7Camber’s expertise is in penetration testing and we carry out various types of pen tests depending on the varying client needs. Regulatory penetration testing fulfills explicit or implicit requirements from laws and standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, or DORA. The scope of these pentests is therefore guided by the law or standard and they are usually initiated by the client due to regulatory compliance needs. On the other hand, eleective penetration testing is undertaken voluntarily by a client to proactively strengthen security without compliance mandates.
Regulatory vs Elective Pentesting Summary
| Aspect | Regulatory Pentesting | Elective Pentesting |
| Purpose | Meet legal obligations, avoid fines, prove due diligence | Identify risks voluntarily, improve defences beyond rules |
| Scope & Frequency | Defined by regulations (e.g., annual external/internal for PCI DSS) | Flexible, based on business risk or threat landscape |
| Reporting | Formal evidence for audits, with prescribed formats | Internal action plans, customised insights |
