How it works in a data room
A provider hires an independent firm, or uses its own red team, to probe the platform. Testers try to bypass login, read another client’s documents, escalate permissions, inject code into the viewer and abuse the API. They report each finding with a severity rating, the provider fixes the issues, and a retest confirms the fixes. Good practice is at least one external test a year plus tests after major releases. Results feed into audits such as SOC 2 and ISO 27001, which expect evidence that vulnerabilities are found and handled.
Why it matters in a deal
Certifications show that a process exists; a penetration test shows what happened when someone actually tried to break in. Buyers’ security teams often ask for a summary letter from the testing firm, stating the date, scope and that no critical issues remain open. Providers rarely share full reports, which contain exploit details, but a confident provider will share an executive summary under NDA. An old or narrowly scoped test is worth asking about.
Example
A US healthcare services company preparing for a sale asks the three providers on its shortlist for their latest test summaries. One sends a letter dated eight months earlier covering the web app, API and mobile apps. Another can only offer a two-year-old report limited to its marketing website, which ends that conversation. Our methodology explains how security evidence affects ratings, and you can compare the shortlist on the compare page.