Re: Application security penetration testing rate

[Steve Friedl <steve () unixwiz net>]

On Wed, Dec 07, 2005 at 04:48:27PM -0600, Josh Perrymon wrote:
> What do you guys think a fair market rate would be in NYC to perform a 3 month application security penetration test 
> ?  The rate I'm looking for is the hourly rate for the pen-tester.
>
> What if the tester was taking a 3-month contract and lives out of state//   What would a fair blended-rate be?

For what it's worth, for this kind of thing a consultant doesn't start
with an hourly rate, he starts (internally) with a *monthly* rate:
figure out how that much of your time is worth to you - or what the
market can bear - and then work backwards from there into an hourly rate.

This honors both the bulk value of purchasing time (to the extent that
it matters), and makes you consider up front the sticker-shock aspect
of the customer engagement.

Steve

--- 
Stephen J Friedl | Security Consultant |  UNIX Wizard  |   +1 714 544-6561
www.unixwiz.net  | Tustin, Calif. USA  | Microsoft MVP | steve () unixwiz net

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Audit your website security with Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner: 

Hackers are concentrating their efforts on attacking applications on your 
website. Up to 75% of cyber attacks are launched on shopping carts, forms, 
login pages, dynamic content etc. Firewalls, SSL and locked-down servers are 
futile against web application hacking. Check your website for vulnerabilities 
to SQL injection, Cross site scripting and other web attacks before hackers do! 
Download Trial at:

http://www.securityfocus.com/sponsor/pen-test_050831
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------