12 Penetration Testing Myths Blocking MSP Revenue, Margins, and Client Trust
May 30, 2025
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) sit on the front line of cyber‑defence for thousands of small and midsize businesses. Yet many still hesitate to add penetration testing (pentesting) to their security stack, largely because of persistent myths—myths that are steadily being dismantled by real‑world breach data. Fresh breach evidence makes the cost of that hesitation impossible to ignore.
Verizon has raised the same red flag in back-to-back Data Breach Investigation Reports(DBIR): its 2024 report recorded a 180% year-on-year surge in breaches tied to unpatched vulnerabilities, with web applications identified as attackers’ favorite doorway; the 2025 edition confirms the trajectory, showing that vulnerability exploits have now overtaken phishing as the leading attack vector.
Penetration testing is therefore no longer a “nice-to-have”—it is the first, measurable step to uncover hidden web-application flaws and shut the door on would-be breaches before they reach your customers.
Below, we unpack the ten misconceptions that most often block MSPs from delivering—or profiting from—modern pentesting, and we match each myth with reality, reason, and next steps.
1. Pentesting is only for large enterprises
Sophisticated threats now target organizations of every size. Verizon’s DBIR consistently shows that nearly half of all breaches impact companies with fewer than 1,000 employees. Attackers automate discovery, so ‘too small to hack’ no longer applies.
Why it matters for MSPs: SMB clients rely on you for enterprise‑grade protection. Scalable pentesting levels the playing field and differentiates your catalogue.
2. Pentesting is only for networks
Today’s attack surface sprawls far beyond routers and server subnets. Web apps, APIs, cloud workloads, SaaS integrations, and even IoT devices routinely carry customer data or payment flows. In the DBIR, web applications were again the top initial‑access vector for vulnerability‑driven breaches, reinforcing the need for application‑centric testing.
Why it matters for MSPs: A “network‑only” approach blindsides clients to the assets attackers touch first. Full‑stack pentests that include web and API layers position you as a strategic security partner, not just some help‑desk provider.
3. Pentesting disrupts business operations
Modern techniques prioritize safety: read‑only recon, production‑safe payloads, and off‑peak scheduling keep systems online. Any invasive steps are pre‑approved and monitored.
Why it matters for MSPs: You can promise robust testing without downtime, smoothing customer approvals.
4. A vulnerability scan is the same as a pentest
Scanners enumerate known CVEs; pentesters exploit them—then chain findings together to model real business impact. Scans tell you what might be wrong; pentests tell you what is exploitable and how far an attacker can go with it.
Why it matters for MSPs: Clients overwhelmed by scanner output need validation and prioritisation. Offering pentesting plus remediation advice converts “noise” into clear, high‑margin security outcomes.
5. Manual pentesting is always too expensive for SMB budgets
Purely manual engagements can be pricey, but hybrid models combine automated discovery with targeted human exploitation to keep costs predictable. Many platforms now bundle repeat testing cycles or white‑label services tailored for MSP price points.
Why it matters for MSPs: Hybrid pentesting lets you protect cost‑sensitive clients while reserving full‑scope red teaming for higher‑risk environments—growing revenue across tiers.
6. Fixing vulnerabilities takes forever, so pentesting only slows projects
32% critical vulnerabilities remained open even 180+ days after discovery. This could be because of unavailability of patches, third party code or developer bandwidth within the team. Offensively, the clock is shrinking. Google Mandiant’s 2024 Trends report found the median time-to-exploit has collapsed to just 5 days after public disclosure, with *12 % of flaws weaponized within 24 hours and 29 % inside a week.
Pentesters who deliver clean, developer‑ready remediation steps—and, where possible, virtual patches—dramatically compress that dwell time.
Why it matters for MSPs: By discovering vulnerabilities promptly and remediating them in near-real time, MSPs cover the entire risk cycle, from detection to fix, before attackers can act. This closed-loop approach slashes incident hours, reduces liability, and delights customers. When you pair pentesting with instant vulnerability remediation, what once felt like a project slowdown becomes a revenue-driving business accelerator.
7. Pentesting is a one‑and‑done compliance checkbox.
Threat actors do not attack on audit schedules. Regular or continuous testing spots new weaknesses introduced by code pushes, infrastructure changes, and emerging zero‑days. Continuous validation reflects a living security posture, not a snapshot.
Why it matters for MSPs: Subscription‑based “pentest‑as‑a‑service” creates recurring revenue and embeds you deeper into your clients’ DevSecOps rhythms.
8. MSPs need a full, in‑house red team before they can sell pentesting
Partnering with specialist providers or leveraging white‑label platforms lets you add pentesting overnight, without hiring an army. You own the customer relationship; your partner supplies certified testers and reports.
Why it matters for MSPs: Faster time‑to‑market, predictable margins, and less staffing risk.
9. All pentests are the same
Black‑box, gray‑box, white‑box, API‑focused, social‑engineering‑assisted—the flavours differ in scope, tooling, and end goals. Matching test type to business risk is critical.
Why it matters for MSPs: Offering a menu of options (e.g., quick‑hit OWASP Top 10 vs. deep logic testing) prevents over‑spend and aligns deliverables with client priorities.
10. Compliance equals security
Passing PCI DSS or HIPAA checks is important but minimum‑viable. Attackers target the blind spots audits often ignore—such as business‑logic abuse or chained low‑severity flaws. Many of the most high-profile breaches have struck organizations that already held every major compliance certification. Pentesting closes those gaps.
Why it matters for MSPs: Framing pentesting as a beyond‑compliance safeguard positions you as a proactive advisor, not a box‑ticker.
11. SMB customers won’t understand a pentest report
Good reports layer findings: an executive summary explains risk in plain English; a technical appendix dives into payloads and logs. Some vendors even embed mini how‑to videos or ticket‑ready remediation steps.
Why it matters for MSPs: Clear storytelling reduces perceived complexity and highlights the tangible value you deliver—fuel for renewals and cross‑sell.
12. Automation renders human testers obsolete
Automation excels at breadth and speed; humans excel at depth, creativity, and context (e.g., chaining innocuous misconfigurations into a full account takeover). The strongest programs fuse both.
Why it matters for MSPs: Selling an AI‑plus‑human approach differentiates you from “scanner resellers” and defends margin.
Why Act Now?
- Vulnerability exploitation is surging: A 180 % year‑over‑year jump shows attackers are racing ahead of patch cycles.
- Web apps are the favourite entry point: They blend complex business logic with rapid release cadences—fertile ground for zero‑day abuse.
- Patch lag is chronic: 250+ days to patch an average vulnerability is too slow for today’s automated mass‑scanning landscape.
MSPs that wait risk seeing their customers breached, and their own reputation dented by issues a timely pentest would have surfaced.
Your Next Move: Partner for Web & API Vulnerability Management
Our fully managed Web and API Security programme equips MSPs with:
- Continuous discovery and pentesting across web apps, APIs, and cloud edge assets.
- Instant virtual patching to shield exploitable findings while permanent fixes are queued.
- Clean, role‑based reports for executives, developers, and auditors.
- White‑label delivery so you own the customer relationship while we handle the heavy lifting.
Let’s turn pentesting myths into MSP growth stories. Book a 30‑minute strategy call today and see how easy it is to add high‑margin, subscription‑based vulnerability management to your service catalogue.
Stop guessing. Start testing. Protect every line of code—together. Partner with us today
Stay tuned for more relevant and interesting security articles. Follow Indusface on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
