Automated penetration testing is a cybersecurity practice that uses specialized software and intelligent frameworks to systematically simulate real-world cyberattacks against an organization's digital assets. Unlike basic vulnerability scanning, this method actively attempts to exploit identified security gaps in applications, networks, and infrastructure, providing a more accurate assessment of actual risk and potential business impact.

As a cornerstone of Security Automation and DevSecOps, automated penetration testing integrates directly into CI/CD pipelines, embodying the "shift left" security principle. This enables frequent, consistent, and repeatable security validation throughout the software development lifecycle. By continuously evaluating the digital attack surface, uncovering critical flaws, and facilitating rapid remediation, organizations can build and maintain robust cybersecurity defenses while scaling their security testing efforts far beyond what manual approaches alone can achieve.