The verdict in three sentences
A web-app security audit (pentest) covering the OWASP Top 10 costs between 3,000 and 12,000 EUR in 2026, remediation retest included. Set against the average cost of an SME breach — often above 100,000 EUR across remediation, business loss and GDPR penalties, it is the cheapest insurance in the IT budget. The real risk is not paying for a pentest; it is shipping an app that handles sensitive data without one.
OWASP risks and their budget
The OWASP Top 10 lists the most exploited flaws. A serious audit tests them all, with manual exploitation rather than a mere automated scan.
| OWASP 2026 risk | Typical impact | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Broken Access Control | Access to other accounts' data | critical |
| Injection (SQL/NoSQL) | Database theft/tampering | critical |
| Cryptographic Failures | Cleartext data, exposed secrets | high |
| Authentication Failures | Compromised accounts, brute force | high |
| Security Misconfiguration | Open ports, headers, S3 | medium |
| Vulnerable Components | Outdated dependencies | medium |
| SSRF / Insecure Design | Internal pivot, broken logic | variable |
Which level to fund
Not everything is protected the same way: the budget depends on data sensitivity and exposed surface.
| Level | Scope | 2026 budget | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automated scan | Known vulnerabilities | 800-2,000 EUR | quarterly |
| Standard pentest | Manual OWASP Top 10 + retest | 3,000-6,000 EUR | annual |
| Deep pentest | Grey box, business logic | 6,000-12,000 EUR | annual |
| Hardening | MFA, encryption, CSP headers | 3,000-8,000 EUR | at go-live |
| Compliance audit (ANSSI/GDPR) | Governance + technical | 8,000-20,000 EUR | as required |
The baseline recommendations stay the same: mandatory MFA, encryption at rest and in transit, secrets management, logging, and applying ANSSI best practices (hygiene guide).
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Mini case study
Nadia, security lead at a Paris fintech SME, is shipping an app handling banking data. She funds a deep pentest at 9,000 EUR before launch. The audit reveals a Broken Access Control flaw letting a user read others' transactions. Fixed before production, that flaw could have triggered a breach estimated at over 150,000 EUR (regulator notification, emergency remediation, lost trust). The audit's ROI is immediate: 9,000 EUR spent against a six-figure incident avoided.
FAQ
Is an automated scan enough? No: it detects known vulnerabilities (800-2,000 EUR) but misses business-logic and access-control flaws, which are the costliest. It complements, not replaces, a manual pentest.
How often should we audit? At least once a year and at every major release. A financial or health app justifies a half-yearly cadence.
Is the retest included? With a serious provider, yes: after your fixes, they reverify the flaws are truly closed. Require it in the quote.
What does a breach really cost an SME? Across remediation, downtime, GDPR notification and lost customers, the bill often tops 100,000 EUR, not counting reputational damage.
Should we aim for a certification? Not always. For most SMEs, applying the OWASP Top 10 and ANSSI hygiene guide suffices; certifications (ISO 27001, HDS) depend on sector and customers.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the nature of the data you process and your go-live date, and we will define the right audit and hardening level. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
