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Is Security Testing just a hype or a harsh reality?
Is it not an integral part of your standard testing procedure yet?
Security testing is done to safeguard your B2B and B2C web applications, mobile applications, portals from malicious attacks. It is of utmost importance that any security vulnerabilities present, are first detected at the organization’s level and then rectified before the web applications go live. A Data Security breach can cost you more than just money!
The snapshot here shows some of the recent security breaches
Image Source: informationisbeautiful.net
We have broadly categorized Web Application Vulnerabilities as mentioned below
-
Technical Vulnerabilities
- Result of insecure programming techniques
- Mitigation requires code changes
- Detectable by scanners
-
Logical Vulnerabilities
- Result of insecure programming logic
- Most often due to poor decisions regarding trust
- Mitigation often requires design/architecture changes
- Detection often requires humans to understand the context
4 Perils of not using Security Testing for your website or application are…
- Loss of Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability and Accountability
- Loss of customer trust / Reputation damage
- Loss of revenue
- Privacy and Compliance Violation
Related Read: How To Avoid Mr. Robot? Ways To Firewall Yourself From The Hack !
Here we recommend two of the best practices that can ensure that your websites / web apps / portals are always up and running. Using both these approaches together for security testing will ensure providing robust and secure software solutions / frameworks.
So what are the 2 resourceful Security Testing Trends?
1. Penetration Testing – Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
Pen testing helps in detecting vulnerabilities after software solution / web application / product is complete. It assists in analyzing where the vulnerability resides. After the Security Tester identifies a vulnerability, the Developer needs to review and understand the code then identify fix location and verify remediation. Pen testing has high false negative potential. It is a very time consuming activity and may take days of work and sometimes even months depending on the size of the web application.
Pen tests can only be performed at the end of a lifecycle and may delay the release if the large number of vulnerabilities are found and they include new costs every time a test is performed. Hence look for a reliable Penetration testing services provider that helps you reduce cost and time-to-market exponentially.
2. Securing Applications using Source Code Analysis Tools – Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
Tools for Source code analysis help in detecting vulnerabilities during the software development process, identify code location and give an indication on how and where to fix the code. Some of the source code analysis tools can even integrate with the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) process and can talk to various Source Code Repositories, Build Management Systems, Bug Tracking System etc. This provides results in minutes while scanning small projects and a few hours on larger projects. These do not incur cost per scan if the source code analysis solution is deployed on premise. Developers can become part of the security process, learn and gain expertise in secure coding practices.
Static Code Analysis is fast, identifies many more security weaknesses in the applications than DAST, fairly accurate with lower rate of false positives by applying smart code analysis algorithms. Are you using one for your applications yet?
Here are the various options to evaluate application security
- Quarterly / Semi-Annual / Annual Penetration Tests – Black box testing
- Application Source Code Security Assessment
- On-going Assessments (After every change in the application)
Also Read: From BPO To BPM – Business Process Management Trends To Watch For In 2016 !
(Disclaimer: This is a guest post submitted on Techstory by the mentioned authors.All the contents and images in the article have been provided to Techstory by the authors of the article. Techstory is not responsible or liable for any content in this article.)
About Suma Soft:
Suma Soft has been providing IT Risk and Security Management services and solutions for more than 5 years now and has been CERTIn empaneled with various Govt. Agencies in India for performing Security Audit and Consulting work.
For a comprehensive IT Security Assessment of your Applications and IT Infrastructure, you can reach them at info@sumasoft.net