Hire a dedicated offshore penetration tester for continuous, authorised testing
What our offshore penetration testers do
Web and API testing
OWASP Top 10 and API Top 10, authentication, session and business-logic flaws.
Infrastructure
Internal and external network testing, Active Directory attack paths, privilege escalation.
Cloud
AWS and Azure configuration review and attack-path analysis.
Mobile
Android and iOS application testing.
Retesting
Verifies fixes, keeps a findings register and tracks risk down over time.
Reporting
Clear executive summaries plus reproducible technical findings developers can act on.
Typical work: testing every release rather than once a year, validating fixes from external tests, scanning and manually verifying new attack surface, purple-team exercises with your SOC analysts, and supporting your AppSec engineers.
Tools and platforms our penetration testers use
| Area | Tools and frameworks |
|---|---|
| Tooling | Burp Suite Professional, Nmap, Metasploit, BloodHound, Nessus, Kali Linux |
| Methodologies | OWASP Testing Guide, PTES, MITRE ATT&CK |
| Certifications | OSCP, CREST CPSA/CRT, eJPT, PNPT, CEH |
Cost of an offshore penetration tester vs a UK hire
| Option | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| UK penetration tester (salary) | £50,000 / £65,000 / £80,000 | 25th / 50th / 75th percentile, IT Jobs Watch, 163 UK permanent job ads, six months to 26 Sep 2026 |
| UK employer cost at the median | ≈ £6,275 a month | Salary + 15% employer NICs above £5,000 + minimum auto-enrolment pension; excludes recruitment, equipment, training and office |
| TalentDock offshore penetration tester | From £2295 a month | All-in: employment, payroll, benefits, managed equipment, security controls, HR and replacement cover |
UK ads outside London had a lower £52,500 median over the same period. Indicative pricing; senior and lead specialists are quoted individually. See cyber security salaries in the UK and offshore cybersecurity cost.
Authorised testing, CREST and CHECK: what an in-house tester does and does not replace
Every test runs under written authorisation from you: agreed scope, targets, time windows and rules of engagement, in line with the Computer Misuse Act 1990. Testers never touch systems outside that scope, including third-party services you do not own.
A dedicated tester gives you continuous coverage, but it is not a substitute for accredited assessments where they are required. If a regulator, customer or government contract needs a CREST-accredited or NCSC CHECK test, commission it from an accredited firm and let your in-house tester prepare for it and fix what it finds. Ethical hacker and penetration tester describe the same work here; we use one page so you do not have to compare two.
How to hire a offshore penetration tester
1 · Brief us
Tools, scope, hours and any compliance requirements; we confirm an all-in monthly price.
2 · Technical assessment
Timed practical against a lab environment, with a written report scored for accuracy, severity and clarity.
3 · Background checks
Police clearance certificate, employment references and certification checks before any offer.
4 · Your interview
You run your own technical interview and choose.
5 · Secure onboarding
Managed laptop, access through your identity provider with MFA and least privilege, NDA and confidentiality terms.
Building more than one role? See dedicated cybersecurity teams or every role on hire offshore cybersecurity professionals.
Why hire through TalentDock
Dedicated, full-time
Works only on your environment, in your tools, tickets and runbooks.
Extended coverage
Sri Lanka is 4.5-5.5 hours ahead of the UK, so shifts can start before your day and finish after it.
Secure by design
Managed encrypted devices, MFA, access you control and revoke, and UK GDPR transfer paperwork.
No recruitment fee
One monthly fee with replacement cover if someone leaves.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an offshore penetration tester cost?
From £2,295 a month all-in with TalentDock. A UK penetration tester at the £65,000 median costs about £6,275 a month to employ.
Is an ethical hacker the same as a penetration tester?
Broadly yes. Ethical hacker is the general term; penetration tester is the job title for someone running scoped, authorised security tests.
Can an offshore tester replace our CREST pen test?
No. Where a CREST or CHECK test is required, use an accredited provider. An in-house tester adds continuous testing between those assessments.
Do you test without permission?
Never. All testing is authorised in writing by the system owner, with a defined scope and rules of engagement.
How do you control what an offshore penetration tester can access?
Access is granted through your own identity provider with MFA and least privilege, logged, and revocable by you at any time. Devices are company-managed and encrypted.
Can an offshore penetration tester hold UK security clearance?
Generally no. UK SC and DV vetting normally require several years of UK residence, so clearance-bound roles should stay UK-based. Offshore specialists suit commercial environments without that requirement.
IT Jobs Watch, UK permanent job-advert salary statistics, six months to 26 September 2026; HMRC employer National Insurance rates; TalentDock pricing, September 2026.
Related cybersecurity roles and guides
Hire your offshore penetration tester
Tell us the tools, scope and hours. We will confirm an all-in monthly price and start sourcing assessed candidates in Sri Lanka.
Offshore teams for UK businesses, managed end to end. Dedicated talent in Sri Lanka & the Philippines, trained to your standards.
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