Network Penetration Testing for HR Companies in Seattle

 

HR and staffing companies in Seattle and across Washington handle exactly what cybercriminals want most: large volumes of personally identifiable information (PII), payroll data, background checks, and sensitive employee files. That makes HR systems, applicant tracking platforms, and cloud-based HR tools a frequent target for ransomware, phishing, and data-theft campaigns.

Common attacks against HR environments include malware infections, credential theft, business email compromise (BEC), password spraying, SQL injection against web portals, and targeted phishing of recruiters and HR managers. These attacks are designed to gain access to candidate and employee data, reset payroll details, or move laterally into your broader corporate network.

The financial impact of a data breach continues to rise, with the median reported cost per incident in 2021 reaching $4.24M (source). That number does not capture unreported incidents, reputational damage, or lost clients when an HR provider is seen as a weak link in the supply chain. For HR companies, a major breach can also trigger regulatory scrutiny, contract termination with enterprise clients, and long-term trust issues with candidates and employees.

To reduce this risk, HR organizations in the Seattle area need to regularly review, test, and strengthen their IT security controls—not just on corporate networks, but also on cloud HR platforms, remote recruiters, and third-party integrations.

 

What Is Network Penetration Testing for HR Firms?

 

Network penetration testing (often called a pentest) is a controlled, ethical hacking exercise where security specialists simulate real-world cyberattacks against your IT infrastructure, HR systems, and cloud services. The goal is simple: find the security gaps before an attacker does.

For HR companies, this typically includes testing:

• Internal networks used by HR, payroll, and benefits teams
• External-facing portals such as applicant tracking systems, candidate self-service portals, and client login areas
• VPN and remote access used by recruiters working from home or on the road
• Email and collaboration tools often targeted by phishing and BEC attacks
• Cloud platforms and integrations with background check providers, payroll processors, and benefits vendors

The results of a professional penetration test provide leadership with:

• A clear view of critical vulnerabilities and misconfigurations
• Evidence on whether existing IT security controls actually work under attack
• Support for compliance and contractual requirements with clients and regulators
• Prioritized, practical recommendations to reduce the likelihood and impact of a breach

 

Seattle & Washington HR Cybersecurity Experience

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and IT security assessment services to HR firms, staffing agencies, payroll providers, and professional employer organizations (PEOs) in Seattle and across Washington State. We understand the specific risks that come with handling sensitive workforce data across multiple platforms, locations, and vendors.

Our team combines hands-on penetration testing, IT risk advisory, and cybersecurity consulting experience across a wide range of industries, with a particular focus on:

• HR and staffing companies supporting tech, healthcare, and manufacturing clients in the Puget Sound region
• Organizations subject to state privacy expectations, federal employment regulations, and contractual security obligations
• Multi-location HR providers with hybrid and remote workforces

The outcome is a practical, business-focused security assessment: not just a list of issues, but clear guidance on how to fix them in a way that fits your HR operations, headcount, and budget.

 

Our Network Penetration Testing Methodology

 

OCD Tech follows a structured, repeatable penetration testing methodology aligned with industry best practices. While the technical depth is high, the objective is straightforward: demonstrate what an attacker can really do in your environment, then help you close those doors.

Typical activities include:

• Passive Reconnaissance – Quietly gathering information about your HR domains, exposed services, and public footprint without touching your systems directly.
• Active Reconnaissance – Actively mapping your network, HR portals, and cloud services to identify potential entry points and weak spots.
• Social Engineering – Testing how well your HR and recruiting staff resist phishing, pretexting, and other human-focused attacks, where appropriate and pre-approved.
• Exploitation – Attempting to leverage discovered vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to systems, applications, and data.
• Post-Exploitation – Assessing what an attacker could do after initial access, including viewing or modifying HR records, payroll data, or candidate information.
• Privilege Escalation – Trying to obtain higher-level access (for example, from a recruiter account to an HR admin or domain admin) to simulate insider threat and assumed compromise scenarios.
• Lateral Movement – Moving across your environment to see whether compromise in one area (e.g., a recruiter’s laptop) can lead to wider control over HR or corporate systems.
• Maintaining Access – Demonstrating how an attacker might persist in your environment to exfiltrate data over time.
• Covering Tracks – Showing how activity could be hidden from basic logging and monitoring, highlighting detection and response gaps.
• Reporting – Delivering a clear, non-technical executive summary for HR and business leadership, a detailed technical report for IT and security teams, and prioritized remediation guidance.

This approach gives HR companies in Seattle a realistic picture of how their environment would stand up to modern attackers, from ransomware groups to targeted fraud campaigns.

 

National Reach Beyond Seattle

 

While we maintain a strong presence in Washington, OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and cybersecurity consulting services to companies across the United States, including:

• Boston (MA)
• Chicago (IL)
• New York City (NY)
• Los Angeles (CA)
• Dallas (TX)
• Philadelphia (PA)
• Detroit (MI)
• Memphis (TN)

For multi-state HR and staffing organizations, this allows for a consistent security testing approach across all locations and networks.

 

Contact Our Seattle Network Penetration Testing Team

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing, security assessments, and cybersecurity consulting to HR companies, staffing firms, and payroll providers in Seattle and throughout Washington. If you would like to understand how an attacker might target your HR environment—and how to stop them—complete the form below and a team member will follow up with you shortly.