Pentesting vs Bug Bounty vs Red Teaming
Understanding the differences between Pentesting, Bug Bounty, and Red Teaming is essential for anyone entering offensive security. Although all three involve identifying weaknesses, each discipline has its own objectives, boundaries, methodologies, and real-world implications.
The following table outlines the primary characteristics that distinguish each of these practices:
Goal
Identify and validate security vulnerabilities within a defined scope, and provide actionable remediation steps
Discover real-world vulnerabilities across public-facing assets or through a bounty program
Assess the organization’s detection, response, and resilience by simulating realistic, goal-driven threats
Scope
Defined and strict based on rules of engagement
Open or limited, depending on the program
Broad and strategic across the entire enterprise
Timeframe
Time-defined
Continuous
Weeks to months
Focus
Technical findings
Technical & logical flaws
Full real attack simulation
Responsible
Security consultants/internal teams
Independent security researchers
Specialized offensive security team
When it’s used
Before app launches
During regular security audits
To meet regulatory or contractual requirements
Complement internal security testing
Uncover vulnerabilities missed by pentests
Want of continuous testing from diverse perspectives
Test SOC maturity and incident response processes
Validate whether security controls work under real attack pressure
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