Strengthening your Web Application Security with Software Testing

There has been a move towards building web applications given the rising cost of mobile applications. However, one thing has remained unchanged – of according low priority to web application security testing. The consequences are quick and dire with cybercriminals targeting such applications confidently. Companies like Monsanto, Ebay, and Target, among many others bore the brunt of security breaches. The situation is not getting under control but rather worsening with each passing day.

It appears the hackers are finding it easy to break into applications and databases at will and decamping with the stolen data. If analysed properly, part of the problem seems to lie with the enterprises themselves. Their obsession with releasing web applications quickly and get ahead of the block is leaving vulnerabilities and glitches go unchecked. In fact, software application security testing is often overlooked in favor of app management, code development, and visual design.

So, as an enterprise if your priority is to be commercial with web applications, then web application security testing needs to be the priority and not an afterthought. Let us first understand the consequences of not making dynamic application security testing an integral part of the SDLC.

·       Resident vulnerabilities can remain unchecked, which are exploited by hackers

·       Breaches occur leading to a loss of sensitive customer and business data and information

·       Enterprises may fall foul of regulatory bodies by not complying with mandatory protocols/regulations

·       Enterprises may face lawsuits from affected parties (customers and clients) and served penalties causing huge financial outgo

·       Brand name takes a hit, sometimes irretrievably

To pre-empt your organization from being at the receiving end of such attacks, you should strengthen the security of web applications or for that matter any software during development. Let us understand how by applying a robust application security testing methodology the security of web applications can be strengthened.

Strengthening web application security with software testing

The importance of testing cannot be glossed over any further and should be applied in letter and spirit. This can strengthen your application’ security mechanism and make it impervious to cyber-attacks.

·       Penetration testing to identify the loopholes: You must know how hackers can attack your web application. This will provide you with insights on the ways to strengthen security. So, conduct penetration testing wherein professional QA testers shall attack the application to identify its loopholes or vulnerabilities. However, conduct such a testing in an isolated environment. The security penetration testing can help you learn more about the following:

o   Cross-site scripting

o   Cross-site request forgery attacks

o   SQL injection attacks

o   Broken authentication

o   Insecure deserialization

·       Keep a backup: It is always a good idea to keep a backup of your data. So, post any cyber-attack scenario when you need to have your website go live once again, the backup data will come in handy. No need to describe the scenario where there is no backup and a malware attack strips everything clean leaving the organization tottering on the brink.

·       Implement DevSecOps: With DevOps implementation, enterprises aim at building a CI/CD pipeline where both Development (along with QA) and Operations work in close coordination and collaboration. This can be further strengthened with DevSecOps where ‘Sec or Security’ is made part of the whole system. Enterprises need to mandatorily follow a culture wherein security becomes everyone’s responsibility and not just of the QA team. As an application security testing strategy employees should scrupulously follow the Risk and Compliance manual and do not inadvertently divulge password or other details.

·       Encryption is a must: Any web application has several APIs connecting various modules to third-party applications. These can be the entry points for hackers to get into the application and siphon off sensitive business and customer information. So, all conduits for data transmission within and outside the application should be encrypted. The same can be verified through software application security testing.

·       Use SSL Encryption or HTTPS: Use SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TSL (Transport Layer Security) protocol to encrypt information in your login pages. These can protect sensitive information such as debit/credit card numbers, login details, or social security numbers, among others from falling into the hands of hackers. In addition, many browsers flag certain websites or web applications without HTTPS as insecure thereby preventing potential users from accessing them.

Conclusion

The security testing of web applications is of prime importance, like any other software, as it will help enterprises to secure their deliverables and earn trust from the end customers. In the competitive world of business, it is trust that will keep any company in good stead vis-à-vis its equation with customers and competitors.

What are the best testing tools for 2020?

Digitalization, although a blessing in every sense of the word, can have its basket of thorns as well. This refers to the hacking activities using measures like phishing or introducing elements like ransomware, viruses, trojans, and malware. Globally, security breaches have caused an annual loss of $20.38 million in 2019 (Source: Statista.com). Also, cybercrime has led to a loss of 0.80% of the world’s GDP, which sums up to around $2.1 trillion in 2019 alone (Source: Cybriant.com).

With a greater number of enterprises and entities clambering onto the digital bandwagon, security considerations have taken a center stage. And since new technologies like AI/ML, IoT, and Big Data, are increasingly making inroads into our day-to-day lives, the risks associated with cybercrime are growing as well. Further, the use of web and mobile applications in transacting financial data has put the entire digital paraphernalia exposed to security breaches. The inherent vulnerabilities present in such applications can be exploited by cybercriminals to siphon off critical data including money.

To stem the rot and preempt adverse consequences of cybercrime, such as losing customer trust and brand reputation, security testing should be made mandatory. Besides executing application security testing, every software should be made compliant with global security protocols and regulations. These include ISO/IEC 27001 & 27002, RFC 2196, CISQ, NIST, ANSI/ISA, PCI, and GDPR.

Thus, in the Agile-DevSecOps driven software development cycle, security testing entails identifying and mitigating the vulnerabilities in a system. These may include SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), broken authentication, security misconfiguration, session management, Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) or failure to restrict URL access, among others. No wonder, penetration testing is accorded high priority when it comes to securing an application. So, to make the software foolproof against malicious codes or hackers, let us find out the best security testing tools for 2020.

What are the best security testing tools for 2020?

Any application security testing methodology shall entail the conduct of functional testing. This way, many vulnerabilities and security issues can be identified, which if not addressed in time can lead to hacking. The tool needed to conduct such testing can be both open-source and paid. Let us discuss them in detail.

·         Nessus: Used for vulnerability assessment and penetrating testing, this remote security scanning tool has been developed by Tenable Inc. While testing the software, especially on Windows and Unix systems, the tool raises an alert if it identifies any vulnerability. Initially available for free, Nessus is now a paid tool. Even though it costs around $2,190 per year, it remains one of the popular and highly effective scanners to check vulnerabilities. It employs a simple language aka Nessus Attack Scripting Language (NASL) to identify potential attacks and threats.

·         Burp Suite: When it comes to web application security testing, Burp Suite remains hugely popular. Developed by PortSwigger Web Security and written in Java, it offers an integrated penetrating testing platform to execute software security testing for web applications. The various tools within its overarching framework cover the entire testing process. These include tasks like mapping & analysis and finding security vulnerabilities.

·         Nmap: Also known as the Network Mapper, this is an open-source tool to conduct security auditing. Additionally, it can detect the live host and open ports on the network. Developed by Gordon Lyon, Nmap does its job of discovering host and services in a network by dispatching packets and analyzing responses. Network administrators use it to identify devices running in the network, discover hosts, and find open ports.

·         Metaspoilt: As one of the popular hacking and penetration testing tools, it can find vulnerabilities in a system easily. Owned by Rapid7, it can gain ingress into remote systems, identify latent security issues, and manage security assessments.

·         AppScan: Now owned by HCL and developed by the Rational Software division of IBM, AppScan is counted among the best security testing tools. As a dynamic analysis testing tool used for web application security testing, AppScan carries out automated scans of web applications.

·         Arachni: As a high-performing open source and modular web application security scanner framework, Arachni executes high-quality security testing. It identifies, classifies, and logs security issues besides uncovering vulnerabilities such as SQL and XSS injections, invalidated redirect, and local and remote file inclusion. Based on the Ruby framework, this modular tool can be instantly deployed and offers support for multiple platforms.

·         Grabber: Designed to scan web applications, personal websites, and forums, this light penetration testing tool is based on Python. With no GUI interface, Grabber can identify a range of vulnerabilities such as cross-site scripting, AJAX and backup files verification, and SQL injection. This portable tool supports JS code analysis and can generate a stats analysis file.

·         Nogotofail: Developed by Google, this testing tool helps to verify the network traffic, detect misconfigurations and TLS/SSL vulnerabilities. The other vulnerabilities detected by Nogotofail are SSL injection, SSL certificate verification issues, and MiTM attacks. The best attributes of this tool include being lightweight and easy to deploy and use. It can be set up as a router, VPN server, or proxy.

·         SQL Map: This free-to-use security testing tool can support a range of SQL injection methodologies. These include Boolean-based blind, out-of-band, stacked queries, error-based, UNION query, and time-based blind. This open-source penetrating testing software detects vulnerabilities in an application by injecting malicious codes. Its robust detection engine helps by automating the process of identifying vulnerabilities related to SQL injections. The tool supports databases such as Oracle, PostgreSQL, and MySQL.

Conclusion

Testing the security of applications or websites has become a critical requirement in the SDLC. This is due to the growing threats from cybercriminals who are adopting every possible means to hoodwink the security protocol or exploit the inherent vulnerabilities in a system. The only insurance against such a growing menace is to make security testing a responsibility for every stakeholder in the SDLC and beyond.

How to Secure your Web Applications - Complete Guide

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.

Why you need to take Application Security Testing seriously?

The digital ecosystem of today is underpinned on applications that influence us in the way we communicate and interact. The applications are repositories of sensitive personal or business information, which if accessed by inimical forces such as hackers/cybercriminals, the consequences can be catastrophic - both for the individuals and businesses. If we go by statistics, then cybercrime has taken a humongous toll on individuals, businesses, organizations, and entities with an annual loss projected at $1.5 trillion globally. As if on cue and given the ramifications, the global spending on cybersecurity has shown an increase as well and is predicted to touch $170.4 billion by 2022.

With the change in technology, the contours and mechanics of cyberattacks are changing as well. Let us understand the changing trends of cyber-attacks.

New targets: The impact of cybercrime is seen mostly in information theft, which can hit a big blow to the bottom lines of businesses. However, apart from data, the cybercriminals also target the core industrial control systems with the purpose of disrupting and destroying organizations.

Change in impact: Stealing data may have become foremost outcome of any cybercrime incident. However, the changing modus-operandi is more about attacking data integrity. This is done to create distrust in the minds of end-users, clients, and business stakeholders.

New techniques: As people, organizations, and entities are waking up to the menace, cybercriminals are changing their attacking methods. In many cases, they are targeting the weakest link - the human layer - to wreak havoc using phishing and turncoat insiders.

Businesses often do not take the job of application security testing seriously, thanks to the prevalence of several myths:

Myth 1: Our digital assets are protected by firewalls, so we are safe.

Fact: Firewalls can prevent the access of cybercriminals at the network level, that to a certain extent. However, cyber-attacks can take the route of the application layer, which firewalls are not adept at protecting.

Myth 2: The applications are not exposed to the internet and have internal storage and usage.

Fact: In most cases, businesses prioritize protecting their systems and databases from external attacks. However, compromised insiders with authorized system access and familiarity with the system architecture and security protocols can be more dangerous.

Myth 3: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology is foolproof and protects a website from cyber-attacks.

Fact: Even though SSL is key to strengthening the cybersecurity architecture of a website, it can be exploited by cybercriminals. The latter can make use of low encryption algorithms to decrypt traffic and steal information.

Steps to enhance application security testing

When so much is at stake for individuals and businesses, investing in an application security testing methodology has become critical. Let us discuss the steps that enterprises can take to enforce software application security testing.

Complying with security protocols: With cybersecurity becoming critical in ensuring the smooth functioning of the digital ecosystem, the industry has set up some regulations and standards. These include ISO 27001, NIST, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and Sarbanes-Oxley, among others. Enterprises must comply with the above-mentioned standards to avoid penalties, censure, and filing of lawsuits for damages.

Conduct penetration testing: It calls for an in-depth security assessment of the system’s architecture to identify its vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities can get into the system due to poor coding, weak design elements, improper configuration management, and poor implementation of security policies and standards.

Implement DevSecOps: The DevOps methodology can help enterprises in accelerating the time to market, enhance the quality of products or services, improve the customer experience, and achieve ROI. It calls for the continuous integration and testing of codes and breaking silos between the development and operations teams. However, given the emerging dimension of cybersecurity, security should be made an integral part of DevOps where everyone in the pipeline should be made accountable.

Identification of outliers: Any software application security testing should be able to identify the outliers. In other words, any malicious behavior of the code should be quickly identified and set for remedial action.

Supervision of the IoT network: The advent of IoT technology is making communication between devices a reality. However, this is also giving rise to the issues of security breaches. This calls for continuous monitoring of the IoT network to check any cybersecurity breaches.

Conclusion

Securing the IT system has become the need of the hour given the wider ramifications of cybercrime. In the digital ecosystem where applications help to connect devices and systems, a single vulnerability can compromise the entire infrastructure. By rigorously implementing web application security testing, vulnerabilities can be identified, and an overarching protection can be ensured.

Author Bio

Oliver has been associated with Cigniti Technologies Ltd as an Associate Manager - Content Marketing, with over 10 years of industry experience as a Content Writer in Software Testing & Quality Assurance industry.

This article is originally published on dev.to.