Network Penetration Testing for HR Companies in Cincinnati

 

HR companies in Cincinnati and across Ohio sit on a goldmine of sensitive information: Social Security numbers, payroll data, benefits records, background checks, and medical details. That data is exactly what cybercriminals want. Threats such as phishing, ransomware, password attacks, malware, and SQL injection are all designed to get to that information and turn it into cash—usually at your expense.

The financial impact is significant. The median global cost of a data breach in 2021 reached $4.24M, and that number only reflects reported incidents. For HR firms handling employee data for multiple employers across Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, a single breach can damage client trust, trigger regulatory scrutiny, and lead to long-term brand damage.

Network penetration testing (often called a “pentest”) is a controlled, ethical hacking exercise where security professionals simulate real-world cyberattacks against your network, cloud environments, and HR systems. The objective is simple: find vulnerabilities before criminals do, show how far they can be exploited, and provide a clear, prioritized plan to fix them.

For HR companies, regular penetration tests help:

• Protect employee and candidate data stored in HRIS, ATS, payroll, and benefits platforms
• Validate security controls required by clients, auditors, and regulators
• Reduce the risk of insider threats and compromised credentials
• Support compliance efforts tied to privacy, data protection, and vendor due diligence

 

Ohio Network Penetration Testing Experience for HR Organizations

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and security assessments to HR companies and service providers in Cincinnati and across Ohio. This includes payroll processors, staffing agencies, PEOs, benefits administrators, and outsourced HR providers that support employers throughout the region.

Our team combines IT risk advisory background with hands-on ethical hacking expertise. In practice, that means we do more than run automated scans. We think like an attacker—then explain the results in language your leadership, HR teams, and board can understand.

Each engagement delivers a clear, prioritized remediation roadmap that helps you:

• Understand which vulnerabilities could lead to data theft, account takeover, or business disruption
• Strengthen remote access, VPN, and cloud-based HR applications often used by distributed teams
• Improve security processes between IT, security, and HR operations

 

Network Penetration Testing Methodology

 

OCD Tech follows a structured, repeatable penetration testing methodology aligned with industry best practices. For HR organizations, we tailor the approach to focus on systems that store or process employee and applicant data. Our methodology typically includes:

• Passive Reconnaissance – Quietly collecting information about your organization, internet-facing systems, and HR platforms without direct interaction.
• Active Reconnaissance – Directly probing your network and applications to discover live systems, open ports, and potential weaknesses.
• Social Engineering – Testing how effectively employees can detect and resist phishing, voice phishing, and other tactics commonly used to target HR staff.
• Exploitation – Safely leveraging identified vulnerabilities to demonstrate what an attacker could actually achieve in a real compromise.
• Post-Exploitation – Assessing how far access can be extended, including exposure of HR databases, file shares, or cloud environments.
• Privilege Escalation – Attempting to move from regular user accounts to administrative control over HR systems, Active Directory, or cloud tenants.
• Lateral Movement – Testing how easily an attacker could move between internal systems, such as from a user workstation to HRIS or payroll servers.
• Maintaining Access – Demonstrating how attackers might persist inside your environment without detection.
• Covering Tracks – Identifying logging and monitoring gaps that would allow an attacker to operate unnoticed.
• Reporting – Delivering a detailed, non-technical-friendly report with evidence, business impact, and prioritized remediation guidance for leadership and IT.

 

National Reach

 

While we work extensively with HR organizations in Cincinnati and throughout Ohio, OCD Tech also provides network penetration testing and cybersecurity consulting to companies across the U.S., including:

• Boston (MA)
• New York City (NY)
• Washington DC
• Philadelphia (PA)
• Dallas (TX)
• Los Angeles (CA)
• Chicago (IL)
• Baltimore (MD)

 

Contact Our Cincinnati Network Penetration Testing Consultants

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing, IT security assessments, and cybersecurity consulting to HR companies and related organizations in Cincinnati and across Ohio. If you would like to discuss a penetration test for your HR infrastructure, applications, or cloud environment, please complete the form below. A member of our team will follow up with you shortly to discuss scope, timing, and next steps.