Pentest Report Template

What Is a Pentest Report Template?

A pentest report template is a structured format that documents the findings, vulnerabilities, and security recommendations discovered during a penetration testing engagement. It serves as the formal deliverable that translates technical security testing into actionable business intelligence. A professional pentest report template typically includes an executive summary, detailed findings with severity ratings, proof-of-concept demonstrations, remediation steps, and an attack surface overview that helps organizations prioritize their security investments.

Key Components of a Penetration Testing Report

Executive Summary

The executive summary is the critical section for non-technical stakeholders. It should provide:

• Overall risk assessment: A clear statement about the organization's security posture
• Key findings at a glance: The most critical vulnerabilities without technical jargon
• Business impact: How vulnerabilities could affect operations, data, or revenue
• Remediation priority: A high-level roadmap for addressing issues

A strong executive summary helps leadership understand why security improvements matter beyond compliance checkboxes.

Detailed Findings Section

Each vulnerability in your penetration testing report should follow a consistent structure:

Vulnerability Details

• Title and unique identifier
• CVSS score (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) for standardized severity ranking
• Affected assets and endpoints
• Vulnerability classification (OWASP Top 10, STRIDE threat category, etc.)

Technical Description

• How the vulnerability was discovered
• Why it exists (root cause)
• Conditions required to exploit it

Proof of Concept

• Step-by-step demonstration of the vulnerability
• Screenshots or output showing the issue
• Tools and commands used

Remediation Steps

• Specific fixes the development team should implement
• Code examples where applicable
• Configuration changes needed
• Timeline recommendations for patching

Attack Surface Map

A comprehensive pentest report template includes a visual and detailed attack surface map showing:

• Open ports and exposed services
• Discovered subdomains and endpoints
• Technology stack (web servers, frameworks, libraries)
• Authentication mechanisms
• Potential entry points for attackers

This section helps security teams understand what is actually exposed to the internet and external threats.

STRIDE Threat Model

A STRIDE threat model in your penetration testing report organizes findings by threat category:

• Spoofing: Identity impersonation vulnerabilities
• Tampering: Data modification risks
• Repudiation: Lack of accountability or audit trails
• Information Disclosure: Sensitive data exposure
• Denial of Service: Availability risks
• Elevation of Privilege: Authorization bypass vulnerabilities

This framework helps development teams understand threat types and implement defenses systematically.

Pentest Report Example: Practical Structure

A typical penetration testing report follows this progression:

1. Cover Page & Scope: Define what was tested and boundaries
2. Table of Contents: For large reports with many findings
3. Executive Summary: 1-2 pages of high-level insights
4. Methodology: Explain testing approach and tools used
5. Findings (by severity):
   • Critical findings first
   • High severity vulnerabilities
   • Medium severity issues
   • Low severity and informational items
6. Attack Surface Analysis: Maps and topology diagrams
7. Threat Model: STRIDE categorization
8. Remediation Roadmap: Prioritized fix timeline
9. Attestation: Verification of testing completion
10. Appendices: Raw tool outputs, detailed configurations

How to Use Your Pentest Report Template Effectively

For Development Teams

• Extract the remediation steps and create tickets for each finding
• Use copy-paste retest commands to verify fixes independently
• Prioritize by CVSS score and business impact
• Integrate findings into your development workflow

For Security Teams

• Use the attack surface map to refine monitoring and detection rules
• Apply STRIDE threat model categories to existing controls
• Track metrics like vulnerability count and remediation rate over time
• Compare reports across multiple pentests to identify trends

For Leadership

• Review the executive summary for board-level risk communication
• Use CVSS scores to justify security spending
• Monitor remediation progress against recommended timelines
• Leverage the blockchain-verified attestation for compliance documentation

Common Pentest Report Mistakes to Avoid

Vague vulnerability descriptions: Always include specific steps to reproduce the issue.

Missing severity context: CVSS scores alone don't tell the full story; explain business impact.

Unrealistic remediation timelines: Balance security urgency with development capacity.

Excessive technical jargon in executive summary: Write for your audience; use plain language where appropriate.

No evidence of findings: Screenshots and proof-of-concept output provide credibility.

Standards and Frameworks for Penetration Testing Reports

CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System)

Provides numerical severity ratings (0-10) based on exploitability, impact, and complexity. Most penetration testing reports use CVSS v3.1 as the standard.

OWASP Top 10

Organizes web application vulnerabilities into ten categories. Many pentest report templates cross-reference OWASP findings for web applications.

NIST Cybersecurity Framework

Some organizations require pentests aligned with NIST categories for compliance and governance.

PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard)

Provides industry guidelines for comprehensive pentest methodology and reporting.

Beyond the Report: Continuous Security Improvement

A pentest report template is a snapshot in time. To maintain security:

• Schedule regular pentests (annually for most organizations, more frequently for critical systems)
• Track remediation rates and close findings systematically
• Re-test critical findings after fixes are deployed
• Use insights from penetration testing reports to improve your development security practices
• Implement application security training based on recurring vulnerability patterns

Each pentest engagement provides valuable data for hardening your security posture over multiple cycles.

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TurboPentest delivers professional penetration testing reports for web applications and APIs with prioritized findings, CVSS scores, proof-of-concept demonstrations, attack surface maps, STRIDE threat models, and copy-paste retest commands. Starting at $99 for a Standard pentest or $299 for a comprehensive Deep pentest, you'll receive a blockchain-verified attestation letter and actionable remediation steps your team can implement immediately.