.
- Proofread. Typos or grammatical errors undermine professionalism.
- Focus on remediation. The value of your test is in what the client can fix afterward.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overloading the report with too much jargon
- Omitting details on methodology or testing limitations
- Providing vague or generic remediation advice
- Ignoring the context of the client’s environment
- Failing to prioritize findings by business impact
Lastly,
Penetration test reports are more than technical documents, they are communication tools. The goal is to empower stakeholders with the knowledge to make informed security decisions. When done right, a report can not only improve an organization’s security but also build trust, accountability, and long-term value.
Whether you’re a seasoned tester or just getting started, sharpening your report writing skills is one of the best ways to elevate your work and stand out in the field.
