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Threat-Led Penetration Testing Services (TLPT)
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What Is Threat‑Led Penetration Testing (TLPT)?
Threat‑led penetration testing is a controlled security assessment in which simulated attacks are designed using the latest threat intelligence, targeting systems, processes, and people as a determined attacker would. It focuses on identifying not only technical vulnerabilities, but also weaknesses in detection, response, and recovery capabilities.
Unlike traditional penetration testing, which typically focuses on finding and reporting exploitable vulnerabilities, TLPT assesses how an organisation withstands full attack chains — from compromise to potential impact — under realistic threat conditions.
Iterasec’s threat‑led penetration testing services go beyond checklist‑driven testing to replicate the complexity and persistence of genuine adversaries. Our TLPT services are aligned with DORA TLPT requirements, making them particularly relevant for regulated financial entities and other organisations that must demonstrate operational resilience under EU regulations.
Who Needs TLPT Services?
Financial institutions
subject to the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) requirements.
Critical infrastructure operators
whose disruption would have significant economic or societal impact.
Enterprises in high‑threat sectors
such as telecom, healthcare, and defence supply chain.
Organisations seeking board‑level assurance
of their operational resilience.
Red Team Testers (RTT) & Threat Intelligence Providers (TIP)
Roles
Iterasec acts as the Red Team Tester (RTT), leading the planning, execution, and reporting of realistic attack simulations.
- appoint their own Threat Intelligence Provider (TIP), or
- ask us to incorporate an external TIP as part of the engagement.
Our Qualifications
Our red team fully meets the TIBER-EU procurement criteria—including certified experts, multi-domain skillsets (technical, social engineering, intelligence), and extensive experience in financial sector red teaming.
We operate in alignment with the TIBER-EU 2025 updates and DORA TLPT expectations.
Working with TIPs
Whether the TIP is client-provided or externally sourced, we ensure close coordination to:
- Translate threat intel into actionable test scenarios
- Build the Red Team Test Plan (RTTP)
- Maintain intel alignment throughout the test
- Support the creation of the final test report
Threat‑Led Penetration Testing Services We Provide
Our threat‑led pentesting services are built around intelligence‑driven attack simulations that reflect the current and emerging threat landscape for your sector. Our TLPT services include:
Threat Intelligence-Driven Scenarios
Testing is based on threat intelligence tailored to the specific TIBER entity — simulating realistic attacks from threat actors targeting financial institutions.
Targeted Reconnaissance
Collection and analysis of publicly available and proprietary information to identify potential attack vectors, focusing on people, processes, and technology.
Initial Compromise
Simulated exploitation of human (e.g., phishing), physical (e.g., tailgating), or technical (e.g., exposed services) weaknesses to gain initial foothold.
Lateral Movement & Privilege Escalation
Navigation through internal networks to access Crown Jewels, mimicking real-world attacker behavior while avoiding detection.
Persistence & Control
Establishing and maintaining covert access while evading defenses — demonstrating ability to remain undetected over extended periods.
Crown Jewel Access Demonstration
Attempt to reach and demonstrate control over agreed critical assets (e.g., payment systems, sensitive client data, core banking platforms).
Controlled Execution with Breakpoints Penetration Testing
Testing includes predefined stopping points to ensure safety, avoid disruption of operations, and allow client oversight when needed.
Rigorous Documentation & Evidence Collection
Every step is documented for traceability, post-test validation, and reporting to the Blue Team and TIBER Cyber Team (TCT).
Stealth & Evasion Tactics
Emphasis on avoiding detection by internal monitoring and response teams, unless agreed engagement breakpoints are reached.
Collaborative Replay & Blue Team Debriefing
After test completion, we conduct replay workshops with the Blue Team, fostering learning and detection capability improvement.
Why Choose Iterasec for PCI DSS Penetration Testing
Standards and methodologies
- OWASP, OSSTM, MITRE, NIST
- CWE/SANS Top 25
- CIS Benchmarks
- Cloud security guidelines from
Manual approach
- Humans, not scanners do pentesting
- Going beyond simply following checklists
- Deep insights on security design and architecture
Keeping customers informed
- Delivery High and Critical findings as we find them
- Weekly reports
High-quality reporting
- Detailed reports
- Weekly status reports
- Attestation letter
- CSV export
Re-tests
- Retesting idenditied vulerabiltiies
- Providing an updated report
AI-optimised process
- Adding efficiency
- Secure and wise approach to AI/LLM usage
Key Benefits of TLPT
Real‑World Adversary Validation
Confirms whether your defences can withstand the tactics, techniques, and procedures actively used by attackers targeting your sector today — not just generic test cases.
Proactive DORA TLPT Compliance
Demonstrates adherence to DORA’s advanced resilience testing requirements, delivering regulator‑ready evidence that testing is intelligence‑driven and covers critical business functions.
Operational Resilience Assurance
Measures the ability of systems, processes, and teams to maintain essential services under sustained attack conditions, reducing the risk of prolonged outages.
Improved Threat Detection & Incident Response
Identifies weaknesses in SOC workflows, threat‑hunting coverage, and response playbooks by simulating realistic attacks and monitoring the defensive reaction in real time.
Executive‑Level Visibility
Provides leadership with clear insights into the organisation’s resilience posture, bridging the gap between technical vulnerabilities and potential business impact.
Enhanced Security Investment Alignment
Highlights security gaps with the greatest operational risk, helping to prioritise technology and process improvements where they will have the most measurable impact.
Expert Cybersecurity Team
While certifications are necessary as a baseline, we go much deeper in building our expertise:
Rigorous recruitment process, where even candidates from large cybersecurity consulting firms fail
Expertise + certification, not the opposite
Continuous professional development and exchanging knowledge
Discover All Steps How Iterasec Threat Led Penetration Testing Services Work
During our pentests, we follow threat-led testing frameworks such as TIBER-EU, CBEST, and other sector-specific TLPT schemes, complemented by NIST SP 800-115, MITRE ATT&CK, and the OWASP Testing Guide. We combine targeted threat intelligence with manual, expert-driven testing to realistically emulate sophisticated adversaries and deliver the most operationally relevant insights.
We keep clients informed in the course of the project, providing regular status updates and immediate notifications for critical findings.
- 1A kick-off meeting to agree on the scope, inputs and communication
- 2Cloud pentest (2-5 weeks, depending on the scope)
- 3The final report that highlights the identified cloud security issues
Explore Our Sample TLPT Services Report
Please contact us, and we will send you a sample report covering several applications.
Talk to usWhat Clients Say About Our Threat Led Pentesting Services
“Iterasec delivered a detailed report, which identified vulnerabilities and included mitigations for each one. The team facilitated a smooth workflow through frequent communication. The team showed a keen interest in understanding our business.”
Discover All Our Cybersecurity Services
FAQ
TLPT services are typically required for financial entities designated as critical under the DORA regulation, as well as other high‑impact organisations where disruption would cause severe operational or economic impact. While smaller entities may not be mandated under DORA TLPT, many adopt threat‑led penetration testing voluntarily to improve resilience.
Yes, for designated critical financial entities. DORA TLPT requires that these organisations undergo sector‑specific threat‑led penetration testing at least every three years, executed by qualified independent providers. The testing scope must cover critical business functions and be based on realistic threat scenarios drawn from current threat intelligence.
TLPT is a simulation‑based assessment that uses real‑world threat intelligence to design and execute attack scenarios against an organisation’s critical systems and functions. Unlike traditional pentests, threat‑led penetration testing services focus on end‑to‑end attack chains, detection capability, and response readiness.
Scenarios may involve phishing campaigns, supply‑chain compromise, credential theft, cloud exploitation, ransomware delivery, data exfiltration, and attacks on core transactional systems. The exact threats simulated depend on intelligence gathered for the specific sector and organisation.
Testing may cover internet‑facing infrastructure, internal networks, cloud platforms, critical applications, payment systems, data storage, and identity management solutions. The scope is tailored to critical functions identified during threat‑intelligence and planning phases.
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