Security Testing: A Necessity Rather Than A Task

In today’s mobile world, even when the companies try hard to keep the software safe and secure, any software has its own set of errors and vulnerabilities. As different aspects of our lives are becoming digital and more technical, the need for security testing is increasing day by day.

Security testing looks into the following aspects of software:.

• Authorization
• Availability
• Non-repudiation
• Authentication
• Confidentiality
• Integrity
• Resilience

In this blog, we will look at the major types of security threats, the need for security testing, different kinds of security testing tools and the techniques used.

Security testing: Need

Now, let’s discuss in detail why security testing is necessary for software. Several reasons can be stated to answer this. Below is a list.

• If you don’t focus on building a secure network, your company’s customer count will be on a decline.
• As the customer count gets low, revenue will be affected.
• Budget-wise, it is more helpful to test the software and rectify the bugs earlier rather than correcting the mistakes later.
• Extra expenses in the future can be saved if you have a better security code.
• If the security code in your software gets attacked, the personal information of your customers can be leaked, and they can sue you for that.

Types of Cyber-Attacks

The definition of crime in today’s world is changing, and cyber-attacks and digital threats have become a common aspect. In this, there are various kinds of breaches. Many of these attacks can cost the company extra money and unnecessary time and attention. Let’s dig deeper into the various types of these threats.

SQL Injection

Here, the breach occurs when the attacker puts harmful SQL statements into the entry field for execution. This might lead to a leakage of classified information from the server database. This is why SQL injection is dangerous. Properly checking various aspects of the software like comments, text boxes, etc., this can be prevented. This generally occurs when there are some loopholes and weak links in the system. Also, the correct usage of special characters in the input is necessary.

Privilege Elevation

Here, the hackers use their already existing accounts to raise the privileges to a more upper level than they deserve. If they become successful in doing this, the privilege is used to run the code, and hence, the system eventually gives in.

URL Manipulation

Here, attackers change the URL query string to access the information. Using the HTTP GET method to pass information between the server and the client is a practice that many software follows. These are quite prone to such attacks. In this method, the information flow is in the parameter in the query string. That is why the tester must modify the parameters to check if the server is accepting it.

Unauthorized Data Access

Here, the hackers gain access to the data and the information by illegal and unauthorized means. This consists of,

• Using information-fetching operations to have access.
• Having access to the client authentication information is reusable. This is done by keeping track of the success of others.
• Gaining access to the data by regulating others’ access.

Data Manipulation

Here, the hackers gain access to the software data and change it for their profit. They also do it to humiliate the owner of the software. This is done by gaining access to the HTML pages of the website.

Identity Spoofing

Here, the hackers, utilize the credentials of an authentic user or device only to attack the network hosts, to gain the advantage over accessing controls, and also for data theft. Network-level mitigations and IT infrastructure is required to avoid and tackle such attacks.

Denial of Service

Here, the hacker’s primary goal is to freeze a specific system or network resource so that it becomes unavailable for actual authenticated users. If this takes place, the whole system can be at risk of unusable.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Here, the hackers insert the script from the client’s side into the web pages designed for other users. This manipulates them into clicking the URL. This is one of the significant risks found in web applications. After that URL click, the code changes how the website behaves and allows the hacker to execute personal data and critical information theft.

Preventive measures

So these were the types of cyber-attacks that usually take place in the software criminal zone. Now, let’s dig into some solutions to these threats.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

The verification of cross-site scripting must be done by the testers on any given web application. A tester must make sure that the software does not accept any HTML or script. If it is accepting, then it can be said to be potentially prone to XSS. This gives the hacker the space to put up harmful scripts in the software. Also, the hacker can manipulate the User’s browser’s URL for a major level of data theft. It must be performed for greater-than, apostrophe, and less-then signs.

Ethical Hacking

This is done by organizations and/or individuals to detect potential vulnerabilities in the given software. This provides a proper way for the hacker to have access to the main security code of the system. White hats, also known as ethical hackers, try to breach=h into the software to check for vulnerabilities that any potential hacker can use to their advantage.

Password Cracking

Many a time, attackers break into the system by using password cracking tools to guess the commonly used passwords. This way, they gain access to private data and extort it. These widely used passwords can be easily found on the web with open-source password cracking tools. Hence, it is essential to test password cracking.

Penetration Testing

It can be called an authorized and regulated attack on the given system, software, or network to check for security loopholes and weak links that the attackers can insert.

Security scanning

This program identifies web application vulnerabilities by establishing communication with the software through the web front-end.

Security auditing

In security auditing, a systematic evaluation of the security of an organization’s data and information system is done. It is intended to check how well it complies with the given guidelines.

Risk analysis

The verification of potential future risks is done here. Each risk is measured and analyzed. The defects are identified and then rectified. If this is done after the software release, it gets pretty expensive.

This is why it becomes essential to properly analyze the different types of risks and detect the areas in the system that are most vulnerable to security risks. To reduce the risk of security threats after the release, acting earlier on understanding the vulnerabilities helps.

SQL injection

These types of attacks are generally very harmful. The attackers try to steal private and confidential data from the server database. Ideally, when any tester puts a single quote (‘) in the textbox, it should get rejected by the software. On the other hand, if the software shows a database error, it means that the application has executed any input inserted in the query.

The above-explained scenario means that the software is more vulnerable to security threats. But what is the method to detect or identify the areas of the software that are liable to such attacks?

One should detect a code database of the application where direct MySQL queries are executed by taking in any user inputs. SQL injection testing can be executed for brackets, question marks, apostrophes, and quotation marks.

Posture assessment

This is a combination of Security scanning, Ethical hacking, and risk assessment. It is used to decide the overall security posture of a company.

Vulnerability scanning

This helps to detect the area in the given software or network that is vulnerable to threats and detect the security threats.

Testing for URL manipulation

If an application is using the HTTP GET method for client-server communication, it becomes easy for the hackers to manipulate the URL of that application. As discussed earlier, this involves the information flow through parameters in the query string. In this case, the tester should check if any private or confidential data is being flown through the query strings. Along with this, it should be made sure that the server is not accepting any invalid and non-authentic parameter values in the query strings.

Tools

Now, after having a look at types of cyber-attacks and their subsequent solutions, let’s see the different types of tools used for security testing.

Application testing tools

This type of tool helps detect the potential future vulnerabilities that are present in your application before the release. It gives you a proper time frame to correct the bugs. Examples of this type of tool are IBM Rational Robot, Apache JMeter, Selenium, Rational Functional Tester (RFT), etc.

Code review tools

This helps in assessing the application source code. This detects mistakes that are made in the developmental phase. This results in polishing the developer’s skills and good maintenance of the overall quality and security of the application. An example of this type of tool is Crucible, A collaborator by Smart Bear, Reviewable, etc.

Penetration testing tools

Often, it is not enough to execute manual testing to detect all the risks present in the software. Sin such cases, Penetration testing tools play an essential role. By performing penetration tests, some of the tasks are automatized. This makes the testing process more efficient and identifies the errors that are not identifiable during manual testing. Examples of this type of testing are Wire shark, CORE Impact, Metasploit, w3af, etc.

Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP)

This one is an inbuilt security technology in software. This helps to detect and tackle real-time software attacks.

Security review software

Often, organizations tend to outsource the developing process of their application. Many a time, they also may use third-party software. In aby case, the outsourced applications come in with many risks. Security review software helps detect the threats that come with this software.

Software testing tools

As the security on the enterprise layers increases, hackers are now shifting their eyes towards the application layer. The result of this is that they are now prone to 90% of the vulnerabilities in the application. The way to protect your application from these vulnerabilities is to test the software and analyze the code in detail. It must be done from the initial stages of the SDLC. Examples of these types of tools are Coded UI Test, Unified Functional Testing, Selenium, Sahi, etc.

Vulnerability assessment tools

This helps one detect the upcoming potential risks and avoid them before they hamper the business and your reputation. Examples of this type of tool are Nmap, DB-Scan, STAT, etc.

Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing tools (VAPT)

Penetration testing and Vulnerability assessment testing are two wholly different kinds of testing methods with different strengths. When these two are combined, it becomes much easier to achieve an overall analysis of the application.

Vulnerability scanning

As noted earlier, organizations outsource their application development to a third party. This doesn’t guarantee to receive back a genuine bug-and risk-free product. Here, Vulnerability scanning helps to detect loopholes, weak links, harmful codes, and other threats in the software.

Conclusion

It is not easy to maintain software. A process of regular testing and detection of bugs is necessary for the application to run smoothly. If not, the security of the software is at stake, and ultimately the privacy and confidential data of the users are at risk.

To avoid misuse and attacks, security testing is a must.

How VTEST can help

With a strong and regularly tested code of its application, VTEST is here to make a radical mark in the security testing field. With professionals constantly at work to give a secure code to the clients, VTEST is here to help your application become stronger and safer.

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