Transforming your pen testing strategy

To achieve better security outcomes at lower cost businesses can begin with Lupasafe continuous monitoring.

First get continuous monitoring of all people and technology to identify vulnerabilities and risks, then invest strategically in penetration testing, SIEM (detection of threats), or a SOC (active response to threats). 

This article explores how this approach transforms businesses security posture while controlling costs. Instead of reacting to security fires as they flare up, you identify flammable materials, and proactively eliminate sparks that could ignite them. 

 1. Prevention before detection: Continuous monitoring of people and technology

MSPs can help businesses by identify vulnerabilities and pre-empting risks.

• Continuously monitor cloud systems, endpoints, and employee security behaviour
• Automated scanning & AI-driven insights give you an ongoing view of mis-configurations, weak passwords, phishing risks, and out-of-date software.  
• Monthly user training closes the human vulnerability gap with modules that improve employee awareness and educate good security and data behaviours.

At around €960 per year for a 10 person business, Lupasafe makes enterprise-grade prevention accessible on an small business budget.

 2. Cut pen test costs by starting with Lupasafe

A penetration test is exploratory surgery that’s narrow and deep. It’s a costly, manually driven process carried out at a single point in time, likely annually, by ethical hackers. But, if you haven’t addressed the broad array of risks first, and don’t sustain monitoring, pen testing spends your time and money finding vulnerabilities that automated tools could easily catch, before its too late.

For more  security with less money start with Lupasafe and then introduce Pen Testing to maximise security value:

• Implement Lupasafe (it takes 30-60 minutes) to then discover and remediate common vulnerabilities across all systems and devices.  
• Commission a targeted penetration test only after major gaps are resolved. This means the testers can focus on sophisticated attack vectors, advanced threats, and truly critical systems.  

Typical cost comparisons:

• Lupasafe continuous coverage: €960/year for 10 employees  
• Penetration testing: from €1,500/day or around €5,000–€25,000 for a one-time engagement depending on scope  

By removing already-patched vulnerabilities from the scope, you reduce penetration testing hours and save thousands of euros—while still benefiting from deep, manual testing where it matters most.

 3. SIEM & SOC: the costs of detection and response 

While Lupasafe focuses on prevention, SIEM and SOC services address detection and response. They’re valuable but often come with significant costs:

SIEM is Security Information and Event Management – it’s an alarm panel for potential threats and anomalies

• Typical cost for a 10 employee business is €10,000–€20,000/year for licensing  
• Implementation is an extra €5,000–€15,000 initially  
• Ongoing maintenance is another €5,000–€10,000 per year  

SIEM solutions aggregate security logs from various devices and applications, helping detect incidents in real time. However, they require careful tuning to reduce false positives.

SOC is a Security Operations Centre

• An outsourced SOC for a 10 employee business can cost €20,000–€40,000/year  
• More comprehensive coverage can climb to €50,000–€75,000 annually  

A SOC delivers 24/7 monitoring with human analysts actively investigating and responding to threats. Maintaining a full-time team or paying a third party for deeper coverage comes at a substantial cost.

4. A practical example of savings  (anonymised by Lupasafe) 

A 10 employee business was reviewing its security, weighing whether to invest first in penetration testing, SIEM, or SOC.

Looking at the costs and risks  they considered spending €15,000+ on an annual penetration test (that might only show misconfigurations, default credentials, or missing patches)  An outsourced SOC would be an extra €30,000/year.   And still there wouldn’t be budget for training or continuous monitoring

Using a hybrid strategy, leading on continuous analysis with Lupasafe:  

• The business implements Lupasafe for €960/year.  
• Vulnerabilities like open ports, weak email security settings, or out-of-date software are discovered and fixed before a penetration test even begins.  
• When they do hire pen testers, they focus on critical assets (€5,000–€10,000).  
• SIEM and SOC decisions are deferred for a clear environment.

 5. How to transition your security offering

Start by implementing Lupasafe as your foundation

1. Use comprehensive scanning to establish a security baseline for the business
2. Remediate the issues Lupasafe automatically discovers and prioritises
3. Then commission targeted penetration tests focused on critical assets
4. Show clients the cost savings and improved security posture this approach delivers

The Bottom Line for MSPs

By starting with Lupasafe’s continuous monitoring before commissioning penetration tests, you:

• Provide better day-to-day protection for clients
• Help clients spend their security budgets more effectively
• Position your MSP as a strategic security advisor
• Create a recurring revenue stream through Lupasafe subscriptions
• Deliver more comprehensive security coverage

The smart security strategy isn’t about choosing between continuous monitoring and penetration testing—it’s about sequencing them correctly to maximize protection while minimizing costs. Start with Lupasafe, then target your penetration testing investment where it delivers the greatest value.