Report Writing for Beginners

Writing penetration testing reports requires clear documentation of security assessments, vulnerabilities, and recommendations that both technical and non-technical stakeholders can understand.

Security professionals must transform complex technical findings into actionable insights that help organizations improve their security posture.

This guide covers the key elements of writing effective penetration testing reports, including structure, content requirements, and best practices.

Report Structure

Every penetration testing report should include these core sections:

• Executive Summary
• Scope and Methodology
• Findings and Vulnerabilities
• Risk Ratings
• Remediation Steps
• Technical Details
• Appendices

Executive Summary Tips

Focus on communicating business impact rather than technical details.

• Highlight critical vulnerabilities first
• Include metrics and statistics
• Summarize key recommendations
• Keep it under 2 pages

Documenting Vulnerabilities

For each finding, include:

• Clear title and identifier
• CVSS score and risk rating
• Affected systems/components
• Technical description
• Business impact
• Proof of concept/screenshots
• Step-by-step reproduction steps
• Remediation guidance

Risk Rating Guidelines

Writing Style Guidelines

• Use clear, professional language
• Avoid technical jargon in executive sections
• Include detailed technical information in appendices
• Use consistent terminology throughout
• Number findings and recommendations
• Include visual aids like diagrams and screenshots

Tools for Report Writing

• Dradis – Collaborative reporting platform
• PlexTrac – Report automation tool
• Faraday – Integrated pentest environment
• Microsoft Office Suite
• LaTeX for professional formatting

Quality Assurance Steps

• Verify all technical details are accurate
• Check screenshots for sensitive information
• Ensure consistent formatting
• Review risk ratings for accuracy
• Validate remediation steps
• Proofread for clarity and grammar

Moving Forward with Your Reports

Store your reports securely and maintain templates for future assessments.

Consider using report management systems to track findings and remediation progress over time.

Always collect client feedback to improve your reporting process and better serve their needs.

Remediation Tracking

Implementing a systematic approach to track remediation progress helps organizations address identified vulnerabilities effectively.

• Set clear deadlines for fixes
• Prioritize critical and high-risk issues
• Document verification steps
• Maintain communication channels
• Schedule follow-up assessments

Client Communication

Establish clear channels for discussing report findings and addressing questions:

• Schedule report walkthrough meetings
• Prepare presentation materials
• Document clarification requests
• Maintain availability for technical discussions
• Provide regular status updates

Report Distribution

Security Considerations

• Encrypt sensitive reports
• Use secure file transfer methods
• Implement access controls
• Track report versions
• Document distribution lists

Stakeholder Management

• Identify key recipients
• Customize detail levels
• Maintain confidentiality agreements
• Control information flow

Strengthening Security Through Effective Reporting

Effective penetration testing reports serve as crucial tools for improving organizational security posture. Regular updates to report templates, continuous feedback integration, and maintaining clear communication channels ensure the reporting process evolves with emerging security challenges.

• Review and update reporting procedures regularly
• Incorporate industry best practices
• Build comprehensive knowledge bases
• Maintain template libraries
• Foster continuous improvement

FAQs

1. What are the essential components of a penetration testing report?
   Executive summary, scope, methodology, findings, risk ratings, technical details, remediation recommendations, and conclusion.
2. How should I format the vulnerability findings in my report?
   Each finding should include title, severity, description, proof of concept, impact, and remediation steps.
3. What information belongs in the executive summary?
   High-level overview, key findings, risk assessment, scope, testing period, and critical recommendations – all in non-technical language.
4. How do I determine the severity ratings for vulnerabilities?
   Use standard frameworks like CVSS or risk matrices considering impact, likelihood, and exploitability factors.
5. What screenshots should I include in a pentest report?
   Include proof of concept screenshots that demonstrate vulnerability exploitation, avoiding sensitive data exposure.
6. How detailed should the technical information be?
   Provide enough detail for technical teams to reproduce and fix issues, including commands, tools used, and specific configurations.
7. What are the common mistakes to avoid in pentest report writing?
   Avoid technical jargon in executive summary, generic recommendations, missing evidence, unclear reproduction steps, and grammatical errors.
8. How should I prioritize vulnerabilities in the report?
   List findings in order of severity (Critical, High, Medium, Low, Informational), with most critical issues first.
9. What remediation details should I include?
   Specific, actionable steps to fix each vulnerability, including configuration changes, patches, or code modifications.
10. How do I handle sensitive information in reports?
    Redact personal data, credentials, and internal information; use placeholders when necessary.

Author: Editor