Security Testing of Web Applications

A number of studies have shown a steady increase in the number of unique pieces of malware created and distributed by cyber criminals. Many cyber criminals even use advanced techniques to take control of a website, and use it for malware distribution. Hence, each enterprise must get the security of websites and web application assessed on a regular basis. It must deploy seasoned testers to identify all vulnerabilities in the web application that make it prone to a variety of targeted malware attacks.

The testers will also evaluate the hosting environment of the web application to check if it is deployed in a secure environment, and accessed by users over a secure network. They will further combine various security testing techniques and tools to decide the measures required to keep the web application functional and protect valuable business data continuously. However, the enterprise must embed security testing smoothly into the software development and deployment process. Also, it needs to make security testing a continuously process to protect the web application from emerging security threats and new pieces of malware.

Why Security Testing of Web Applications must be a Continuous Process?

Cyber Criminals can Target Any Website

The information posted on various websites depict that cyber criminals have already hacked the website of many Fortune 500 companies. Unlike small businesses and start-ups, the fortune 500 companies always build comprehensive web application security defences. Despite investing in the latest security techniques, the large enterprises often fail to protect their web applications from emerging security threats. The cyber criminals combine innovative technique and advanced tools to break the security defence built by enterprises. Hence, each website nowadays is vulnerable to security attacks regardless of its size, usage, popularity, and location.

Access Control can be exploited

The term access control includes all authentication and authorization required to access a website, web server, hosting panel, and business system. Often programmers implement a variety of authorization and authentication to make the website accessible only to authorized users. But the cyber criminals use varying techniques to make the access control systems ineffective. For instance, the hackers commonly use a technique called brute force to login to a website by using possible username and password combinations. Thus, the access control system implemented by the developers often fails to combat the new techniques used by hackers. A business can always prevent the access control system of its website from being exploited by performing elaborate security testing.

Each Piece of Code has Flaws

Despite exercising utmost care and caution, programmers often fail to eliminate all flaws in the source code of the web applications. The flaws in its source code often make the website vulnerable to targeted malware attacks. The cyber criminals frequently look for ways hack website by taking advantage of the loopholes in the websites, web server, or deployment environment. These vulnerabilities further make it easier for hackers to execute SQL injection, local file inclusion, code execution and similar security attacks remotely. The seasoned software testing professionals often think like cyber criminals while testing websites and web applications. They even use the right techniques to identify and eliminate all security vulnerabilities in the web application and infrastructure.

Minimal Control over Third-Party Services and APIs

Nowadays most web applications use a variety of third-party APIs and services to deliver optimal user experience. The integration of third-party services and APIs makes it easier for developers to enhance the website’s functionality, usability, and user experience. But the third-party APIs and services make the websites vulnerable to various security threats. Often cyber criminals try to access the websites and infrastructure through the pieces of code written by external programmers. For instance, they always try to spread malware through the external ad networks. So a business must conduct security testing to ensure that each third-party service or API used by the web application is safe. Also, it must get the web application tested thoroughly to ensure that the third-party codes are not affecting the web application’s overall security.

Compromising Sensitive Customer Data

The security loopholes in a web application will affect the customers directly. The security loopholes will make it easier for cyber criminals to access confidential and private data of customers through cross-site scripting. The hackers can further use the sensitive customer data to conduct identity thefts. Likewise, the cyber criminals can also access the sensitive customer data stored in databases by executing SQL injection. So the security of a web application will impact its popularity and goodwill in the longer run. When a business performs comprehensive security testing, it becomes easier for the websites to keep all customer data secure.

Devastating Consequences of Security Breach

Often the malware attacks on small websites remain unreported and unnoticed. But the security issues in a website can have devastating effect on a small businesses and start-ups. Most states nowadays have strict laws to protect the sensitive information of citizens. When the private information of citizens is accessed by cyber criminals through its web application, an enterprise has to pay stiff fines and penalties. The security breach will further make the customers lose trust in the website. So each business must assess the security of its web applications continuously regardless of its size and scale. Also, each business must perform elaborate security testing to protect its web applications from emerging security threats.

Keep the Web Applications Functional and Live

Recently, many large enterprises have to shut down their websites and mobile apps temporarily due to denial of service attacks. Likewise, a steady increase is also being noted in the number of enterprises spending a lot of money due to ransomware. Hence, often enterprises fail to keep their web applications functional and live despite investing in robust security technologies and tools. When an enterprise performs security testing continuously, it can easily assess how the web application behaves and functions in the event of denial of service or ransomware attacks. The security testing results will further make it easier for the enterprise to decide the measures required to keep its web application functional and live despite varying targeted security attacks.

Implement Key Security Concepts

A number of studies have shown that the cyber criminals have been developing and distributing unique pieces of malware on a regular basis. Each emerging malware attacks the website through the loopholes in the authentication and authorization, input validation, login system and exception management. Hence, an enterprise must implement key security concepts like authorization, authentication, availability, integrity, confidentiality and non-repudiation to protect its web application from new malwares. Also, the business needs to implement the security concepts in the most appropriate way to make the website accessible only to genuine and authorized users. The security testing results will make it easier for the business to decide if the key security concepts are implemented perfectly.

On the whole, each enterprise must make security testing an integral part of the web application’s software development lifecycle (SDLC). It must get all security vulnerabilities in the website identified and fixed before its deployment to avoid releasing security patches in future. At the same time, the business also needs to assess the security of the website after deployment to keep it functional and eliminate impact of new pieces of malware.