Find weaknesses before attackers do.
Real attackers don't wait for your next audit cycle. Our penetration testing puts your systems under the same pressure they face in the wild, so you find the vulnerabilities before someone else does.
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What is web3 penetration testing?
Web3 penetration testing is a simulated attack on a live blockchain application and everything around it, carried out by security specialists to find exploitable weaknesses before a real attacker does.
An audit reads your smart contract code. A penetration test attacks the running system. That means the contracts, but also the APIs, the wallet integrations, the signing flows, the front end and the infrastructure it all sits on. Most real world losses happen in the seams between those pieces, not in the contract alone.
We work the way an attacker works: mapping the full attack surface, chaining small weaknesses into a real exploit, and proving what can be taken, where a scanner would only list theoretical issues. You get a report that shows the exploit path and exactly how to close it.
Smart contract audit vs penetration test
They are not the same service and they do not find the same problems. Here is the difference, so you buy the one you need. Most serious protocols need both.
Smart contract audit
Reviews the code
A line by line review of your smart contract source, looking for vulnerabilities and logic flaws in the code itself before you deploy.
- Deep read of contract logic and invariants
- Findings classified critical to minor
- Best before or at deployment
- Focused on the contract source
Penetration test
Attacks the system
A simulated attack on your live application, chaining weaknesses across contracts, APIs, wallets, front ends and infrastructure to prove what can be exploited.
- Adversarial testing of the whole running system
- Real exploit paths, not just code issues
- Best on staging or a live environment
- Focused on what an attacker can take
What we test for
A real attacker does not care where your audit stopped. They test everything you exposed. So do we, across both the web3 and the traditional layers of your stack.
dApp and front end
The interface most users touch. Malicious approvals, spoofed signing prompts, transaction tampering and front end compromises drain wallets without ever touching the contract. It is one of the most exploited and least tested layers in web3.
Front end crypto attacksSmart contract exploitation
We go beyond reading the code and attack it: reentrancy, access control, oracle manipulation and economic logic, tested against a deployed contract to prove which findings are reachable and profitable.
The role of web3 pen testingWallets, keys and signing
Key custody, multisig configuration, seed handling and signing flows. The place where a single mistake moves everything at once, and where convenience features become the largest risk in the system.
Talk to us about wallet testingExchanges and infrastructure
Trading engines, custody systems, nodes and the cloud infrastructure underneath. High value targets that need testing as complete systems, not as isolated components, because attackers chain across all of them.
Talk to us about exchange testingWeb applications and APIs
The Web2 half that web3 still runs on. Authentication, access control, injection, business logic and API abuse, tested to OWASP, PTES and NIST methodology by a team that has done this for decades.
Request a quoteNetwork and infrastructure
External and internal network testing, misconfigurations, exposed services and lateral movement. The traditional foundations that a breach still routinely starts from, whatever else you have built on top.
The real cost of a data breachPenetration testing FAQs
What is web3 penetration testing?
Web3 penetration testing is a simulated attack on a live blockchain application and the systems around it, including smart contracts, APIs, wallets, front ends and infrastructure. The goal is to find and prove exploitable weaknesses before a real attacker does, rather than just listing theoretical issues.
What is the difference between a penetration test and an audit?
An audit reviews your smart contract code line by line. A penetration test attacks the running system and proves what can be exploited across contracts, APIs, wallets and front ends. Audits catch code issues, pen tests catch real exploit paths. Most serious protocols need both.
How much does a penetration test cost?
Cost depends on scope: how many systems are in play, how complex they are, and whether it is web3, web2 or both. We do not price from a checklist. Every engagement is scoped against your actual attack surface, and we tell you what is driving the number before you commit.
Do you test web2 as well as web3?
Yes. We test web applications, APIs, networks and infrastructure to OWASP, PTES and NIST methodology, as well as smart contracts, wallets and dApps. Most web3 products still run on web2 foundations, and attackers do not respect the boundary between them.
Black box or white box testing?
Both, depending on what you are trying to learn. Black box mimics an external attacker with no inside knowledge. White box gives us source and architecture up front for deeper coverage in less time. We will recommend the right mix for your goals and budget.
What do we get at the end?
A report that shows the actual exploit paths we found, ranked by severity, each with clear remediation guidance and a retest once you have fixed them. It is not a raw scanner dump: you get something your engineers can act on and your stakeholders can understand.
Penetration Testing Services
Web Applications
Our web application penetration testing goes beyond automated scanning. From injection flaws and broken authentication to insecure direct object references, cross-site scripting, and weak session management, we test the full attack surface of your application the way a real attacker would.
Network Testing
Internal and external network penetration testing uncovers what's hiding in your infrastructure. Misconfigurations, rogue services, weak credentials, unpatched systems, and lateral movement paths are all tested against real-world attack scenarios.
Web3 and Blockchain
Blockchain applications operate differently, and the attack surface reflects that. We test smart contract interactions, wallet integrations, RPC endpoints, bridge infrastructure, and frontend injection vectors, bringing the same adversarial mindset to decentralised systems that we apply across all our engagements.
Why you need a Penetration Test
Penetration Testing is your frontline defence for decentralized applications on blockchain networks. Finding vulnerabilities is only part of it. By simulating attacks, HYDN exposes weak spots and strengthens your application's security. Regular penetration tests from our team keep you ahead of attackers.
Proactive over reactive
Penetration testing finds exploitable weaknesses before they become incidents. One successful engagement costs a fraction of what a breach costs in lost funds, downtime, and reputation.
Beyond automated tools
Scanners find known issues. Penetration testers find the ones that require context, creativity, and attacker mindset. The most dangerous vulnerabilities are rarely the ones automated tools catch.
Compliance and Assurance
Regulators, investors, and enterprise clients increasingly require demonstrated security posture. A professional penetration test with a detailed report gives you evidence of due diligence, which a badge on its own is not.
Experienced team
HYDN's team brings over 35 years of combined cybersecurity expertise. Our testers hold CISSP, CCNP, and GCIA certifications and have worked across financial services, critical infrastructure, and Web3 protocols.
Web3 specialization
Where your stack includes blockchain, DeFi, or decentralised infrastructure, we bring specialist knowledge that general-purpose firms don't carry. Our team understands the protocols, the economics, and the attack patterns specific to this environment.
Built on real experiences
Our testing methodology is grounded in OWASP, PTES, and NIST frameworks, refined through hundreds of real engagements. We don't run playbooks. We test the way attackers operate.
Our penetration testing process
Our methodology for Penetration Testing is based on our extensive industry experience, best practices in the area of information security, international methodologies, and global methodologies such as PTES and OWASP.
The scope is dependent upon the individual project, but usually includes:
- Intelligence gathering activities against the target
- Service detection and identification
- Vulnerability detection, verification, and analysis
- Exploitation of vulnerabilities
- Providing detailed remediation advice aimed to address found security weaknesses
How it works
HYDN will start the penetration testing on the date agreed with the client during the quotation process
- 1
Get a quote
Tell us about your environment, share the relevant documentation, and we'll scope the engagement and provide an estimate, with clear pricing and no surprises.
- 2
Penetration testing
Our team conducts the engagement using manual techniques supported by purpose-built tooling. Every finding is documented with severity rating, proof of concept, and remediation guidance.
- 3
Remediation check
Every HYDN engagement includes one free remediation check. Once your team has addressed the findings, we retest to confirm the vulnerabilities have been properly resolved.
- 4
Report and ongoing testing
You receive a final report suitable for internal stakeholders, regulators, or clients. Security is ongoing, and we recommend regular testing cycles to account for code changes, new infrastructure, and new threats.
Penetration testing services
Every layer we test, the compliance frameworks we support, and how engagements are priced.