Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) Penetration Testing
Test the security measures in your DPIA before the processing goes live. A CREST-accredited penetration test shows whether the safeguards you recorded actually work, and gives you a dated report to keep with your assessment. Fixed quote in 24 hours.
- Unlimited retesting
- Unlimited pre-retesting
- No hidden fees
“I would highly recommend EJN Labs to any organisation seeking reliable, detailed, and well-managed penetration testing services, particularly for government or enterprise-level projects.”
“There wasn’t another company we could find that could deliver what we needed in the timeframe we needed. The client loved it, and we got instant ROI from the engagement.”
things every DPIA must contain under Article 35(7). The fourth is the measures you plan to use to address the risks, including security measures.
Your DPIA Lists Security Measures. A Test Shows They Work
When a DPIA is needed. UK GDPR Article 35 requires a DPIA before you start processing that is likely to result in a high risk to people’s rights and freedoms, in particular when you use new technologies. Systematic and extensive profiling with legal or similarly significant effects, large-scale processing of special category or criminal offence data, and large-scale systematic monitoring of a publicly accessible area always need one, and the ICO publishes a list of other cases. ICO DPIA guidance.
Where testing fits. The law does not require a penetration test as part of a DPIA. It does require the DPIA to describe the measures, including security measures, that you plan to use to address the risks. A test before launch shows whether those measures hold up, so the risk you record is based on evidence rather than assumption. UK GDPR Article 35.
The ongoing duty. Separately, UK GDPR Article 32(1)(d) requires a process for regularly testing the effectiveness of your security measures. It does not name penetration testing as the method. Retesting when the processing changes keeps your DPIA and your Article 32 evidence current. See our GDPR penetration testing page.
Who we help. Data protection officers, product teams and suppliers launching a new system, app, AI feature or data-sharing arrangement that handles personal data. We test the technology. The DPIA itself, and the legal judgement in it, stays with you and your DPO.
SCOPE
What We Test for Your DPIA
New Applications Before Launch
Web applications and portals that will hold personal data. Access control, role separation, record-level access and data exposure.
APIs & Data Sharing
Integrations that move personal data between you, suppliers and partners. Object-level authorisation, token handling and over-sharing in responses.
Mobile Apps
iOS and Android apps collecting personal or location data. Local storage, transport security and the backend they talk to.
AI & New Technology
AI features, chatbots and models that process personal data. Prompt injection, data leakage and access to training or retrieval data.
Cloud Hosting & Storage
AWS, Azure and GCP environments where the data will live. IAM, encryption, logging and publicly exposed storage.
Internet-Facing Infrastructure
Hosts, services and remote access that expose the new system to the internet.
OUR PROCESS
From Draft DPIA to Tested Safeguards
Scope in 24 Hours
Share the systems in your DPIA and your go-live date. We return a fixed quote and scope within a day.
Test Before Go-Live
Our CREST-accredited UK testers assess the systems that will process the personal data, focused on the risks your DPIA identifies.
Report for Your DPIA
A CVSS-scored report with findings described in terms of the personal data at risk, ready to reference in your assessment.
Retest & Confirm
We retest Critical and High findings and issue written confirmation of closure, so your DPIA can record the risk after fixes.
CREDENTIALS
Verified Accreditations Auditors Accept
Every credential below is independently verifiable. UK procurement teams, FCA supervisors, ISO 27001 / SOC 2 auditors, and cyber insurance underwriters all recognise these standards.
GET YOUR QUOTE
Get a CREST DPIA pen test quote in 24 hours
A fixed-price quote back in one business day, from a named CREST assessor. No sales pipeline, no chasing.
- CREST and IASME accredited. Testing your auditors and clients already recognise.
- Fast-track testing within 24 hours where required. Free retest of every fix included.
- Live findings via your client portal, not a four-week PDF.
- Fixed price from £3,500 for a single-role, single-app scope, agreed up front. Most engagements run £5,000 and up. No day-rate surprises.
Dan WilcocksonFounder, CelloriUnder NDA Further named references available on a scoping call.
- We reply within one business day with a fixed-price quote from a named CREST assessor.
- You approve the scope and we book a start date, usually within 24 hours.
- Live findings land in your client portal as we test, with a free retest of every fix.
Get your fixed pen test quote in 24 hours
Quote request received
We will reply within one business day with your fixed-price quote from a named CREST assessor.
Your data stays with us. No newsletter signup.
or book a 20-min scoping call first
We reply within one business day. Your data stays with us. No newsletter signup.
COMPLIANCE READY
Reports Aligned to Every Framework
Findings are written so your team can reference the report against each framework without translation work.
UK GDPR Article 35
Evidence on the security measures your DPIA records to address the risks.
UK GDPR Article 32
Article 32(1)(d) evidence that you regularly test the effectiveness of your security measures.
ICO Accountability
A dated, independent report to keep with your DPIA as part of your records.
ISO 27001
Annex A 8.8 technical vulnerability management, once you declare that control applicable.
Cyber Essentials / Plus
Certified directly by us as an IASME certification body.
NHS DTAC
The same test supports DTAC technical security where you also sell a product to NHS buyers.
PRICING
Indicative Engagement Pricing
Fixed-price quotes confirmed during scoping. Free retest, executive summary, walkthrough call, and letter of attestation included.
Depends on service + scope
External / web / API / mobile single-target engagement. CREST-certified delivery. Around 3 to 5 working days from kickoff to report.
Get a fixed quoteDepends on service + scope
Multi-target combined engagement (web + API + external + AD), or single complex target. Typically 7-10 days.
Get a fixed quoteDepends on service + scope
Full-stack engagement (multiple cloud accounts, hybrid AD, complex web + API + mobile). Typically 12-15+ days.
Get a fixed quoteWHY EJN LABS
What You Get From DPIA Penetration Testing
Six concrete differentiators competitors don’t all match.
CREST-Certified Testers, Verifiable
Every test by a CREST-certified pen tester (CRT, CCT APP, CCT INF where applicable). Verify our company status at crest-approved.org.
24-Hour Startup, Where Required
From signed scope to active testing in a single business day for incident response, audit deadlines, or regulator-driven timelines.
Live Findings, Not 4-Week PDFs
Critical issues reported during testing through your client portal. Your team remediates while testing continues.
Audit-Ready Reports
Executive summary plus full technical report with CVSS scores and explicit framework mappings (ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, FCA SYSC).
Free Retests, Standard
Verify remediation of every finding before close-out. Letter of attestation for audit submission included. Most competitors charge £1,500-£3,000 per retest.
UK-Based CREST Testers
Every engagement performed by vetted, UK-based CREST-certified testers, matched to your needs, security clearance, and compliance scope.
FAQ
Frequently Asked
Does a DPIA require a penetration test?
No. UK GDPR Article 35 does not require a penetration test. It requires the DPIA to assess the risks and describe the measures, including security measures, you plan to use to address them. A test is one way to show those security measures work before you rely on them.
When do I need a DPIA?
Before you start processing that is likely to result in a high risk to individuals. Article 35(3) names three cases that always need one: profiling with legal or similarly significant effects, large-scale processing of special category or criminal offence data, and large-scale systematic monitoring of a publicly accessible area. The ICO publishes a list of further cases. Your DPO, or legal advice, decides whether yours needs one.
When should the test happen?
Before go-live, once the system is built enough to test but early enough to fix what we find. That lets your DPIA record the risk after fixes, not before. We also retest when the processing changes and you review the DPIA.
Do you write the DPIA for us?
No. The DPIA is the controller’s assessment and needs your DPO’s advice where you have one. We test the technology and give you a report you can reference in it.
What if the DPIA shows a high risk we cannot reduce?
UK GDPR Article 36 requires you to consult the ICO before processing where your DPIA shows the processing would result in a high risk and you have not been able to reduce it. The ICO has up to eight weeks to respond, which it can extend by six. A test with a retest can help show which risks your measures do reduce.
Can you test our new AI feature before we sign off the DPIA?
Yes. We test AI features and the applications, APIs and cloud around them for issues such as prompt injection and data leakage, and report what personal data an attacker could reach. See our AI penetration testing page.
What’s in the report?
Executive summary (board-ready), technical report with CVSS 3.1 scores, reproduction steps, screenshots, specific remediation guidance, and a 60-minute walkthrough call. Letter of attestation issued after free retest.
Do you sign NDAs?
Yes. We sign client-supplied NDAs as standard. Engagement data is protected under our ISO 27001 (BSI-audited) information security management system.
How quickly can you start?
From signed scope to active testing in 24 hours where required. Standard pipeline is 3-5 business days from initial scoping call to test start.
Are your testers UK-based and what certifications do they hold?
Every engagement is performed by vetted UK-based CREST-certified testers matched to your engagement based on security clearance, compliance scope, and sector specialism. Testers hold CREST certifications relevant to their discipline (CRT, CCT APP, CCT INF, CCSAM).
20+ CREST-accredited testing services in one place
Web, mobile, API, cloud, AI, infrastructure, red team. Pick the test that fits your environment.
Test your safeguards before the processing starts
Go-live dates do not move. Lock in a fixed quote in 24 hours, with a CREST tester on the other end.
