Between pen tests, run the repeatable checks: dependency scanning on every change, code and web scans in CI, monitoring for new advisories, and regression tests for past findings. NIST describes regular scanning interspersed with periodic penetration testing as a way to prevent many attacks and reduce the impact of successful ones.
Why the gap matters
A test report is true on the dates tested. After that, new code ships and new advisories are published. NIST SP 800-115 advises doing less labor intensive testing regularly to maintain the required security posture, since penetration testing is costly and annual testing may be enough.
A schedule
| Cadence | Check | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Every pull request | Dependency diff and policy gate | Stop new known flaws |
| Every build | Code scan, secrets scan | Catch coding and credential mistakes |
| Daily | Rescan the SBOM against new advisories | Catch flaws disclosed after release |
| Weekly | Web or API scan of staging | Catch behavior regressions |
| Monthly | External exposure check | Notice new open services |
| Quarterly | Review accepted risks and exceptions | Stop exceptions going stale |
| After each pen test finding | Regression test | Keep fixed bugs fixed |
| Yearly or on major change | Pen test | Human depth |
What each layer buys you
Pull request gates prevent new problems. Daily rescans catch problems that appear after release, because a package that was clean on Monday can have an advisory on Friday. Regression tests protect past fixes. None of them replaces the human depth of a test, but together they shrink what the next test has to find.
Steps
- Generate an SBOM for each release and keep it.
- Add a gate on pull requests so a new vulnerable dependency is reviewed before merge.
- Subscribe your inventory to advisory updates, so a new CVE for an old package reaches you.
- Turn each pen test finding into an automated test where possible.
- Review the schedule after any incident or major architecture change.
- Keep dated records. They show an assessor what happened between reports.
Related: how often to run SAST, DAST and SCA and continuous monitoring vs point in time scans.
Try it yourself
Open the demo and see how continuous monitoring flags a newly published issue in a component you already shipped.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Quick check
Can regular scanning replace the next pen test?
No. NIST SP 800-53 says penetration testing goes beyond automated scanning. Scans cover breadth and frequency, tests cover depth.
What is the cheapest useful check?
A dependency scan with a pull request gate. It runs on every change and stops known flaws from entering.
Safeguard provides SBOM and dependency scanning, continuous advisory monitoring, and policy gates that block risky changes. Try the free scan.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
