Network Penetration Testing for IT Managed Services Providers (MSPs) companies in Charlotte
Network Penetration Testing for MSPs in Charlotte, NC
Managed Services Providers (MSPs in Charlotte and across North Carolina) sit at a particularly attractive point of attack for cybercriminals: you hold the keys to multiple client environments. A single weak configuration or missed patch in your network can become an entry point to every customer you support.
Attackers are not experimenting; they are running mature businesses built around ransomware, phishing, credential theft, and targeted hacking of MSPs. Techniques such as malware deployment, password spraying, SQL injection, and privilege abuse are routinely used to steal data or take down services. In 2021, the median reported cost of a data breach reached $4.24M (source)—and that excludes many incidents that never make it into public statistics.
For MSPs, this translates into more than financial loss. A serious incident can mean contract terminations, regulatory inquiries, brand damage, and loss of client trust. To stay ahead, MSPs in the Charlotte area need to regularly assess, test, and strengthen their IT security controls, not just for their own network, but for the services and remote access they provide to clients.
What Is Network Penetration Testing for MSPs?
Network penetration testing (or net-pen testing) is a controlled, ethical hacking engagement where security professionals simulate real-world cyberattacks against your infrastructure. For MSPs, this usually includes:
Internal and external networks used to manage client environments
Remote access solutions such as VPNs, RMM tools, and cloud management portals
Identity and access management for technicians and privileged accounts
The objective is simple: identify vulnerabilities before an attacker does, demonstrate how far they can be exploited, and provide a clear path to fix them. Regular penetration tests help MSP leadership to:
Validate that existing firewalls, endpoint protection, and monitoring are working as intended
Reduce the risk of a compromise spreading from the MSP to multiple clients
Support compliance with frameworks and regulations relevant in North Carolina and beyond (such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and SOC 2)
Demonstrate due diligence to clients, insurers, and auditors
Network Penetration Testing Experience in North Carolina
OCD Tech provides network penetration testing tailored to MSPs in Charlotte and across North Carolina. Our consultants combine hands-on penetration testing, IT risk advisory, and cybersecurity consulting experience across industries where MSPs play a critical role—healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, professional services, and local government.
We understand how MSP environments are actually built: RMM platforms, PSA tools, privileged access, shared services, and multi-tenant architectures. This allows us to focus testing on what really matters for an MSP:
Can a compromised technician account reach multiple client networks?
Can a misconfigured VPN, firewall, or RDP gateway expose client data?
Can an attacker pivot from one customer environment into others through your management stack?
The outcome is not just a list of vulnerabilities. You receive prioritized, practical remediation guidance designed for MSP operations—what to fix first, how to harden configurations, and how to adjust your monitoring and incident response.
Our Network Penetration Testing Methodology
OCD Tech follows a structured penetration testing methodology that reflects how real attackers operate, but under controlled, agreed-upon rules of engagement. For MSPs, this includes:
Passive Reconnaissance – Collecting publicly available information about your MSP and key infrastructure without touching your systems, such as exposed domains, leaked credentials, and OSINT related to your brand or staff.
Active Reconnaissance – Scanning and mapping your external and internal networks, identifying live hosts, open ports, exposed services, and misconfigurations in MSP tooling, VPNs, and cloud assets.
Social Engineering – When in scope, testing how susceptible staff may be to targeted phishing or pretexting that attempts to obtain credentials or remote access, reflecting real-world attacks on MSP help desks and technicians.
Exploitation – Attempting to exploit identified weaknesses such as unpatched systems, weak passwords, default configurations, or flawed access controls to gain an initial foothold.
Post-Exploitation – Evaluating what an attacker could do after access is obtained, including reaching client management consoles, sensitive data, or backup systems.
Privilege Escalation – Attempting to elevate from standard user to administrator or domain admin, particularly within domains or systems used to manage client environments.
Lateral Movement – Testing whether access can move from your MSP network into multiple client networks or between internal segments, mimicking an “assumed compromise” scenario.
Maintaining Access – Demonstrating how persistent access could be maintained (without harming operations), helping you understand what to look for in logs and threat hunting.
Covering Tracks – Reviewing how an attacker could attempt to evade detection and where logging and monitoring should be improved.
Reporting & Executive Briefing – Delivering a clear, non-technical executive summary for leadership, along with a detailed technical report for your IT and security teams, including a remediation roadmap tailored for MSP environments.
National Reach, Local Focus
While we maintain a strong presence in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina, OCD Tech supports MSPs and other organizations with network penetration testing across the U.S., including:
This broader experience means Charlotte-area MSPs benefit from lessons learned across multiple regions, industries, and attack patterns, not just local incidents.
Contact Our Charlotte Network Penetration Testing Consultants
OCD Tech delivers network penetration testing, IT security assessments, and cybersecurity consulting to MSPs and other organizations in Charlotte and across North Carolina. If you want to understand how an attacker would target your MSP—and how to stop them—complete the form below. A member of our team will follow up to discuss scope, timing, and the most effective way to test your environment without disrupting your clients.
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