Black-Box Penetration Testing
Black-box penetration testing from the attacker's outside view
No source code, no credentials, no internal access. Point TurboPentest at a domain or IP and AI agents test exactly what an external attacker sees - mapping ports, services, web apps, and subdomains, then validating each finding with a proof-of-concept - in hours, for $99 per target.
What is black-box penetration testing?
Black-box penetration testing assesses a target with no prior knowledge of its internals - no source code, no credentials, no architecture diagrams. The tester starts exactly where a real attacker starts: a domain or an IP. From there it discovers hosts, open ports, running services, and web apps, then safely proves which weaknesses are actually exploitable. The result measures your true internet-facing exposure, not what the documentation claims is exposed.
Black-box is TurboPentest's default. Naabu maps open ports, then HTTPX fingerprints web servers and tech while Nuclei detects and versions non-web services and matches CVE templates against them. OWASP ZAP, Nikto, and FFUF probe web apps and APIs, and the Paladin AI validates every candidate finding before it reaches your report - so you get a short list of confirmed issues, not a scanner data dump.
14 tools
plus Paladin AI across network, web app, API, subdomains, and SSL/TLS
TurboPentest engine
$99
per target, flat - no subscription, no scoping call, no minimum
TurboPentest pricing
AI-validated
every finding confirmed with a proof-of-concept, not raw scanner output
Paladin AI
How a black-box pentest runs on TurboPentest
Prove you own the target
Verify ownership of the domain or IP you want tested and accept safe harbor. No source code, no credentials, no sales call, no scoping meeting.
Naabu, HTTPX & Nuclei map the surface
Naabu discovers open ports, then HTTPX fingerprints web servers and tech and Nuclei detects, versions, and CVE-matches non-web services - plus subdomain discovery for hosts you forgot about.
Web, API & network checks run
OWASP ZAP, Nikto, and FFUF probe web apps and APIs while OpenVAS and Nuclei check services against known-CVE and misconfiguration templates and SSL/TLS is graded - all from the outside.
Paladin AI validates and reports
Each candidate finding is confirmed with a proof-of-concept, then packaged into a report with remediation, an attack surface map, a STRIDE threat model, and retest commands.
What a black-box pentest covers
One run covers the full external perimeter an attacker can reach - ports and services, network and service CVEs, web apps and APIs, and the wider attack surface.
Open ports & services
Naabu maps every reachable port, then HTTPX fingerprints web servers, tech, and versions while Nuclei detects and versions non-web services - SSH, FTP, SMTP, RDP, databases - the way an outsider first probes you.
Network & service CVEs
Nuclei matches detected service versions against its CVE templates, and OpenVAS adds broad vulnerability checks - unpatched software and misconfigurations an attacker would scan for, all without any inside access.
Web app & API weaknesses
OWASP ZAP, Nikto, and FFUF probe your live web apps and APIs for injection, misconfiguration, and exposed paths - the same requests an unauthenticated attacker can send from the public internet.
External attack surface
Subdomain discovery plus SSL/TLS analysis catalog the hosts, ports, and certificates facing the internet - including the forgotten ones that widen your exposure.
Black-box shows the outside. White-box adds the inside.
Black-box tests exactly what an attacker can reach with no inside knowledge - that is the default here. If you want source-code, secret, and dependency analysis added, connect a GitHub repo read-only for the white-box layer: Opengrep SAST, Gitleaks, and Grype run on top of the same black-box test, for the same $99 per target. One shows what is exploitable from outside; the other explains why the flaw exists in the code.
Black-box penetration testing FAQ
What is black-box penetration testing?+
Black-box penetration testing assesses a target from the outside with no source code, no credentials, and no internal access - exactly what an external attacker sees. The tester starts from a domain or IP and works inward, discovering hosts, ports, services, and web apps and then safely proving which weaknesses are exploitable. It measures your real internet-facing exposure rather than what the code says should be exposed.
How is black-box testing different from white-box?+
Black-box works from the outside with zero inside knowledge - it is TurboPentest's default. White-box adds an inside view: connect a GitHub repo read-only and TurboPentest also runs source-code analysis (Opengrep SAST), secret detection (Gitleaks), and dependency scanning (Grype). Black-box shows what an attacker can reach; white-box explains why the flaw exists in the code. You can run black-box alone or add white-box for the same $99 per target.
Which tools run during a black-box pentest?+
14 scanning tools plus the Paladin AI orchestrator, across network, web app, API, subdomain discovery, SSL/TLS, and external attack surface. Naabu scans ports, then HTTPX fingerprints web services and Nuclei detects and versions non-web services and matches CVE templates. OWASP ZAP, Nikto, and FFUF cover web apps and APIs, and OpenVAS adds broad vulnerability scanning. Paladin AI then validates each candidate finding so you get confirmed issues, not raw scanner noise.
Do I need to give TurboPentest any access or credentials?+
No. Black-box testing needs nothing but a target you own and proof of ownership. There is no source code, no credentials, and no agent to install - the agents test exactly what is reachable from the public internet. If you want source-code, secret, and dependency analysis added, you can optionally connect a GitHub repo read-only for the white-box layer.
How much does black-box penetration testing cost?+
$99 per target, flat. No subscription, no scoping call, no minimum. Free to try with a live demo pentest, and if a paid run finds zero actionable issues your next pentest is free.
Test what an attacker sees. Prove the exploit. $99.
Black-box penetration testing, AI-validated, with a full report in hours. See pricing
Written and reviewed by
Michel Chamberland - Founder & CEO, IntegSec
CISSP, OSCP, OSCE, CEH, GIAC, CCSK · 20+ years in offensive security
Michel has spent 20+ years on offensive security teams including IBM X-Force Red and Trustwave SpiderLabs, leading penetration tests, red team engagements, and breach response for Fortune 500 customers. He is the founder of IntegSec and the architect of TurboPentest.