In 2025, internal network penetration testing is more crucial than ever. While external defenses are often the focus, a single compromised credential or an employee falling for a sophisticated social engineering attack can grant an adversary a foothold inside your network.

An internal network pentest simulates a hacker who has already gained access, testing the effectiveness of your internal segmentation, access controls, and detection and response capabilities.

The internal network is often where an attacker moves to escalate privileges, discover sensitive data, and exfiltrate information.

Without an internal penetration test, organizations are left blind to a critical phase of the attack kill chain. These assessments are essential for:

• Validating a Zero Trust Model: Verifying that your internal network is segmented and that access is strictly controlled, even from within.
• Identifying Lateral Movement Paths: Discovering how an attacker could move from a single compromised host to critical assets.
• Testing Incident Response (IR) Capabilities: Measuring how quickly your internal security team can detect and respond to an in-progress breach.

How We Choose Best Internal Network Penetration Testing companies

We selected the top internal network penetration testing companies for 2025 based on three key criteria:

• Experience & Expertise (E-E): Firms with a proven track record, deep knowledge of the latest internal attack vectors (e.g., AD abuse, privilege escalation), and a history of contributing to offensive security research.
• Authoritativeness & Trustworthiness (A-T): Companies with a strong market reputation, high ratings from industry analysts, and a team of highly certified and respected professionals.
• Feature-Richness: Providers that offer comprehensive services, including objective-based testing, actionable reporting, and flexible engagement models.

Comparison Of Key Features in 2025

Company	Objective-Based Testing	Red Team Expertise	Compliance Focus	Flexible Reporting
Bishop Fox	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
NCC Group	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
NetSPI	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Coalfire	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
IOActive	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
MDSec	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Praetorian	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
TrustedSec	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Offensive Security	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Kroll	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

1. Bishop Fox

Bishop Fox is a premier offensive security firm, renowned for its technical expertise and creative approach to internal network penetration testing.

Their team of “ethical hackers” goes beyond automated scans to find complex vulnerabilities, especially in Active Directory and on-premises infrastructure.

They are trusted by Fortune 100 companies to provide deep, hands-on assessments that uncover real-world attack paths.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Bishop Fox’s expertise is unparalleled. They don’t just find vulnerabilities; they demonstrate the real-world impact by chaining them together to achieve specific objectives, such as compromising a domain controller.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Focus on achieving specific goals like compromising a critical server.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	One of the most respected red teaming firms in the industry.
Compliance Focus	No	Focus is on real-world risk, not just compliance.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides both executive and in-depth technical reports.

Best For: Large enterprises with complex on-premises and hybrid environments that need a highly customized, technical deep-dive assessment from a world-class team.

Try Bishop Fox here → Bishop Fox Official Website

2. NCC Group

NCC Group is a global leader in cybersecurity and risk mitigation, with a strong presence in internal network penetration testing.

Their team of certified and highly experienced professionals offers a comprehensive approach, from vulnerability identification to deep-dive attack simulations.

NCC Group is well-regarded for its adherence to a wide range of regulatory frameworks, making it a reliable choice for compliance-driven organizations.

Why You Want to Buy It:

NCC Group’s reputation for technical excellence and its focus on helping clients meet stringent compliance requirements make it a safe and reliable choice for businesses in regulated industries.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Designs tests to achieve specific client objectives.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	A leader in red teaming and adversarial simulation.
Compliance Focus	Yes	Extensive experience with PCI, GDPR, and other frameworks.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides clear, actionable reports for different audiences.

Best For: Global organizations that need a trusted partner with deep expertise in technical assurance and a strong track record of compliance-focused testing.

Try NCC Group here → NCC Group Official Website

3. NetSPI

NetSPI is a pioneer in Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS), and its internal network testing services are a core part of this platform.

NetSPI’s team of in-house experts uses a blend of manual and automated techniques to provide a continuous and scalable approach to internal pentesting.

Their platform, Resolve, provides real-time visibility into findings, making it easy to track, manage, and remediate vulnerabilities.

Why You Want to Buy It:

NetSPI’s PTaaS model allows for a more efficient and collaborative testing process. Instead of a one-off report, you get continuous insights and a centralized platform to manage all your vulnerabilities.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Designs tests to simulate real-world attacks.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	Offers a full suite of red team and adversary simulation services.
Compliance Focus	Yes	Supports PCI, SOC 2, and HIPAA compliance.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Real-time findings and reporting via the Resolve platform.

Best For: Enterprises that need a scalable, continuous, and platform-driven approach to security testing across various domains.

Try NetSPI here → NetSPI Official Website

4. Coalfire

Coalfire is a cybersecurity firm with a strong focus on compliance and security assessments.

Their internal network penetration testing services are often performed to help organizations meet stringent regulatory requirements like FedRAMP, PCI, and SOC 2.

Coalfire’s experts combine a deep understanding of compliance frameworks with an attacker’s mindset to ensure that both technical and regulatory standards are met.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Coalfire’s deep expertise in compliance and its history of working with federal and highly-regulated clients make it an ideal partner for businesses that need to demonstrate their internal network security posture to auditors and regulators.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Aims to uncover vulnerabilities that pose a real-world threat.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	Offers adversary emulation and red teaming.
Compliance Focus	Yes	A leader in FedRAMP, PCI, and SOC 2 compliance.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides reports tailored for compliance audits.

Best For: Organizations in highly regulated industries that need a cloud penetration test that meets strict compliance standards.

Try Coalfire here → Coalfire Official Website

5. IOActive

IOActive is a highly respected, research-led security firm known for its deep technical expertise and its ability to uncover complex vulnerabilities that others miss.

Their internal network penetration testing services go beyond standard checks to focus on finding sophisticated attack vectors.

IOActive’s team is often behind the discovery of high-profile vulnerabilities in industrial control systems and other critical infrastructure.

Why You Want to Buy It:

IOActive’s reputation is built on its research-driven approach. They don’t just run tools; they analyze your environment with a creative and adversarial mindset, often discovering zero-day vulnerabilities in the process.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Focused on finding exploitable vulnerabilities and attack paths.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	Team has a strong track record of discovering and responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities.
Compliance Focus	No	Focus is on deep technical analysis, not just compliance.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Detailed reports with clear, technical findings.

Best For: Companies with complex or unique internal networks, such as those in manufacturing, aerospace, or critical infrastructure.

Try IOActive here → IOActive Official Website

6. MDSec

MDSec is a specialist in offensive security and is well-known for its deep technical expertise and contributions to the security community.

Their internal network penetration testing services are renowned for their thoroughness, with a particular focus on Active Directory security and complex privilege escalation techniques.

MDSec’s team is composed of some of the industry’s most respected professionals, and their work is often featured at top-tier conferences like Black Hat and DEF CON.

Why You Want to Buy It:

MDSec’s team is at the forefront of offensive security research.

Their expertise ensures that you’re not just getting a standard assessment, but a deep-dive analysis from a team that understands the latest attack techniques.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Tailors tests to find the most critical attack paths.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	A leader in red teaming and Active Directory security.
Compliance Focus	No	Focuses on technical security and research.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides detailed technical reports and findings.

Best For: Security teams that need a highly technical and thorough assessment of their internal network, especially for complex Active Directory environments.

Try MDSec here → MDSec Official Website

7. Praetorian

Praetorian is an offensive security company that provides expert-led internal network penetration testing services.

Their methodology goes beyond compliance, focusing on identifying material risks that could lead to a real-world breach.

Praetorian’s team works with clients to understand their business context and prioritize vulnerabilities based on their true impact, providing clear and actionable remediation guidance.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Praetorian’s focus on Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) ensures that their assessments are not just a point-in-time snapshot.

Their deep technical expertise and focus on the most critical risks make them an ideal partner for securing high-value assets.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Focuses on achieving specific, real-world objectives.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	Offers a full suite of red team and adversarial services.
Compliance Focus	No	Aligns with business risk, not just compliance.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides reports that prioritize vulnerabilities based on business risk.

Best For: Companies that want a strategic partner for offensive security, focusing on real-world risk reduction rather than just compliance.

Try Praetorian here → Praetorian Official Website

8. TrustedSec

TrustedSec is a highly regarded cybersecurity consulting firm known for its expert-led, hands-on penetration testing services.

Their approach to internal network security is highly customized, with consultants simulating real-world cyberattacks on a client’s environment.

TrustedSec is renowned for its detailed reporting and a strong focus on providing clear, prioritized remediation guidance.

Why You Want to Buy It:

TrustedSec’s reputation is built on the expertise of its consultants.

If you want a thorough, hands-on assessment from a firm that prioritizes a deep understanding of your unique environment, TrustedSec is an excellent choice.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Designs tests to achieve specific client goals.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	A well-known name in the offensive security community.
Compliance Focus	Yes	Assists with compliance for PCI, HIPAA, and SOC 2.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Detailed, technical reports with clear remediation advice.

Best For: Companies that value a personalized, hands-on service from a team of highly-skilled and ethical hackers.

Try TrustedSec here → TrustedSec Official Website

9. Offensive Security

Offensive Security is a name synonymous with penetration testing. While best known for its Kali Linux and certifications like the OSCP, its professional services division offers expert-led internal network penetration testing.

The OffSec Services team is composed of highly skilled and experienced ethical hackers who can conduct complex and comprehensive assessments to uncover critical vulnerabilities.

Why You Want to Buy It:

When you hire Offensive Security, you’re getting a team that has trained a generation of hackers.

Their approach is rooted in real-world techniques and methodologies, ensuring a comprehensive and highly technical assessment.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Tests are designed to achieve specific goals.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	The company is a leader in offensive security training and methodology.
Compliance Focus	No	Focus is on technical security and vulnerability discovery.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides detailed technical findings and recommendations.

Best For: Organizations that want to work with the pioneers of offensive security and leverage the deep, technical expertise of a team that lives and breathes hacking.

Try Offensive Security here → Offensive Security Official Website

10. Kroll

Kroll is a global leader in risk and financial advisory services, with a robust cybersecurity practice. Their internal network penetration testing services are backed by a unique advantage: insights from their front-line incident response and threat intelligence teams.

This allows Kroll’s testers to simulate the most current and relevant attack techniques, providing a highly realistic assessment of an organization’s internal defenses.

Why You Want to Buy It:

Kroll’s experience responding to thousands of cyber incidents gives it a unique advantage.

Their penetration tests are informed by real-world data on what attackers are actually doing, making their assessments highly realistic and relevant.

Feature	Yes/No	Specification
Objective-Based	Yes	Tests are guided by real-world threat intelligence.
Red Team Expertise	Yes	Backed by a strong incident response and threat intelligence practice.
Compliance Focus	Yes	Can help with compliance for various frameworks.
Flexible Reporting	Yes	Provides clear, objective-driven reports.

Best For: Companies that need a comprehensive security assessment that is informed by the latest threat intelligence and real-world breach data.

Try Kroll here → Kroll Official Website

Conclusion

In 2025, internal network penetration testing is a non-negotiable part of a mature cybersecurity program. While firewalls and endpoint security are important, a single misconfiguration or compromised credential can render them useless. The top companies on this list each offer a unique value proposition.

Firms like Bishop Fox, MDSec, and Offensive Security provide deep, research-backed technical expertise. In contrast, those like NetSPI, Kroll, and Coalfire offer a blend of technical skill and a platform-driven or compliance-focused approach.

Choosing the right partner depends on your organization’s specific needs, whether you’re a highly regulated enterprise, a fast-moving tech company, or a business with a complex hybrid environment.

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