VAPT
Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing
VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) is a combined security testing approach that first scans systems, networks, and applications to identify known vulnerabilities, then simulates real-world attacks to exploit them. The assessment finds security gaps while the penetration test proves their real business impact, helping organisations prioritise and fix critical risks.
The two halves of VAPT answer different questions. A vulnerability assessment is broad and largely automated: it inventories weaknesses across an environment and rates their severity. A penetration test is narrow and manual: skilled testers attempt to chain those weaknesses together the way a real attacker would, to show what an intruder could actually achieve.
Organisations commonly run VAPT for compliance (ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2), before major product launches, and during investor or acquisition due diligence. Engagements can target networks, web and mobile applications, APIs, and cloud infrastructure, and are typically repeated on a regular schedule as systems change.