Digitization has led to the development of web applications, websites, and
other tools. Besides changing the way that we share information, interact, or
do business, these digital elements have transformed our lives for the better.
Enterprises, in order to stay flexible, profitable, and competitive, are moving
their operations online. This way, they allow their employees, clients,
customers, and other stakeholders to stay connected 24x7. Also, employees
working in remote offices across countries can interact and collaborate in
real-time by using such technologies.
The introduction of Web 2.0 has brought convenience, speed, choices, and
quality on a platter for the customers. The growing customers’ appetite for
top-notch web applications has led businesses or entities to share sensitive
data all across the value chain. The examples of e-commerce stores and online
banking exemplify this trend. If such advancements have brought enormous
benefits for individuals, businesses, and organizations, they have attracted
hackers and scammers as well.
The news about malware, ransomware, trojans, and viruses playing havoc has
become common now. In fact, cybercrime has become a $1.5 trillion industry as
we move into the year 2020. It has the potential to push individuals,
businesses, and organizations into a downward spiral. The cumulative effect of
cybercrime has given rise to the industry of web application security.
Let us take you through the ways to secure your web applications in the
form of a guide. Here, the focus would be on conducting a comprehensive web
application security audit encompassing web application security
testing.
Assessing the Target Web Application: The process can involve the use of an
automated web vulnerability scanner provided the pre-scan activities are
already done. However, the procedure is not foolproof and can give rise to
several false positives as well. This happens as the web vulnerability scanners
are meant to scan a number of complex web applications. The users, thus, need
to align these scanners to the specific business needs.
The web application security
testing can begin by conducting a manual assessment of the target
web application. Thus, you can get familiarized with the architecture and
topology of the web application. Find out about the directory, file structure,
number of pages, and files present in the application. Also, know about the
application’s root directory, source code, online forms, and URL structure.
Since there are a number of vulnerabilities specific to web technologies, it is
better you know the one used to develop the application - PHP and .NET, among
others. Find out if the web application had crawled from the black-box scanner
before launching the scan. Remember, if the web application is not crawled and
leaves out some parts or parameters, then securing the application will not
happen.
Denial of Service (DOS) Checklist: Web applications cannot distinguish
between valid traffic and a malicious attack. Among the reasons, the
uselessness of IP addresses as identification credentials comes at the top. For
example, during a distributed attack the web application cannot identify a real
attack from multiple users reloading at the same time. In this type of software application security testing,
the number of sessions per user should be checked and regulated, if need be.
Penetration Testing: Make sure all the web penetration
tools are available in a centralized repository supporting the import and
export of data. The application
security testing services should use penetration testing
- manually as well as using tools to check for logical vulnerabilities and to
audit the application.
Web Application Firewall (WAF): It can analyze web traffic emanating
from IP addresses containing both HTTP and HTTPS. This way WAF can identify
malicious traffic that works at the application layer. It can block connections
to known vulnerabilities in a web application thereby preempting any malicious
attack. However, it comes with a few shortcomings as well:
- Ability to detect only known security vulnerabilities
- Depends on the expertise of the user
- No fixing of security holes in web applications
The software application security
testing should be conducted throughout the SDLC and not when the application goes live. It comprises of several methods such as:
- Using a black-box scanner
- Conducting a manual source code audit
- Identifying coding issues using an automated white-box scanner
- Penetration testing
- Conducting a manual security audit
Conclusion
Web applications can be the ideal conduit for the ingress of malicious
codes into an IT system. However, the quality of such applications can be enhanced,
and security strengthened by using the right vulnerability scanner. By
employing a focused application
security testing methodology, both logical and technical vulnerabilities
can be identified and fixed. The other avenues include limiting remote access,
switching off unnecessary functionalities, using accounts with limited
privileges, segregating live environments from development and testing,
installing security patches, and staying informed.
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