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Rootshell vs traditional penetration testing
A traditional test gives you a report on one day. Rootshell Continuous Testing gives you expert testers, Velma our AI tester and the Rootshell platform that stays current all year.
Side by side
How continuous testing differs from a traditional test
A typical traditional provider means a scoped, point-in-time test delivered as a report. Providers differ, so use this as a guide to the questions to ask.
| Rootshell Continuous Testing | Typical traditional penetration test | |
|---|---|---|
| When testing happens | Continuous: planned, repeated and on demand through the year | Usually a point-in-time test once or twice a year |
| Where results live | The Rootshell platform, updated as testers work, with a full history | A PDF report, or a static portal that only shows that vendor's own results |
| Who tests | CREST registered, Cyber Scheme accredited and NCSC CHECK scheme testers, working with Velma, our own AI tester | Human testers; use of AI tooling varies |
| Context on each finding | Exploit and threat information shown against each issue, so you can see what to fix first | Severity rating, with limited context after the report date |
| Fixing and retesting | Issues tracked against SLAs, with retesting included | Retests often scoped and priced separately |
| Your other tools and testers | Vendor-agnostic single pane of glass: brings in results from other penetration testers and from your scanners and security tools, such as Qualys, Rapid7, Tenable, Microsoft Defender and AWS Inspector | Shows only that vendor's own results, so you juggle several tools and reports |
| Using your own AI tools | Rootshell MCP server lets your AI assistants read your results | Rarely offered |
| Keeping up after the test | New exploits flagged against your results as they appear | The report is a snapshot that ages from the day it is issued |
The test is only the start. What matters is how quickly you can discover, validate, remediate, retest and evidence what it found.
Even for a one-off test
A one-off test still comes with the whole platform
You do not need a continuous contract to get more than a report. Every test lands in the Rootshell platform, and Velma stays on watch after the testers have left.
Velma stays on exploit watch
Velma keeps watching the issues we found for new and active exploits, and moves what matters to the top of your fix list, until each one is remediated.
A full exposure management platform
Your results, assets, priorities, SLAs and reports sit in the platform with you, ready to use, not in a PDF or a vendor-only portal.
From discovery to evidence
Discover, validate, remediate, retest and evidence every issue in one place, whether it came from a single test or a continuous programme.
One view, whoever tested
Rootshell is vendor-agnostic. Bring in results from other penetration testers and from tools like Qualys, Rapid7, Tenable, Microsoft Defender and AWS Inspector, and manage them all in one single pane of glass.
A report ages from the day it is issued. Velma's watch does not stop until the issue is fixed.
Being fair
When a traditional test is still the right choice
A single, fixed-scope test
One application or network, tested once, to meet a customer or audit request.
A short deadline
You need a report for a specific date and do not need ongoing results.
A one-off assurance check
You want an independent view before a launch, merger or contract.
Rootshell does these too. Even a single test lands in the platform, with Velma watching for exploits until each issue is fixed, so a one-off test can become a continuous programme whenever you are ready.
Before you choose
Questions to ask any penetration testing provider
- Who will do the testing, and what accreditations do they hold?
- Will I see results as they are found, or only in a final report?
- Is retesting included, and how are fixes tracked?
- How will I know if a new exploit affects what you found?
- Can I use the results in my own tools and AI assistants?