CREST Australia New Zealand (CREST ANZ) announced the launch of its Accredited Best of Breed Penetration Tester (ABPT) programme, a comprehensive accreditation designed to recognise penetration testers using a multi-dimensional assessment model that extends beyond technical examinations alone.
Developed in response to industry and government calls for a more holistic accreditation framework, ABPT assesses practitioners across Technical Competency, Professional Competency and Trust Standards. The programme recognises that technical certifications alone do not provide a complete picture of an individual’s capability, professionalism or suitability to undertake high-risk security testing engagements.
George Bej, CEO of CREST ANZ, said the programme represents an important step forward for Australia’s cyber security profession.
“Government agencies and enterprise organisations are increasingly looking for greater confidence in the people entrusted to identify vulnerabilities within their most critical systems. ABPT delivers that confidence through a rigorous, evidence-based accreditation process.”
“Technical knowledge remains fundamental, but clients also need assurance that penetration testers demonstrate professional judgement, commercial experience, ethical behaviour and trustworthiness.”
Applicants undergo a structured assessment process including validation of qualifications, review of industry experience, panel-based technical examination, psychometric assessment, employer and client reference checks, police verification and additional trust assessments.
Technical assessment covers a broad range of modern penetration testing disciplines including web applications, APIs, mobile applications, cloud, wireless, infrastructure, OT and SCADA, IoT, exploitation, social engineering and red teaming.
For organisations, ABPT provides an independent benchmark for workforce capability, helping identify skills gaps, guide professional development investment and strengthen responses to government and enterprise procurement requirements.
“Cyber threats continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Organisations deserve confidence that the professionals assessing their security are not only technically capable, but also experienced, ethical and trusted. ABPT has been designed to recognise exactly those qualities.”
