How to Automate Your Penetration Testing?

Alexandra Charikova -

AI is revolutionizing penetration testing, transforming traditionally manual exploits, once spanning several days, into automated systems that can now handle reconnaissance, scanning, and fuzzing in a matter of hours.

    "AI is already transforming pentesting. If you look at automated reconnaissance and scanning, finding those low-hanging fruits, or threat intelligence correlation, it does it really well. It can even do fuzzing, exploit generation, and documentation—these are a few clicks away now." - Jyoti Raval, Director of Cyber Security Engineering at Baker Hughes, on the Elephant in AppSec Podcast

    Today, every month (if not week), we see breakthroughs in the industry, while just 10 months ago, in a popular Reddit discussion, lots of users critiqued automated penetration testing tools:

    Reddit user reacting on the Automated pentesting thread

    The user comment above challenges a belief that automation cannot fully replace human intelligence in the pentesting and can't (yet) thoroughly test exploits that could impact business logic.

    But maybe it's time we are witnessing a new era where automated tools can not only detect surface-level vulnerabilities but also go deeper into business logic flaws. In this article, we’ll explore how to automate your pentesting, what automated tools are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, and why this shift is more than just a trend.

    What is Automated Penetration Testing?

    Automated penetration testing refers to the use of software tools that simulate cyber-attacks on systems to identify vulnerabilities, all without the need for human involvement in the execution of the tests. These tools can automatically perform tasks such as scanning for common vulnerabilities, testing for weak configurations, and simulating exploitation attempts.

    With advancements in artificial intelligence, today’s automated pentesting tools are capable of performing deeper analyses, detecting complex vulnerabilities such as business logic flaws, and even providing detailed reports—faster and more efficiently than traditional methods.

    Challenging the Status Quo: The Evolution of Automated Pentesting

    Yes, it’s the simple truth: automated penetration testing has come a long way in recent years. While it’s easy to dismiss current automated tools as inadequate for complex applications, the technology has been improving steadily. Whether it’s solutions ranking at the top on platforms like HackerOne or cutting-edge research, companies like Escape have spent years developing algorithms capable of detecting complex business logic vulnerabilities.

    Advances in AI and machine learning are now enabling automated solutions to uncover sophisticated logic flaws like Access Control, IDOR (Insecure Direct Object References), BOLA (Broken Object Level Authorization), and other vulnerabilities that require a deeper understanding of specific application context, in other words, vulnerabilities that were once only detectable through manual testing.

    It’s important to recognize that no tool, automated or human, can offer a perfect solution. However, combining the efficiency of automation with the insight of human intelligence creates a balanced approach to pentesting.

    "We are going to transform pentesters into AI operators. They'll need to really use the capability that AI brings in and then understand how to guide, validate, and interpret those AI-driven assessments." - Jyoti Raval, Director of Cyber Security Engineering at Baker Hughes, on the Elephant in AppSec Podcast

    Hopefully, we can even go beyond several people checking the results delivered by AI, which a lot of automated pentesting solutions get blamed for, and which could be potentially totally true for some of them.

    The key here is finding tools that you can trust with finding vulnerabilities that were previously hard to discover without human-in-the-loop (and that’s where Escape comes in).

    The Benefits of Automating Penetration Testing

    Automated pentesting offers significant benefits, particularly when it comes to streamlining security processes. Here are a few key advantages:

    1. Speed and Efficiency: Manual penetration tests can take days, even weeks, depending on the complexity of the application. Automating the process can significantly cut down on testing time. What we've heard from one organization (a large logistics provider) that replaced manual pentesting with Escape -" it used to take us 4-5 days to test APIs manually, which we cut down to max half a day". This is a clear example of how automation can drastically reduce time spent on testing.
    2. Cost-Effective: As pentesting becomes more efficient, companies can reduce the cost of hiring large teams for manual testing. Automation allows security teams to focus their efforts on higher-level analysis and remediation, rather than repetitive tasks.
    3. Comprehensive Coverage: Automated tools can continuously test applications, running scans across all parts of an app to identify vulnerabilities. This allows for more frequent testing, ensuring that security issues are caught early in the development lifecycle. If you supplement it with a tool allowing an accurate inventory of assets (through modern Attack Surface Management (ASM))—including asset ownership and criticality— your security findings will become actionable and aligned with real-world risks.
    4. Consistent Results: Automation removes the subjectivity that can come with human-driven tests. Tools perform tests in the same way every time, ensuring consistent, repeatable results. This can be a critical factor in identifying trends and persistent vulnerabilities.
    5. Scalability: As organizations grow, manual penetration testing can become unsustainable. Automated tools scale much more efficiently, helping teams test more endpoints, APIs, and application components without needing to constantly expand their resources. They just need to be built on the right infrastructure :)

    Which Automated Penetration Testing Solution Is Right for You?

    The right solution depends on the complexity of your environment and the specific vulnerabilities you want to test for.

    When selecting an automated pentesting solution, consider factors such as:

    • Complexity of your applications: If your applications are complex, with many moving parts or newly acquired orgs coming in hot every year, you’ll need a solution that can handle dynamic environments and deep vulnerability detection.
    • Scalability needs: Organizations with multiple products or large-scale environments should look for tools that can scale across multiple assets with minimal manual effort.
    • Depth of vulnerability detection: Not all tools are created equal. For example, business logic vulnerabilities like IDOR or BOLA are often missed by basic scanners.
    • Integration with your tech stack: Look for a solution that integrates well with your existing security infrastructure and development pipelines.
    • Ease of use: Ideally, your automated pentesting solution should be simple to implement, with intuitive reporting that provides actionable insights.

    Escape provides Agentic DAST, which specializes in identifying business logic flaws and other complex vulnerabilities that traditional tools often overlook, from code to cloud. It’s ideal for security and AppSec teams looking to replace manual pentesting with ease and scale vulnerability detection with minimal effort and high accuracy.

    What do we mean by accuracy? It is that criticals should be true criticals.
    Several automated tools can automatically uncover vulnerabilities, but that’s just part of the picture. Even AI-powered pentesting doesn’t provide the context necessary for effective risk management. You can't fix all at once - in some organizations, only a couple of vulnerabilities per week, developers can find a time to actually fix vulnerabilities. That’s what we pair at Escape, ensuring security findings are actionable and aligned with real-world risks.

    💡
    Escape is one of the few automated pentesting solutions that uses a feedback -driven Business Logic Security Testing engine. This enables deeper testing tailored to your unique app context, identifying vulnerabilities other scanners often miss.

    For simpler environments or organizations looking just to check the box, a basic automated scanner may be sufficient, but for organizations with complex and constantly changing dynamic systems, solutions like Escape DAST, in combination with automated asset discovery, offer deeper analysis capabilities.

    How to Make Continuous Penetration Testing a Reality: Best Practices

    Penetration testing is crucial for any organization serious about their security posture. But let’s face it, traditional penetration testing is both time-consuming and expensive. Whether it's the days spent conducting tests or the substantial cost of hiring specialized pentesters, the financial and time burden can add up quickly.

    But here’s the good news: continuous penetration testing is the future. And the best part? It’s already here.

    So how can you make continuous pentesting a reality in your organization?

    1. Set clear objectives for automation

    Before diving into continuous pentesting, it’s crucial to define your goals and boundaries for automation. Start by asking yourself:

    • How much power are you willing to give the automated tool initially?
    • Which applications should be prioritized for automated testing?
    • How much of your budget are you hoping to reduce by automating?

    Starting small is a smart approach. You don’t need to automate everything all at once. Focus on your most critical or high-risk applications - those that handle sensitive data, have the most users, or are the most vulnerable. As your team gets comfortable with the tool, you can gradually scale to include more systems.

    2. Establish regular schedules and prioritize critical assets for testing

    Not all assets are created equal. Critical applications such as those handling sensitive data or financial transactions should always be prioritized. Setting regular schedules for automated pentests ensures that even when applications change or new vulnerabilities emerge, you’re constantly testing the most important components.

    Focus on the high-priority systems and vulnerabilities that are actually exploitable. Tools like Escape help you identify those vulnerabilities that pose the greatest risk in the real world and ensure your resources are spent on the issues that need the most attention. This keeps your pentesting efforts focused and efficient.

    3. Report and document all testing and results for actionable insights

    Automated penetration testing isn’t just about finding vulnerabilities. It helps you to understand where they come from, understand how they could have been prevented, how to prevent them in the future at scale (if they're systematic), and make informed decisions based on your findings.

    All testing and results should be carefully documented, with clear reporting on:

    • Which vulnerabilities were found
    • The potential impact of those vulnerabilities
    • Recommendations for remediation

    Tools like Escape can help categorize findings based on severity and potential impact. With a well-organized report, you can prioritize remediation and make sure that critical issues are tackled first.

    By documenting everything properly, you create a feedback loop that helps you continually improve your security posture and focus your efforts on the areas that matter most.

    Conclusion: The era of AI-assisted automated pentesting is here

    The days of long, expensive, and one-off penetration tests are becoming a thing of the past. Thanks to AI-powered automated pentesting, organizations can now access faster, more cost-effective, and scalable solutions to secure their systems—without the need for constant human intervention. Even tricky vulnerabilities, like business logic flaws, can be detected automatically.

    With continuous penetration testing, powered by automation and AI, organizations can not only stay ahead of threat actors but also optimize their resources and budgets. This is the future of cybersecurity ) smart, efficient, and proactive security that works around the clock to protect what matters most.

    The era of AI-assisted automated pentesting is here, and it's revolutionizing how we think about vulnerability testing, risk management, and security operations as a whole.

    Want to learn more about automated pentesting? Discover the following articles

    FAQ

    How much time does automated penetration testing help me save?
    Automated penetration testing can save up to 90% of the time compared to traditional pentests. What typically takes 4 to 5 days (such as testing your APIs in our experience) can be reduced to just a few hours or minutes with automated tools like Escape.

    How can I ensure business logic vulnerabilities are covered during automated penetration testing?
    Escape's AI-driven algorithm, built in-house, is designed to detect complex vulnerabilities, including IDOR, BOLA, and Access Control flaws, ensuring that business logic vulnerabilities are included in your automated tests. Read more about the algorithm here.

    Is automated penetration testing the same as vulnerability scanning?
    No, automated penetration testing goes beyond vulnerability scanning. While scanners identify weaknesses, automated penetration testing tools also allow to simulate real-world attacks to assess how vulnerabilities can actually be exploited. Automated pentesting adds the benefit of continuous testing, ensuring that vulnerabilities are consistently identified and remediated.

    Should I do manual or automated penetration testing, or a hybrid approach?
    For most organizations, a hybrid approach works best. Start incorporating automated tools gradually and pick ones that can help you automate even complex scenarios like business logic vulnerabilities.