Offensive Security for Mid-Sized Companies

Attackers find your vulnerabilities. We find them first.

Your offensive security partner for mid-sized companies: pentesting, red teaming and security awareness from a single source - with reports that stand up to boards and auditors.

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ISO 27001 & ISO 9001 certified
Fixed-price quote within 24 hours
30+ full-time security experts

Trusted by over 200 companies

Quality & Trust

Certified. Independently audited.

Our quality isn't just claimed - it is annually audited and confirmed by accredited bodies.

ISO/IEC 27001:2022

ISMS Certification

Annual independent audits confirm the highest security standards for protecting your corporate data.

RSMCERT.2025.19 · RSM Cert · valid until 07/2028

IT Security made in Germany

TeleTrusT Quality Seal

IT security from Germany - developed, operated and legally anchored, without foreign dependencies.

Federal Association for IT Security (TeleTrusT e.V.)

ISO 9001:2015

Quality Management

Verified processes ensure consistently high consulting quality - traceable, documented, reproducible.

RSMCERT.2025.18 · RSM Cert · valid until 07/2028

AZAV Accreditation

Government-Recognized Training Provider

Our training courses are eligible for funding through the German Federal Employment Agency or the European Social Fund.

31T0925058 · DEKRA-certified · valid until 10/2030

Framework agreement · NATO procurement

NCIA Basic Ordering Agreement

Framework contractor to the NATO procurement agency

Registered BOA holder with the NATO Communications and Information Agency - eligible to participate in NATO procurement procedures.

NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) · Registered BOA holder

Approved code of conduct · Self-commitment

Trusted Data Processor

Code of conduct under Art. 40 GDPR

An officially approved, externally monitored self-commitment for data processing - evidence of the sufficient guarantees required under Art. 28(5) GDPR.

Self-commitment since 05/2026 · approved by the State DPA of Baden-Württemberg · monitoring body DSZ (Art. 41 GDPR)

Contributing to Industry Standards

OWASP

Top 10 for Large Language Models

Core Team Contributor · 2023

BSI

Cyber Risk Management

Contributor · Alliance for Cyber Security

Research & evidence

What the figures actually show

Three published studies, three different subjects of measurement: responses to simulated phishing, publicly discoverable personal information and detected web software. The figure, sample and limitation belong together.

Finding 1:

13.7%
Click rate in Sales & Marketing

Open rate and click rate are not the same

A click on the link was recorded for 77 of the 562 delivered simulated phishing emails. That corresponds to a click rate of 13.7%.

Measurement basis

299 of the 562 test emails were recorded as opened (53.2%). The field study covered 68,742 test emails across 36 organisations in total.

Limitation

Open and click tracking records technical events. It does not show whether a message was read consciously or whether credentials would have been disclosed.

DOI source

Braun et al.: Different Seas, Different Phishes ACM ASIA CCS 2025 · Table 2 · DOI
Finding 2:

83%
of the organisations studied

Public traces enabled targeted approaches

In 25 of the 30 organisations studied, the researchers found employees for whom seven to 15 publicly derivable attributes could be combined to tailor spear phishing.

Measurement basis

The study examined 30 selected organisations - 27 companies, two government bodies and one non-profit organisation - and 18,873 employees identified online.

Limitation

The sample was weighted heavily towards large finance and payment companies. The 83% counts organisations, not people; it is based solely on employees identified online - not the entire workforce and not representative of German mid-sized companies.

DOI source

Urban et al.: Plenty of Phish in the Sea ESORICS 2020 · DOI
Finding 3:

95%
at the June 2020 measurement

Detected software versions were linked to known vulnerabilities

At the final measurement in June 2020, 95% of the websites studied used at least one detected software product whose assigned version was associated with a reported vulnerability.

Measurement basis

The longitudinal study observed more than 5.6 million websites over 18 months and matched the detected version data against published CVEs.

Limitation

This figure is an upper bound for potential vulnerability. The study did not test whether a vulnerability was actually exploitable in the observed configuration; the data is historical.

DOI source

Demir et al.: Our (in)Secure Web PAM 2021 · final measurement June 2020 · DOI

Services

Three paths to measurably better security

Offensive testing, consulting or awareness - each path comes with a binding fixed-price quote within 24 hours on business days.

Offensive Security

Systematically uncover vulnerabilities - from web applications to your corporate network.

Consulting & Compliance

ISMS setup, ISO 27001, NIS-2 - meet regulatory requirements with a clear roadmap.

Awareness & Training

Measurably sensitize your employees - with simulations, live hacking and certified training.

Why AWARE7

What sets us apart from other providers

Pure awareness platforms don't test systems. Pure consulting firms are too far removed. AWARE7 combines both: we hack your infrastructure and train your employees - tailored to mid-sized companies, personal, without enterprise overhead.

Research and academia as our foundation

Around 20% of our revenue comes from research projects for BSI, BMBF and the EU. We publish CVEs, present at top international conferences and train security professionals as a T.I.S.P. certified training provider. All consultants hold multiple certifications - from ISO 27001 Lead Auditor to OSCP.

Digital sovereignty - no compromises

All data is exclusively stored and processed in Germany - no US cloud providers. All employees are on permanent contracts and uniformly legally bound. Available VS-NfD compliant on request.

Fixed price in 24h - predictable timelines

Within 24 hours you receive a binding fixed-price quote with no hourly rate risk. Thanks to our experienced team and standardized processes, you get a clear schedule with a defined start and end date.

Your dedicated contact - always reachable

A personal project manager accompanies you from the initial meeting to the retest. You book appointments directly with your contact person and keep the same point of contact throughout the project. Continuity builds trust.

Peer-reviewed publications

Different Seas, Different Phishes - Large-Scale Analysis of Phishing Simulations

ACM AsiaCCS 2025

Oskar Braun, Jan Hörnemann, Norbert Pohlmann, Matteo Große-Kampmann

A Platform for Physiological and Behavioral Security

NSPW 2025

Jan Hörnemann

Privacy from 5 PM to 6 AM: Tracking and Transparency in the HbbTV Ecosystem

IEEE/IFIP DSN 2025

Jan Hörnemann, Norbert Pohlmann, Matteo Große-Kampmann

Understanding Regional Filter Lists: Efficacy and Impact

PoPETS 2025

Jan Hörnemann, Norbert Pohlmann, Matteo Große-Kampmann

Who is AWARE7 the right partner for?

Mid-sized companies (50-2,000 employees)

Companies that need real security - without paying for an enterprise-class provider. Fixed price, clear scope, one point of contact.

IT managers & CISOs

Who need to make a convincing case internally - and need a report in boardroom language, not just technical findings.

Regulated industries

Critical infrastructure, healthcare, financial services: NIS-2, ISO 27001, DORA - we know the requirements and deliver evidence that auditors accept.

Process

From inquiry to retest

01
Inquiry

Confidential initial consultation, free of charge.
02
Fixed-price quote

Binding within 24 hours on business days.
03
Kickoff & scoping

Schedule, test window and contact person are fixed.
04
Execution

Following the BSI guide and OWASP Testing Guidelines.
05
Report & debrief

Prioritized findings with actionable recommendations.
06
Retest

We verify that findings have been remediated.

Live Threat Landscape

Current security advisories

View the full threat landscape

Insights

Knowledge that protects

All articles

Compliance February 28, 2026

NIS-2 Directive: What German Companies Need to Know Now

NIS-2 implementation affects thousands of companies in Germany. Which obligations apply, who is affected and how to prepare.

Chris Wojzechowski

20 min read

Pentesting February 15, 2026

Penetration Testing: Process, Costs and Methods Overview

What does a professional pentest cost? How does it work? A practical guide for IT managers and executives.

Vincent Heinen

9 min read

Awareness February 01, 2026

Phishing Detection: How to Sustainably Train Your Employees

Why one-time awareness trainings are not enough - and which methods demonstrably reduce phishing click rates.

Oskar Braun

6 min read

All articles

FAQ

Your questions - our answers

What is a penetration test and why does my company need one?

A penetration test (pentest) is an authorized, simulated cyberattack on your IT systems, networks or web applications. Our certified security experts act like real attackers - with the goal of uncovering vulnerabilities in a controlled way and documenting them traceably. The result is a detailed report with all discovered security gaps, a risk assessment and actionable recommendations. For mid-sized companies, a pentest is often the first realistic view of the actual attack surface - and a mandatory requirement for ISO 27001, NIS-2 and many cyber insurance policies.

How much does a penetration test cost?

Costs depend on scope: test target (web application, internal network, external infrastructure), depth (black-box, grey-box or white-box) and company size. An external network penetration test starts at EUR 5,400, a web application pentest at EUR 6,750 and an internal network pentest at EUR 8,100 - each an entry price, with the actual scope defined during scoping. After a brief initial consultation, we provide a transparent, binding fixed-price quote - with no hidden costs.

Is our company affected by the NIS-2 directive - and what do we need to do?

The NIS-2 directive affects far more companies in Germany than the previous regulation: the new obligations already apply to organizations with 50 or more employees or EUR 10 million in annual revenue in critical and important sectors. These include risk management, incident reporting obligations, supply chain security measures and regular security assessments such as penetration tests. In a free initial consultation, we assess whether and to what extent NIS-2 applies to your company, and outline a pragmatic implementation roadmap.

What is the difference between a pentest and a vulnerability scan?

An automated vulnerability scan searches your systems for known weaknesses - fast and affordable, but without human creativity. A penetration test goes much further: our experts think like attackers, chain vulnerabilities together, test logic flaws and simulate real attack chains that no scanner can detect. Vulnerability scans are useful for regular monitoring - but they cannot replace a pentest. For a reliable security assessment to present to clients, insurers or regulators, a manual penetration test is essential.

How effective are phishing simulations really?

Phishing remains the most common entry point for cyberattacks - over 90% of successful attacks begin with a phishing email. Phishing simulations honestly show you how vulnerable your employees currently are. Our clients typically observe that 15-40% of employees click on prepared links after the first simulation. After three to four simulated campaigns with accompanying training, this rate drops to below 5%. The documented proof of this improvement also serves as reliable evidence for your security management and cyber insurance providers.

What certifications and qualifications do your pentesters hold?

Our pentesters are certified according to internationally recognized standards, including OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) and further offensive security certifications. Our methodology follows the BSI Penetration Testing Guide and the OWASP Testing Guidelines. All services are delivered exclusively by full-time employees. On request, we are happy to provide relevant certification evidence and anonymized reference projects from your industry.

A fixed price for your project - within 24 hours.

Tell us about your project in a confidential initial consultation. You will receive a binding fixed-price quote within 24 hours on business days.

Schedule consultation

Free · 30 minutes · No obligation