Trace

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I'm the CTO of a financial software company.

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

Financial software

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Trace to accomplish?

• App Security
• Penetration testing
• Penetration testing remediation

SOLUTION

How did you find Trace?

Referral

Why did you select Trace over others?

• High ratings
• Great culture fit
• Good value for cost
• Company values aligned

How many teammates from Trace were assigned to this project?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

Trace was engaged to perform penetration testing and security remediation for our systems and applications. The scope of work included identifying potential vulnerabilities, evaluating the effectiveness of existing security controls, validating exposure to common attack methods, and providing guidance to reduce security risk.

Key deliverables included:

* Comprehensive penetration testing of the agreed-upon systems, applications, and network environment

* Identification and documentation of security vulnerabilities and configuration weaknesses * Risk-based classification and prioritization of findings based on severity and potential business impact

* Detailed reporting that included evidence, affected assets, potential impact, and recommended corrective actions

* Remediation support to address identified vulnerabilities and strengthen security controls

* Validation and retesting of remediated findings, where applicable

* Recommendations for improving the organization’s overall security posture and reducing the likelihood of future incidents The engagement resulted in a clear assessment of the organization’s security risks, an actionable remediation plan, and enhanced protection of systems, applications, and sensitive information. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project demonstrated measurable progress through the identification, prioritization, and remediation of security vulnerabilities across the assessed environment.

Key outcomes included a reduction in the number and severity of identified vulnerabilities, timely remediation of critical and high-risk findings, and improved alignment with recognized security best practices.

Success was measured through documented penetration-testing results, remediation tracking, and follow-up validation of corrected issues. The engagement also improved visibility into security risks, strengthened technical controls and system configurations, and provided a prioritized action plan for addressing remaining findings.

Collectively, these outcomes reduced the organization’s attack surface, improved its overall security posture, and established a clearer process for managing future vulnerabilities. 

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

Trace managed the project exceptionally well. Their team was highly hands-on, organized, and proactive throughout the penetration-testing and remediation process. They maintained clear communication, provided regular updates, and ensured that we understood the findings, priorities, and recommended next steps. All agreed-upon deliverables were completed on time.

They responded quickly to questions and changing needs, provided practical guidance, and remained actively engaged during remediation and validation.

Their customer support was outstanding, and their responsiveness and commitment made the entire engagement efficient and collaborative. 

What was your primary form of communication with Trace?

Virtual Meeting

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

What impressed us most about Trace was their combination of deep technical expertise and highly personalized support. They did not simply identify vulnerabilities and deliver a report; they remained actively involved throughout the remediation process, explained findings clearly, and provided practical guidance tailored to our environment.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Trace could have done differently?

One potential improvement would be to provide an even more detailed project timeline and remediation tracker at the beginning of the engagement, particularly for teams managing multiple findings across different systems.

Additional executive-level summaries or periodic progress dashboards could also make it easier for nontechnical stakeholders to understand remediation status and overall risk reduction. These would be enhancements rather than corrections, as the team was already highly responsive, organized, and supportive throughout the project.