Testing
Penetration test
Also called: pen test, pentest, ethical hacking
A penetration test is an authorized, time-boxed security assessment in which a tester attempts to exploit weaknesses in a system the way an attacker would, and documents what was reached, how, and what it would mean.
The two words that carry the weight are authorized and exploit. Authorization distinguishes it from an attack and is established in writing before testing begins. Exploitation distinguishes it from a scan or a review: a penetration test establishes that a weakness is actually reachable and what it leads to, rather than that a condition exists.
Testing, with the report an auditor can actually use
A fixed price, a date, and a report that states scope, method and closure. No discovery call required to get a number.