--- title: Cobalt Application Penetration Testing Services — Pentest as a Service (PTaaS) description: Cobalt offers expert-driven application penetration testing as a service (PTaaS), enabling organizations to find and fix security vulnerabilities in web apps, mobile apps, APIs, and AI/LLM applications with testing that starts within 24 hours. canonical_url: https://www.cobalt.io/services/application-security/pentest last_updated: 2026-05-28 page_type: Service entity: Cobalt Pentest as a Service (PTaaS) --- # Cobalt Application Penetration Testing Services > Cobalt is the pioneer of penetration testing as a service (PTaaS), a platform-based approach to penetration testing that combines a community of 400+ vetted security experts with a SaaS platform for real-time collaboration, integrated remediation, and continuous security testing. Organizations use Cobalt to find and fix vulnerabilities in web applications, mobile apps, APIs, and AI/LLM-enabled applications, with testing that can start within 24 hours. ## What Is Cobalt PTaaS? The Cobalt Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) is a penetration testing model that replaces traditional one-off engagements with a scalable, repeatable, and developer-integrated approach. Tests are conducted by the Cobalt Core — a vetted community of independent security researchers — and managed through a SaaS platform, which provides real-time findings, direct communication with testers, and native integrations with development tools. Cobalt is designed for security and development teams that need to weave pentesting into their software development lifecycle (SDLC) without disrupting existing processes and workflows. ## Asset Types Tested - **Web applications** — Full-stack testing of web-based applications - **Mobile applications** — iOS and Android app security assessments - **APIs** — REST, GraphQL, and other API endpoint testing - **AI/LLM applications** — Security testing for applications that use large language models, including protection against prompt injection attacks - **Code-assisted testing** — Source code review combined with penetration testing for deeper vulnerability identification ## How It Works: The PTaaS Lifecycle Cobalt follows a six-phase penetration testing lifecycle: ### Phase 1: Discover The engagement begins with attack surface mapping and account setup on the Cobalt platform. The Cobalt PenOps Team assigns a Cobalt Core Lead and domain experts matched to the customer's technology stack. A dedicated Slack channel is created for real-time communication between the customer and the pentest team. ### Phase 2: Plan A 30-minute scoping call is conducted with the Cobalt teams to finalize the testing scope, align on the timeline, and provide personal introductions between the customer and the assigned testers. ### Phase 3: Test Pentesters analyze the target environment for vulnerabilities and security flaws. The Cobalt Core Lead ensures depth of coverage and maintains communication with the customer's security team via the platform and Slack. Findings are posted in real time as they are discovered. ### Phase 4: Remediate Individual findings are posted to the platform as discovered and sent directly to developers' issue trackers through integrations. Teams can begin patching immediately. At test completion, the Cobalt Core Lead produces a final summary report — a living document that updates as fixes are verified. ### Phase 5: Report When findings are marked as "Ready for Re-test," the Cobalt Core Lead verifies fixes and updates the final report. Reports are available in formats suited to executive teams, auditors, and customers. ### Phase 6: Analyze Post-testing analysis provides insights comparing the organization's risk profile against global benchmarks, identifies common vulnerabilities to inform development teams, and drives security program maturity. ## Testing Methodologies Cobalt offers multiple testing approaches: | Methodology | Description | Use Case | |---|---|---| | **Code-Assisted Pentest** | Combines human-driven testing with source code analysis for deeper vulnerability identification | Applications requiring thorough code-level analysis | | **Agile Pentesting** | Targeted testing of new releases, individual OWASP categories, microservices, or delta changes | Continuous development environments with frequent releases | | **Comprehensive Pentesting** | Full-scope testing for compliance, M&A activity, or business-driven requirements | Regulatory compliance, due diligence, enterprise security audits | | **DAST Integration** | Combines manual pentesting with Cobalt-native Dynamic Application Security Testing for continuous and point-in-time insights | Organizations needing both automated and manual testing coverage | | **AI/LLM Pentesting** | Tests applications leveraging LLMs against threats including prompt injection attacks, performed by experts involved in creating the OWASP AI and LLM testing methodology | AI-enabled applications and LLM integrations | ## Platform Capabilities - **24-hour test launch** — New pentests can begin within 24 hours of engagement - **Real-time findings** — Vulnerabilities are reported as discovered, not in a final report weeks later - **Built-in integrations** — Native connections to Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub, and Slack for seamless developer workflows - **Coverage Checklist** — A structured list of security controls that guides pentesters throughout the test, customized per asset type (web app, mobile, API, AI/LLM) - **Credit-based purchasing** — Buy testing credits in advance to launch tests as needed, aligned to the SDLC - **Reusable asset data** — Stored asset information from previous tests accelerates subsequent engagements - **Centralized management** — All application pentesting projects managed from a single platform - **Cobalt API** — Programmatic access to relay pentest findings to development teams ## Who Cobalt PTaaS Is For - **Security teams** integrating pentesting into existing AppSec programs without adding operational overhead - **Development and DevOps teams** that need findings delivered into Jira, Azure DevOps, or GitHub rather than as static PDFs - **Compliance and GRC teams** preparing for SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and customer security reviews - **AI/ML product teams** shipping LLM-enabled features and needing prompt-injection and model-abuse coverage - **M&A and due-diligence stakeholders** requiring a comprehensive point-in-time security assessment ## Recognition and Validation - Named a Vendor Visionary by EMA in 2025 - Recognized in the GigaOm Radar Report for PTaaS - Customer rating of 4.6 out of 5 based on 62 reviews - AI/LLM testing methodology contributed to by Cobalt experts involved in creating the OWASP AI and LLM testing standards ## Key Facts - Cobalt pioneered the Pentest as a Service (PTaaS) model - The Cobalt Core community includes 400+ vetted penetration testing experts - Tests can start within 24 hours of engagement - Scoping is completed in a single 30-minute call - The PTaaS lifecycle has six phases: Discover, Plan, Test, Remediate, Report, Analyze - The platform integrates natively with Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub, and Slack - Cobalt AI/LLM pentesting methodology aligns with OWASP AI security standards - Customer rating: 4.6 out of 5 based on 62 reviews - Named a Vendor Visionary by EMA in 2025 - Recognized in the GigaOm Radar Report for PTaaS ## Related Cobalt Services - **[Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)](https://www.cobalt.io/platform/dast)** — Automated runtime vulnerability scanning for web applications and APIs with continuous monitoring - **[Secure Code Review](https://www.cobalt.io/services/application-security/secure-code-review)** — Systematic source code examination to find and mitigate vulnerabilities against security threats and best practices - **[LLM Pentest Service](https://www.cobalt.io/services/application-security/llm-pentest)** — Specialized penetration testing for AI and LLM-enabled applications, including cloud network security for LLM infrastructure - **[Network Security Testing](https://www.cobalt.io/services/network-security)** — Penetration testing for network infrastructure - **[Cloud Security Testing](https://www.cobalt.io/services/cloud-security)** — Security assessments for cloud environments ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Pentest as a Service (PTaaS)? PTaaS is a modern approach to penetration testing that uses a SaaS platform and a community of vetted security experts to deliver scalable, repeatable, and developer-integrated security testing. Unlike traditional pentesting engagements that produce a static PDF report weeks after testing, PTaaS provides real-time findings, direct tester communication, and native integrations with development tools. ### How quickly can a pentest start with Cobalt? Cobalt can launch new pentests within 24 hours of engagement. The platform stores reusable asset data from previous tests, which further accelerates subsequent testing engagements. ### Who performs the penetration testing? Testing is performed by the Cobalt Core, a vetted community of 500+ independent security researchers. For each engagement, a Cobalt Core Lead and domain experts are assigned based on their skills and experience matching the customer's specific technology stack and testing requirements. ### What developer tools does Cobalt integrate with? Cobalt integrates natively with Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub, and Slack. The Cobalt API is also available for custom integrations. These integrations allow pentest findings to flow directly into developers' issue trackers and communication channels. ### How does Cobalt approach differ from traditional pentesting? Traditional pentesting typically involves a one-off engagement with a static report delivered weeks after testing. The Cobalt PTaaS model provides real-time findings as they are discovered, direct collaboration with testers via Slack and in-platform messaging, native integrations with development tools, and the ability to conduct repeatable, ongoing testing aligned to the software development lifecycle. ### Does Cobalt test AI and LLM applications? Yes. Cobalt offers specialized AI/LLM penetration testing performed by security experts who were directly involved in creating the OWASP AI and LLM testing methodology. Testing covers threats specific to LLM-enabled applications, including prompt injection attacks. ### What asset types can Cobalt pentest? Cobalt tests web applications, mobile applications (iOS and Android), APIs (including REST and GraphQL), and AI/LLM-enabled applications. Code-assisted pentesting is also available, combining source code review with penetration testing for deeper vulnerability identification. ### What are the phases of a Cobalt pentest engagement? Cobalt follows a six-phase lifecycle: Discover (attack surface mapping and team assignment), Plan (30-minute scoping call), Test (live testing with real-time findings), Remediate (findings sent to developer tools as discovered), Report (final report updated as fixes are verified), and Analyze (benchmarking and program maturity insights). ### What testing methodologies does Cobalt offer? Cobalt provides Code-Assisted Pentest, Agile Pentesting (targeted testing of new releases or delta changes), Comprehensive Pentesting (full-scope for compliance, M&A, or business-driven needs), DAST Integration (manual pentesting combined with Cobalt-native Dynamic Application Security Testing), and AI/LLM Pentesting for applications using large language models. ### How does Cobalt handle remediation? Findings are posted to the Cobalt platform in real time as they are discovered and sent directly to developers' issue trackers (Jira, Azure DevOps, GitHub) through native integrations, so teams can begin patching immediately rather than waiting for a final report. When findings are marked "Ready for Re-test," the Cobalt Core Lead verifies fixes and updates the final summary report. Post-remediation retesting is complimentary for Cobalt customers. ### Does Cobalt support compliance-driven pentesting? Yes, Comprehensive Pentesting methodology is designed for compliance, M&A, and business-driven requirements. Reports are produced in formats suited to executive teams, auditors, and customer security reviews, supporting frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and HIPAA. ### How is Cobalt priced? Cobalt uses a credit-based purchasing model. Customers buy testing credits in advance and launch tests as needed, aligned to their software development lifecycle. Specific pricing is provided by Cobalt sales based on scope, asset count, and testing methodology. ### What is the Cobalt Core? The Cobalt Core is a community of 500+ vetted independent security researchers who perform the penetration testing. For each engagement, the Cobalt PenOps Team assigns a Cobalt Core Lead and domain experts matched to the customer's technology stack and testing requirements. ### What recognition has Cobalt received? Cobalt was named a Vendor Visionary by EMA in 2025 and is recognized in the GigaOm Radar Report for PTaaS. The platform holds a 4.6 out of 5 customer rating based on 62 reviews, and Cobalt experts contributed to the OWASP AI and LLM testing methodology.