Is an electronic signature legally binding?

Yes in most U.S. contexts when the four ESIGN criteria are met: intent, consent, attribution, and record retention. Federal ESIGN rules (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA (where adopted) establish parity with handwritten signatures.

Do I need notarization for the scope?

Not typically. Notarization is rare for operational approvals, but state or contractual requirements may demand notarized documents; verify specific requirements with counsel or the applicable state authority.

What if testing causes an outage?

Follow escalation procedures in the scope: notify operation contacts, pause testing, preserve logs, and complete a post-incident report. Document response steps to limit liability and to support insurance or regulatory inquiries.

Can scope approval be obtained remotely?

Yes. Remote electronic approval is acceptable under ESIGN/UETA if consent and attribution are documented. For sensitive healthcare data, ensure HIPAA BAA requirements and consumer disclosures are handled appropriately.

How do I revoke or amend a signed scope?

Amendments require the same level of authorization as the original scope; record changes in a new signed version. Revocation should be explicit, documented, and communicated to all stakeholders before further testing.

What records should be retained after testing?

Retain signed scopes, activity logs, and final reports per retention policies: at least 3 years for tax/financial evidence (IRC §6501(a)), 6 years for HIPAA-related records (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer if state or contract requires.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Miscellaneous
Adversary Simulation Scope Document

Adversary Simulation Scope Document

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

Adversary Simulation Scope Document

This Adversary Simulation Scope Document (the Agreement) is entered into by and between:

Client Name: Contractor / Service Provider Name: Project Title:

Recitals

WHEREAS, Client desires to engage Contractor to perform an adversary simulation engagement designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Client's people, processes, and technical controls against realistic threat activity; and

WHEREAS, Contractor represents that it possesses the necessary expertise, personnel, and tools to conduct such simulations in accordance with the terms and restrictions set forth in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the parties intend for this Agreement to define the scope, deliverables, scheduling, and legal terms governing the engagement.

Scope of Work

Contractor shall perform adversary simulation services as described below. The simulation shall be planned and executed to respect the Rules of Engagement and limitations set forth in this document.

Detailed Scope (describe objectives, phases, and methods): Primary Deliverables:

Rules of Engagement and Constraints

The parties agree that the following constraints and rules apply to the simulation. Contractor shall at all times conduct activities with the express authorization of Client and in a manner calculated to avoid unnecessary disruption of production services.

Assets in-scope (list systems, networks, and accounts to be tested): Prohibited Activities (check all that apply):

No physical intrusion or social engineering to obtain physical access
No irreversible data destruction or permanent data modification
No denial-of-service attacks on production systems
No testing of third-party systems without prior consent

Authorized Testing Windows (local time): Escalation and Safety Procedures:

Payment Terms

Client shall pay Contractor the fees described below in exchange for the services and deliverables defined in this Agreement.

Total Contract Amount (USD): Payment Schedule (milestones, percentages, or dates): Deposit Amount (if any): Late Payment Fee:

Term and Termination

The Engagement shall commence and terminate as set forth below. Either party may terminate this Agreement in accordance with the notice and cure provisions provided herein.

Start Date: End Date: Notice Period for Termination (days): Termination for Cause (grounds and procedure):

Confidentiality

Contractor shall treat all non-public information obtained in connection with the engagement as Confidential Information. Contractor shall not disclose, use, or retain Confidential Information except as necessary to perform the services under this Agreement. Confidential Information shall include, without limitation, trade secrets, system architecture, vulnerability details, test results, and any information designated as confidential by Client.

Confidentiality Exceptions (if any):

Liability and Indemnification

Each party shall be responsible for its own acts and omissions. Contractor's liability for damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be limited to direct damages and capped at the total fees paid by Client under this Agreement, except in cases of willful misconduct, gross negligence, or breach of confidentiality, for which no cap shall apply.

Liability Cap Amount (USD):

Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state identified below, without regard to principles of conflicts of law.

Governing State:

Entire Agreement

This Agreement, including its attachments and incorporated statements of work, constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, proposals, and communications, whether written or oral. No amendment or modification will be effective unless in writing and signed by authorized representatives of both parties.

Acceptance Criteria

Deliverables shall be deemed accepted when Client has reviewed and either (i) provided written acceptance; or (ii) failed to provide written rejection citing specific deficiencies within ten (10) business days of receipt. Rejected deliverables shall be corrected by Contractor in a timely manner at no additional charge if the rejection is based on Contractor non-conformance with the agreed scope.

Acceptance Criteria / Test Cases:

Points of Contact

Client Primary Contact Name: Client Contact Email / Phone: Contractor Primary Contact Name: Contractor Contact Email / Phone:

By signing below, the undersigned representatives warrant that they are authorized to bind their respective parties to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

Client Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Contractor Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What the Adversary Simulation Scope Document Is

An Adversary Simulation Scope Document defines the boundaries, objectives, permitted methods, and safety controls for authorized offensive security testing. It specifies the systems, accounts, network segments, and data types in scope and out of scope, lists test windows and escalation contacts, and records legal and regulatory constraints. The document is used to obtain formal authorization from stakeholders, reduce operational risk during testing, and ensure results are actionable and defensible. Clear scope reduces accidental outages and helps security, legal, and operations teams coordinate before, during, and after a simulation.

Why a Formal Scope Document Matters

A written scope reduces operational disruption, clarifies legal authority, and documents agreed limits and success criteria. It supports informed consent from owners, helps meet compliance obligations, and provides an audit trail for post-test analysis and remediation planning.

Who Typically Prepares and Signs the Scope

The scope document is prepared collaboratively and approved by technical, legal, and business stakeholders before testing begins.

Security team leads and penetration testers: define technical targets, methods, and safety controls.
Business owners and system owners: confirm critical assets, acceptable downtime, and out-of-scope systems.
Legal and compliance officers: verify authority, regulatory constraints, and required notices.

A signed and dated scope is the primary evidence that the test was authorized and constrained to agreed parameters.

Typical Signatories and Their Roles

Chief Information Security Officer

Signs to confirm organizational approval and resource allocation. Responsible for accepting residual risk, ensuring coordination with operations, and confirming that legal and regulatory requirements have been reviewed.

System Owner

Signs to authorize testing on specific systems and to confirm business-critical windows and acceptable disruption parameters. Provides contacts for escalation and approves any compensating controls needed during testing.

Essential Data and Security Controls to Record

Scope Dates: MM/DD/YYYY range

In-Scope Targets: IP ranges, hostnames, apps

Out-of-Scope Items: Excluded systems

Allowed Methods: Tool types, brute-force limits

Emergency Contacts: 24/7 escalation info

Data Handling: PHI/PII protections

Key Legal and Operational Risks

Unauthorized Access: Civil and criminal exposure

Service Disruption: Operational outages risk

Regulatory Breach: HIPAA or FTC concerns

Data Exposure: Sensitive data leakage

Contract Violation: Third-party agreement breach

Reputational Harm: Customer trust damage

Common Preparation Pitfalls to Avoid

Vague target lists that omit cloud-hosted assets and third-party services, creating ambiguity and unplanned impact during testing.
Failure to document acceptable downtime or escalation procedures, which increases response time and potential operational disruption.
Not specifying authentication and data-handling rules for tests involving PHI or financial data, risking regulatory violations.
Assuming verbal approval is sufficient; lack of a signed scope can lead to legal disputes and insurance denial.

Step-by-Step: Preparing and Approving the Scope

Follow a structured approval flow to ensure clarity, authority, and safety before testing begins.

01

Define Objectives: List goals, threat emulation types, and success criteria.
02

Identify Targets: Specify hosts, accounts, and networks in scope.
03

Set Rules: Enumerate allowed methods, timing, and limits.
04

Obtain Signatures: Collect approvals from security, legal, and owners.

Configuring the Test Workflow

Document configuration choices to align technical execution with the approved scope and reduce execution-time confusion.

Field	Configuration
Scope Type	Black-box \| White-box \| Hybrid
Target Systems	IP ranges, cloud tenants
Test Window	Start and end MM/DD/YYYY
Reporting	Draft and final report dates

Digital Signing and Submission Notes

Keep signed copies in a controlled repository with versioning and access logs. If PHI is involved, ensure any eSignature vendor adheres to HIPAA BAA requirements.

Accepted Formats: PDF, DOCX
Authentication: Email link, SMS, or stronger
Audit Trail: Time, IP, action log

Typical Approval and Test Execution Flow

A clear workflow reduces miscommunication and ensures technical teams act only within approved limits during testing.

Draft Scope: Security team drafts document and risk controls.
Stakeholder Review: Legal, ops, and owners review and suggest edits.
Formal Approval: Authorized signatories sign and date the scope.
Execute Test: Testing occurs within the approved window and constraints.

Typical Dates and Deadlines to Track

Establish and communicate concrete dates to coordinate operations, reduce overlap, and meet reporting obligations.

Kickoff Meeting Date:

Schedule a pre-test coordination meeting at least 7 business days before testing begins.

Approval Deadline:

Obtain all required signatures at least 48 hours before the test window opens.

Testing Window:

Define exact start and end dates and daily active hours.

Draft Report Due:

Provide a draft report within 7–14 business days after test completion.

Final Report Delivery:

Deliver final report, remediation steps, and evidentiary logs within 30 days.

eSignature Pricing and Feature Comparison for Scope Approval

Basic vendor pricing and feature availability for eSignature tools used to collect approvals are summarized below; signNow is listed first per guidance.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Examples: How Organizations Use a Scope Document

Real-world examples show how a clear scope document reduced risk and accelerated remediation after adversary simulations.

Optica Ventures — COO

The team formalized targets and blackout windows in the scope document to avoid business interruption.

The test focused on external web apps and credentials.
The signed scope enabled rapid sign-off, clearer remediation priorities, and reduced post-test operational friction for both IT and customers.

Martin Properties — Founder

Scope defined cloud management APIs and excluded tenant billing systems to protect tenants.

Testing used non-destructive methods only.
Having the scope documented and signed allowed the security team to complete a full assessment without impacting property management systems or tenant services.

Best Practices for a Clear, Defensible Scope

Adopt structured templates, require stakeholder sign-off, and preserve auditable evidence to reduce legal and operational exposure.

Use a Standard Template

Employ a single template that captures objectives, targets, exclusions, allowed techniques, escalation contacts, and reporting expectations. Standardization reduces ambiguity between engagements and supports consistent legal review and insurer requirements.

Include Regulatory Clauses

When tests touch health, education, or financial data, include clauses referencing HIPAA, FERPA, or applicable financial regulation. Explicitly state handling of PHI/PII and preservation duties to reduce compliance risk.

Record Approvals with Audit Trail

Collect approvals using an eSignature solution that preserves identity, timestamps, IP addresses, and a certificate of completion. An auditable trail supports internal reviews and external inquiries about authorization.

Coordinate with Third Parties

If third-party services or vendors are in scope, obtain documented approval or coordinate via contractual channels. Failing to involve third parties can lead to contract breaches or unexpected outages.

FAQs and Troubleshooting for the Scope Document

Answers to common questions about authorization, eSigning, legal validity, and what to do if a test causes unintended impact.

Need help? Contact support

Is an electronic signature legally binding?
Yes in most U.S. contexts when the four ESIGN criteria are met: intent, consent, attribution, and record retention. Federal ESIGN rules (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA (where adopted) establish parity with handwritten signatures.
Do I need notarization for the scope?
Not typically. Notarization is rare for operational approvals, but state or contractual requirements may demand notarized documents; verify specific requirements with counsel or the applicable state authority.
What if testing causes an outage?
Follow escalation procedures in the scope: notify operation contacts, pause testing, preserve logs, and complete a post-incident report. Document response steps to limit liability and to support insurance or regulatory inquiries.
Can scope approval be obtained remotely?
Yes. Remote electronic approval is acceptable under ESIGN/UETA if consent and attribution are documented. For sensitive healthcare data, ensure HIPAA BAA requirements and consumer disclosures are handled appropriately.
How do I revoke or amend a signed scope?
Amendments require the same level of authorization as the original scope; record changes in a new signed version. Revocation should be explicit, documented, and communicated to all stakeholders before further testing.
What records should be retained after testing?
Retain signed scopes, activity logs, and final reports per retention policies: at least 3 years for tax/financial evidence (IRC §6501(a)), 6 years for HIPAA-related records (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer if state or contract requires.

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