Your Go-To Guide For Creating an Optimal Pentesting Report Template

Deliver professional, client-ready penetration test reports using our proven structure and expert tips.

If you hack in your free time and run penetration tests without a sweat, but dread the pentesting report, this blog is for you. Not everyone is as passionate about pentest reporting as we are. But there’s something about the fresh ink on a 30-page, client-facing documentation that still gets our adrenaline pumping as much as an ethical hacker likes sliding through the infrastructure cracks.

Truthfully, penetration testing reporting is often harder than the test itself. But it doesn’t have to be. Pentesting report templates can amplify your pentests and turn a chore into your secret weapon. In this blog, we’ll walk through what is penetration testing, how to create a pentest report template, common pitfalls to avoid, as well as provide a sample pentest report.

What Is Penetration Testing and Why Do Pentest Reports Matter?

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, we should break down the definition of penetration testing (aka pentesting) and the importance of a pentest report. You likely already know, but just in case, pentesting is a cybersecurity practice of simulating real-world cyberattacks on systems, networks, or applications to uncover vulnerabilities before malicious actors can.

Unlike a vulnerability assessment, which identifies and lists known security flaws, penetration testing goes further by actively exploiting those weaknesses to evaluate the risk and potential impact. Uncovering vulnerabilities is just one part of the job. The other half is communicating your findings effectively.

That’s where reporting comes in. An efficient pentest report not only documents technical details but also translates complex risks into actionable insights for both technical teams and business stakeholders.

As the final testing stage, the pentest report should detail the findings, methodologies, exploited vulnerabilities, and remediation recommendations. It should also accurately depict the story of how an attacker could compromise systems, as well as include tips on how to stop them.

Hack the Dreaded Pentesting Routine With a Penetration Testing Report Template

In the penetration lifecycle, there are typically 10 steps as you can see in the graph below.

Each step is important in the process. However, the reporting should never be overlooked as it is the primary deliverable and the actual product your client pays for. In every step, you should document and build your report instead of working backward to regather the research and evidence.

Side note: PlexTrac can cut your reporting time in half. We can easily store, access, and modify reusable content libraries like finding writeups and narratives. So you don’t have to keep copying, pasting, and losing track of your best work from prior.

Discover how our reusable pentesting report templates work without any code, and request a demo to see how it works in action.

A Sample Penetration Testing Report

Using a standardized, customizable pentest report template can streamline your reporting process. It helps eliminate repetitive formatting and writing tasks, ensures a consistent and professional look, reinforces your brand, and improves readability for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Think of it as a reliable blueprint, like this penetration testing report example, that you can build on for each engagement.

While the exact pentest report structure may vary depending on the scope or use case, every template should include the following key elements:

1. Report Cover Page, Table of Contents, and Executive Summary

When creating this section of the penetration report, make it simple and clear to focus on the important items. Be sure to include the state of work (SOW) and explain the objectives of each test along with a summarized section of the most crucial findings that need to be addressed quickly.

2. Pentest Breakdown

Keeping in mind that you will likely have a mixed audience of technical folks and business-minded executives, you’ll want to explain your pentest tactics and tools in a simplified way while outlining how you met the SOW, remained within their budget, and show off all your hard work. In this section, you should also detail your threat model and attack narrative that quickly outlines where you succeeded or failed in penetrating their defenses.

3. Pentest Findings

Here is where your skills can shine, but you also need to be careful not to scare your client too much with the findings so it should be worded with the client in mind. This section should include a Summary of Findings with a name, number, and severity ranking. After that, a client should be able to scroll down to the Detailed Findings Section.

The Detailed Finding Section is one area where a pentesting report template can be especially helpful in ensuring everything is organized. Each finding requires an ID number, descriptive name, risk ranking, concise description of what you uncovered, the affected assets, recommended action for remediation, and references for helpful methods and resources.

4. Conclusions and Recommendations

In this section, you should deliver a concise summary of findings with your thoughts on the client’s current security posture. Also, offer future recommendations that may include security gaps outside of your work scope but they should be aware of.

5. Appendices

This is where you can nerd out and drop screenshots and proof of work. The security professionals are bound to gush over these efforts, but be sure to match your appendices to the ID number. Provide plenty of information but be sure not to overwhelm the readers.

If you want to see another pentest report example, contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

Customize Your Pentest Report Template

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to penetration testing reports. The structure, language, and detail in your report should adapt to the type of assessment, industry, and engagement scope. However, you can save time and customize your pentesting report template to ensure your findings are relevant, actionable, and valuable.

Different types of pentests require different reports:

• Red Team Reports: These simulate real-world attacks and focus on tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used during the engagement. The report should include initial access, lateral movement, persistence, and business impact. These often leverage frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK.
• Web Application Pentest Reports: These pentests occur on individual apps and should include input validation issues, authentication flaws, access control problems, and OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities. Include screenshots and code-level insights to help developers remediate quickly.
• Internal Network Assessments: These often reveal unpatched services, legacy systems, and misconfigurations. Reports should include privilege escalation, domain compromise, and network segmentation flaws with the addition of suggested hardening steps.

In a similar vein, pentests are often required or used for compliance. Some compliance requirements will need unique pentesting reports to support each security framework like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, and GDPR.

To meet compliance, these pentest report template sections should encompass a findings map to specific controls or standards, clearly defined scope, and be traceable, timestamped, and properly signed off for the audit trail.

Best Practices for Penetration Testing Report Templates

In creating your penetration testing report templates, consider these tips for writing your reports.

Do: 

• Use non-technical language in executive summaries 
• Be concise, organized, and detailed 
• Prioritize findings by severity and impact
• Provide actionable recommendations
• Supply visual screenshots and graphics when applicable
• Maintain a consistent format throughout that is easy to read

Don’t: 

• Skimp on explanations or terminology
• Forget to provide validated findings 
• Mislabel findings
• Assume an annual pentest is enough
  The Gold Standard of Continuous Pentesting

For more pentesting best practices and missteps to avoid, check out our blog, 7 Common Pitfalls of Penetration Testing Reports. 

Need Help Generating Pentest Reports?

Whether you’re running manual or automated pentests, pentest reporting tools like PlexTrac can streamline the reporting process. At PlexTrac, we provide a platform that lets you create and format reporting templates with ease, facilitate communication between you and the client, demonstrate compliance, and organize every step of the pentesting and remediation processes.

Never dread another report. Request a demo today and let us show you how pentest reporting templates can be so much better and easier for you. 

PlexTrac Author At PlexTrac, we bring together insights from a diverse range of voices. Our blog features contributions from industry experts, ethical hackers, CTOs, influencers, and PlexTrac team members—all sharing valuable perspectives on cybersecurity, pentesting, and risk management.