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Find Your Vulnerabilities Before Attackers Do

We conduct rigorous vulnerability assessment and penetration testing services that identify the security weaknesses in your applications, infrastructure, and APIs before malicious actors exploit them. Expert-led, comprehensive, and actionable security testing that gives your organisation the confidence to operate securely in an increasingly hostile digital environment.

Test your security
ISO

One of Ireland's first companies to achieve ISO 42001:2023 certification, the globally recognised AI governance standard.

ISO

ISO 27001:2022 certified company, the internationally recognised information security management standard.

The only way to know if your defences work is to test them

Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing is the practice of systematically identifying, exploiting, and reporting security weaknesses in your digital systems before malicious actors can find and exploit them. A vulnerability assessment identifies and quantifies weaknesses across your systems, while a penetration test goes further, simulating real-world attack techniques to actively exploit vulnerabilities and demonstrate the true impact of a successful breach. Together, they give your organisation a comprehensive, evidence-based picture of your security posture and the precise remediation actions needed.

At Square Root Solutions, our VAPT services combine automated vulnerability scanning with manual penetration testing techniques, delivering findings that are technically rigorous, business-contextualised, and immediately actionable. As ISO 27001 certified information security professionals, every VAPT engagement we conduct is governed to the highest standards of professional security testing practice.

What We Test

From web application and API security testing to network infrastructure and cloud security assessments, our penetration testing services test every layer of your digital security posture.

What We Test
1. Web application penetration testing

Comprehensive security testing of your web applications against the OWASP Top 10 and beyond, identifying vulnerabilities including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, authentication weaknesses, and business logic flaws that could expose your application to attack.

2. API Security Testing

In-depth security assessment of your REST, GraphQL, and SOAP APIs, identifying authentication weaknesses, authorisation flaws, data exposure vulnerabilities, and injection attacks that could compromise your API security.

3. Network And Infrastructure Penetration Testing

Systematic testing of your network infrastructure, including internal and external network segments, firewalls, routers, and servers, identifying misconfigurations, unpatched vulnerabilities, and lateral movement opportunities that attackers could exploit.

4. Cloud Security Assessment

Comprehensive security assessment of your AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure environment, identifying misconfigurations, excessive permissions, insecure storage, and other cloud-specific vulnerabilities that could expose your cloud infrastructure to attack.

5. Mobile Application Penetration Testing

Security testing of your iOS and Android mobile applications, identifying client-side vulnerabilities, insecure data storage, weak authentication, and insecure communication issues that could compromise your mobile security.

6. AI And Machine Learning Security Testing

Specialist security testing of your AI systems and machine learning models, identifying adversarial attack vulnerabilities, model extraction risks, data poisoning weaknesses, and AI-specific security issues that traditional penetration testing does not address.

Penetration Testing Approaches We Use

We conduct penetration tests using three different knowledge approaches, each providing a different perspective on your security posture, alongside our vulnerability assessment services for a complete picture.

Penetration Testing Approaches
01

Black Box Testing

Our testers approach your systems with no prior knowledge of your internal architecture, simulating the perspective of an external attacker who has no insider information. Black box testing reveals the vulnerabilities that are exploitable from a completely external perspective.

02

White Box Testing

Our testers are provided with full knowledge of your internal architecture, source code, and system documentation, enabling the most comprehensive and efficient security assessment possible. White box testing reveals vulnerabilities that may not be discoverable from an external perspective alone.

03

Grey Box Testing

Our testers are provided with partial knowledge of your systems, simulating the perspective of an authenticated user, a disgruntled employee, or an attacker who has obtained limited insider information. Grey box testing strikes the optimal balance between breadth and depth for most business security assessments.

04

Red Team Exercises

Our red team exercises go beyond traditional penetration testing, simulating sophisticated, multi-vector attacks that combine technical exploitation with social engineering, physical security testing, and advanced persistent threat techniques to test your organisation's detection and response capabilities.

VAPT Across
Every Sector

We conduct cybersecurity testing services, including vulnerability and penetration testing, for businesses across a wide range of industries.

EdTech
EdTech
FinTech
FinTech
HealthTech
HealthTech
E-commerce
E-commerce
B2B & Supply Chain
B2B & Supply Chain
Government Public Sector
Government and
Public Sector
GreenTech Sustainability
GreenTech and
Sustainability
SportsTech
SportsTech
Real Estate
Real Estate
Hardware & IoT
Hardware & IoT
Wellness
Wellness
Social Community
Social Impact and
Community

Why established Irish businesses choose Square Root Solutions for VAPT

ISO 27001 certified security expertise, manual testing excellence, and actionable findings that go beyond automated scanning.

ISO 27001 Certified

ISO 27001 Certified Professionals

Every VAPT engagement is delivered by ISO 27001 certified information security professionals, ensuring the highest standards of testing rigour and responsible disclosure. Test scope is built from the real attack surface.

Manual Testing Excellence

We go beyond automated scanning, combining it with expert manual testing that identifies complex, chained, and business logic vulnerabilities automated tools miss. Business logic attacks are tested beyond automated scanning, and access-control testing is performed across user-role combinations.

Business-Contextualised Findings

Every vulnerability is assessed in the context of your business, quantifying real-world impact rather than just technical severity. Exploit evidence is delivered with safe reproduction steps, giving your team clear context to prioritise remediation.

AI Security Expertise

As one of Ireland's first ISO 42001 certified AI companies, we bring unique expertise identifying AI-specific vulnerabilities that traditional frameworks miss. False positives are removed before findings reach the client.

Speak to an expert

Our VAPT Process

A structured, professional approach to application penetration testing, from scoping to remediation verification.

01

Scoping And Rules Of Engagement

We define the precise scope of the penetration test, establish rules of engagement, agree testing windows and communication protocols, and complete all necessary authorisation documentation before any testing begins.

Scoping and Rules of Engagement
02

Reconnaissance And Information Gathering

We conduct passive and active reconnaissance to gather information about your target systems, identifying the attack surface, technology stack, and potential entry points that will guide the penetration testing phase.

Reconnaissance and Information Gathering
03

Vulnerability Assessment And Exploitation

We conduct a systematic vulnerability assessment of all in-scope systems, followed by manual penetration testing that attempts to actively exploit identified vulnerabilities to demonstrate real-world impact and identify exploitable attack chains.

Vulnerability Assessment and Exploitation
04

Post-Exploitation And Lateral Movement

Where vulnerabilities are successfully exploited, we conduct post-exploitation analysis to assess the potential impact of a real attack, including privilege escalation, lateral movement, data access, and persistence techniques.

Post-Exploitation and Lateral Movement
05

Reporting, Remediation Guidance, And Retest

We deliver a comprehensive penetration testing report covering all findings, their severity, business impact, and specific remediation guidance. We offer retest engagements to verify that identified vulnerabilities have been successfully remediated.

Reporting, Remediation Guidance, and Retest

Tools And Technologies We Use

The most advanced and widely respected security testing tools used by professional penetration testers worldwide.

Nessus
Qualys
Burp Suite
OWASP ZAP
Metasploit
Sqlmap
Nmap
Wireshark
OpenVAS
Hashcat
Kiwi
Prowler
ScoutSuite
MobSF
AI Security

Built at scale, trusted globally

Over a decade of delivering AI and software products for established Irish businesses. Every number represents a real client, a real product, and a real outcome.

10+

Years of
Experience

125M+

Platform
Users Served

350+

Projects
Delivered

150+

Engineers on
Our Team

45+

AI Solutions
Deployed

Find Vulnerabilities Before Attackers Do

Identify weaknesses across your applications, APIs, mobile apps and cloud infrastructure with comprehensive security testing designed to reduce risk before vulnerabilities become real-world threats.

FinTech

Securing a Financial Services Platform

The Problem:

A financial services company was preparing to launch a new customer platform handling account information, payments and sensitive personal data. Before launch, the business needed confidence that authentication, access controls, APIs and payment workflows could withstand real-world attacks and meet security expectations.

Our Solution:

We performed a comprehensive VAPT across the web application and APIs, combining automated vulnerability scanning with manual penetration testing. We assessed authentication, authorisation, session management, API endpoints, input validation and business logic, then provided prioritised remediation guidance and conducted retesting after fixes.

The Result:

  • Critical and high-risk vulnerabilities identified before launch Authentication and access-control weaknesses addressed before production
  • Security issues prioritised by severity and business impact Successful remediation verified through follow-up testing
FinTech image
HealthTech

Protecting a Healthcare Mobile App & API

The Problem:

A healthcare provider had launched iOS and Android applications that allowed patients to manage appointments, access personal information and communicate with care teams. With sensitive patient data moving between the apps and backend APIs, the organisation needed to identify weaknesses across the complete mobile ecosystem.

Our Solution:

We conducted mobile application and API penetration testing across both platforms, examining insecure data storage, authentication, authorisation, API exposure, session handling, communication security and common OWASP mobile risks. Findings were documented with reproduction steps, risk ratings and practical remediation recommendations.

The Result:

  • Mobile and API vulnerabilities identified before they could be exploited
  • Sensitive data exposure risks reduced through improved security controls
  • Authentication and API access strengthened
  • Remediation validated through follow-up security testing
HealthTech image
SaaS / Technology

Hardening a Cloud SaaS Infrastructure

The Problem:

A growing SaaS company had migrated its platform to AWS as customer numbers increased. The infrastructure included cloud services, databases, APIs, containers and administrative interfaces, creating a larger attack surface that needed independent security assessment.

Our Solution:

We performed cloud infrastructure and application penetration testing, reviewing exposed services, IAM permissions, network configurations, APIs, containerised workloads and application entry points. We combined automated discovery with manual testing to identify exploitable weaknesses and provided a prioritised remediation roadmap.

The Result:

  • High-risk cloud misconfigurations identified and remediated
  • Unnecessary public exposure reduced across infrastructure
  • IAM permissions tightened around least-privilege principles
  • Security controls validated through remediation retesting
SaaS / Technology image
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Marah Curtin

“Frekkel's AI turned our vision into something real. Our users love the personalisation, the transparency, and the progress they can see and feel.”

Marah Curtin (Founder & CEO, Frekkel)

Wendy Oke

“They're not just an outsource development company, they became an extension of our team.”

Wendy Oke (CEO, TeachKloud)

Dr Jake Robinson

“Square Root Solutions understood exactly what we needed for our AI-powered learning platform. The team delivered something our students and educators genuinely rely on.”

Dr Jake Robinson
(Founder & CEO, OnWard Education)

Cathal D’Arcy

“Square Root Solutions put me at ease from day one, clear communication, a brilliant project manager, and a team that treated our success as their own.”

Cathal D’Arcy (Founder & CEO, Bergo)

Deirdre Lyons

“Square Root Solutions brought both technical depth and genuine care to our platform. What they built gives our team real confidence in how it performs.”

Deirdre Lyons (Founder & CEO, Acuru)

Aaron Keane

“Square Root Solutions built a platform our students actually use every day. Reliable, easy to use, and exactly what we needed.”

Aaron Keane (Founder, Leaving Cert Plus)

Our clients speak

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Square Root took the time to understand our vision, built a clear technical roadmap, and communicated brilliantly throughout, our dedicated project manager was outstanding. The team treated Bergo's success as their own, and I couldn't recommend them more highly.

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Cathal D'Arcy

Founder, BERGO - Specialist BER Assessment Software
question

Square Root Solutions delivered a stable, high-performing MVP with strong early user engagement. Following an agile approach throughout, the team was responsive, adaptable, and proactive in resolving issues and incorporating feedback. They excelled at translating complex ideas into intuitive user experiences that users loved from day one.

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Anthony Kelly

Founder, Hitch Networking
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Square Root Solutions delivered exactly what we needed with professionalism, clear communication, and exceptional responsiveness. Their ability to adapt quickly while maintaining high-quality delivery made the entire process seamless. We look forward to working with them again and recommend them without hesitation.

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Louise Jones

CEO, Barrister365
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Working with Square Root Solutions was a seamless experience. They successfully delivered our app across two platforms, earning positive feedback for its intuitive design while maintaining a transparent and well-organized development process. Their willingness to adapt to evolving requirements, coupled with deep technical expertise & strong product thinking, made them a trusted technology partner.

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Niamh De Búrca

Founder, SproutPlans
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Square Root Solutions delivered our custom platform with professionalism, clear communication, and a genuine commitment to our success. They consistently met milestones, responded quickly to feedback, and worked as an extension of our team. Their dedication to building the best possible product helped make our platform launch a success.

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Conall Horgan

Founder, Talent Prospecting
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Working with Square Root Solutions was a great experience. They delivered a beautifully designed mobile app, communicated openly about timelines, and consistently met key milestones. Their responsiveness, transparency, and commitment to quality made the entire development process smooth and collaborative.

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Clare Gleeson

Co-Founder, Fostering Connect
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Square Root Solutions went above and beyond to help us achieve our goals. They successfully maintained our web platform, delivered a high-quality mobile app on time and within budget, and remained highly responsive throughout the project. The team consistently kept their promises, met every milestone, and demonstrated a genuine commitment to our success, making them a trusted technology partner.

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Deirdre Lyons

Co-Founder, Acuru (formerly Examfly)
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Square Root Solutions delivered a high-quality app that exceeded our expectations and created new revenue opportunities for our business. Throughout the project, the team communicated clearly, delivered on time, and remained incredibly flexible as our vision evolved. Their willingness to adapt, refine, and ensure every detail was right made them an outstanding partner to work with.

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Karl O Meara

Managing Director, Centric Pensions Limited
question

Square Root Solutions brought creativity, enthusiasm, and genuine passion to every stage of our project. They delivered intuitive apps that have been warmly received by educators for their ease of use and rich functionality, while also generating growing interest among parents. Their clear communication and collaborative approach kept everyone aligned, making the entire development process smooth and enjoyable.

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Avril McMonagle

Founder & Lead Consultant, Meantóir
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Square Root Solutions transformed our website into a modern, accessible platform that's easy for non-technical users to manage and seamlessly integrates with third-party systems. Their excellent communication, responsiveness, and commitment to meeting deadlines made the entire process effortless. The improvements have contributed to increased student enrolment and delivered lasting value to our organisation.

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Tadhg Farrelly

IT Coordinator, Greenhills Community College

Frequently Asked Questions

A vulnerability assessment identifies and quantifies security weaknesses across your systems using automated scanning tools and manual review, producing a list of vulnerabilities ranked by severity. A penetration test goes further, actively exploiting identified vulnerabilities using real-world attack techniques to demonstrate the true impact of a successful breach. We recommend combining both approaches for the most comprehensive picture of your security posture.

We design every penetration test to minimise disruption to your business operations. We agree testing windows, communication protocols, and rules of engagement before any testing begins, and we conduct tests in a controlled, professional manner that avoids causing unplanned downtime or data loss. In sensitive environments, we can conduct testing against dedicated test environments rather than production systems.

The OWASP Top 10 is a standard awareness document for web application security that identifies the ten most critical web application security risks. Yes, every web application penetration test we conduct covers the full OWASP Top 10 as a minimum baseline, with additional testing for vulnerabilities specific to your application architecture and technology stack.

We recommend conducting penetration testing at least annually for most organisations, and additionally after significant changes to your systems, applications, or infrastructure. Highly regulated industries such as FinTech, HealthTech, and government typically require more frequent testing, often quarterly or after every major release.

Yes. Every VAPT engagement includes a comprehensive written report covering all findings, their severity, business impact, and specific remediation guidance. We also provide an executive summary suitable for presentation to leadership and board-level stakeholders, and a technical remediation guide for your engineering team.

We treat all data encountered during penetration testing with strict confidentiality. We do not exfiltrate, retain, or disclose any sensitive data discovered during testing beyond what is necessary to demonstrate the impact of a vulnerability in our report. All engagement documentation is handled in accordance with our ISO 27001 certified information security management practices.