Most businesses know they should take cyber security seriously.
They just don’t know where to start.
And pen testing often feels like something you do later. When you’re bigger. When you’ve got time. When you’ve “sorted your systems out”.
But here’s the honest truth: any pen test beats no pen test.
Not because it makes you instantly secure. But because it stops you guessing.
Why people put pen testing off
If you’ve been delaying it, you’re not alone.
Most businesses put it off for a few common reasons:
“We’re too small to be targeted.” Sadly, attackers don’t care. Most cyber attacks are automated and opportunistic. Small businesses are often easier targets because they have fewer defences in place.
“We’ll test once we’re more secure.” This is like saying you’ll go to the doctor once you’re healthier. Testing is how you find out what needs fixing in the first place.
“We don’t want a massive technical report.” Fair point. Bad tests create panic, not clarity. But a good pen test should give you practical, prioritised findings you can actually work with.
“What if it finds loads and we can’t afford to fix it?” It’s better to know what’s wrong than pretend it isn’t there. You can then tackle the critical issues first and build a plan for the rest.
Related Reading: The Myth of Safety: Why Hackers Aren’t Just Targeting Big Businesses
The main reason any test is better than none
If you haven’t done a pen test, you’re basically running on hope.
Hope that nothing important is exposed, nobody’s got weak passwords, your cloud settings are safe, old systems aren’t quietly vulnerable, and remote access is properly locked down.
And hope is not a security strategy.
A pen test gives you the one thing you desperately need at the start: visibility.
It turns “we think we’re okay” into “here’s what’s actually risky”. You move from assumptions to facts, which means you can make informed decisions about where to focus your time and budget.
Related Reading: What is an Attack Surface in Cybersecurity?
It doesn’t have to be a huge test
A lot of businesses think pen testing means testing everything.
It doesn’t.
A good first pen test can be small and focused, like your external perimeter (anything internet-facing), your website or web app, Microsoft 365 or cloud access controls, remote access setup (VPN or RDP), or one office network.
Even a small test can uncover serious issues. And once you’ve tested something, you’ve officially started improving. You’re no longer guessing.
Related Reading: External Attack Surface Testing vs Traditional Pen Testing: Why Scope Matters More Than Frequency
A good first-time pen test shouldn’t feel scary
If you’ve never done one before, it should feel clear (no jargon), prioritised (what matters most first), actionable (real fixes, not vague advice), and supportive (you’re improving, not being judged).
You’re not expected to be perfect. You’re expected to take it seriously.
A proper pen test should give you a clear picture of your risks, explain them in plain English, and tell you exactly what to fix first. If your tester is making you feel stupid for having vulnerabilities, find a different tester.
Related Reading: Penetration Testing: A Comprehensive Guide
The first pen test is a starting point, not the finish line
Cyber security isn’t something you “complete”.
It’s more like fitness. You don’t go to the gym once and call it done.
A pen test works best as part of a cycle: test, fix, retest, improve.
The first one gives you a baseline. From there, it becomes much easier to prioritise and build proper resilience over time. You’ll know what’s changed, what’s been fixed, and what new risks have appeared.
Related Reading: The Importance of Retesting After Fixing Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
Regular testing also helps you avoid what we call the “pentest trap”, where businesses tick a box once a year but don’t actually improve their security posture between tests.
Related Reading: What is the Pentest Trap? How Checkbox Security Fails Your Business
Conclusion
If you’re early in your cyber security journey, don’t wait until everything feels “ready”.
It never will.
Start with one test. Fix what matters most. Build from there.
Because any pen test beats no pen test. The sooner you get that first test done, the sooner you stop guessing and start knowing where you actually stand. And that’s when real security improvement begins.
Related Reading: Essential Guide to Annual Pentests: Why They’re Vital for Your Security