Vulnerability Assessment or Penetration Test? How to Tell Which Your Business Needs
The two terms get used interchangeably, but they answer different questions. What each one finds, what each costs, and which one to start with.
Penetration testing and security assessments for Iowa businesses
Find out before they do.
Most Iowa businesses don't discover how vulnerable they are until something goes wrong. We help you find out first, before an attacker, an auditor, or a lost client does.
Sanctus Cybersecurity LLC is based in Cedar Rapids, serving Marion, Hiawatha, Iowa City, Des Moines, and businesses nationwide.
New AI features and AI tools bring security risks of their own. We test chatbots, assistants, and agents, and review how your team uses AI.
See AI security assessments →What We Do
Whether you need to answer a tough insurance questionnaire, respond to a vendor security assessment, or just find out if your business is protected, we have a service that fits.
Security Posture Review
A practical look at how your business actually protects itself.
Vulnerability Assessment
Find missing patches and exposed services before attackers do.
Penetration Testing
See what an attacker could reach and how far they could get.
Cloud Security Review
Check the cloud settings attackers look for first.
AI Security Assessment
Test AI chatbots and agents, and review how your team uses AI.
Security Advisory & Guidance
An experienced advisor to call when security questions come up.
Why Sanctus?
Your IT team keeps the lights on. We make sure no one else can turn them off.
Plain-English Reporting
A report your IT team can actually work from.
Right-Sized for SMBs
Same caliber of work as the big firms, sized for your business and budget.
Industry Certified
GSEC, GCIH, and GPEN certified consultants.
Independent & Objective
Independent testing and advice. We don't sell products or manage your IT.
How it works
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Scope
We agree on what is in scope and give you a fixed quote before any work starts.
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Assess
We test, scan, or review, and verify every finding by hand so the report only holds what is real.
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Report and walkthrough
You get a plain-English report and a prioritized plan, then we walk your team through what to fix first.
From the Blog
Free one-page Iowa SMB threat brief The numbers that matter for your leadership team, board, or IT provider.
What the 2026 Threat Reports Mean for Iowa Businesses
The major 2026 threat reports, read for Iowa small and mid-sized businesses. How attackers got in last year, and five things to do about it this quarter.
Ready to find out where you stand?
Tell us what's prompting the question. We'll come back with a few questions of our own, not a sales pitch.
Find Out Where You Stand