The Future of Pen Testing Is Continuous
Modern environments change faster than traditional penetration testing can validate.
New Gartner® research explores the shift from periodic assessments to Continuous Offensive Security Testing (COST), a model designed to validate exposures as environments change. Discover how leading security teams are reducing exposure windows and aligning testing with modern attack surfaces.
In this brief, you will learn:
Why point-in-time testing creates exposure gaps
What continuous offensive security testing (COST) is and how it works
How trigger-driven validation changes testing priorities
What leading security teams are doing now
How to measure outcomes tied to real risk
Source: Gartner®, The Future of Pen Testing Is Continuous Offensive Security Testing, Dhivya Poole, Carlos De Sola Caraballo, Mitchell Schneider, 6 March 2026. GARTNER® is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.
