Bishop Fox Cosmos External Penetration Testing (CEPT) is a professional security testing service that extends beyond automated attack surface management to identify and validate exploitable exposures in external-facing systems. The service combines automated scanning with manual testing by certified security professionals to discover unconventional attack vectors and validate their exploitability under real-world conditions. CEPT expands on the coverage provided by Cosmos Attack Surface Management (CASM) by conducting additional reconnaissance of digital footprints, analyzing atypical vulnerabilities in remote access systems, file transfers, databases, and messaging systems. Testers emulate sophisticated attack chains to determine post-exploitation impact and assess which vulnerabilities could lead to compromise of critical internal assets. The service addresses compliance requirements by providing attestation letters that verify adherence to regulatory standards including PCI, HIPAA, FISMA, GDPR, and SOC2. Testing can be conducted at various frequencies to meet stakeholder requirements from regulators, insurers, and other parties. CEPT utilizes expert testers who employ advanced tools and techniques to circumvent security controls, assess detection and response capabilities, and align severity ratings with demonstrated business impact. The service aims to reduce alert fatigue by focusing on vulnerabilities with proven exploitation paths to sensitive systems rather than generating extensive lists of theoretical exposures.