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Web Application Penetration Testing Best Practices

Data security has become an increasing concern as we depend on networked communication and cloud- based data storage systems. A viable penetration testing procedure is essential to protect systems from cyber-attacks.

Penetration testing (or pen testing) is a valuable tool for determining a web application’s ability to withstand an attack. But if testing isn’t conducted properly, the system may remain vulnerable to attack. Even worse, you may be lulled into a false sense of security.

What is Web Application Pen Testing?
A pen test is a series of tests designed to expose a system’s vulnerabilities to attack. The main purpose of the test is to find an application’s exploitable vulnerabilities before hackers discover them. Think of it as a controlled cyber-attack that can determine whether your system’s defenses are adequate to protect against an attack. The testing will reveal how a hacker might compromise the application in a way that provides access to sensitive data or allows the system to be taken over by hackers.

The objective of pen testing is to:

  • Identify security flaws in the network
  • Understand the risk level
  • Fix flaws in the application

No system is invulnerable to attack. The best testing methodology will reduce the potential for attack by discovering vulnerabilities, allowing them to be eliminated.

How Often to Pen Test?
Adequate frequency of pen testing depends on the particular industry. Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards were created in 2006 to ensure secure systems are provided by all businesses handling credit card information. PCI standards require a pen test at least once a year or after a major change in infrastructure or code. These standards apply to any company that accepts, transmits, or stores customer credit card data, regardless of its size or the number of transactions it performs.

Attackers are skilled cyber criminals who may be attached to national governments with considerable resources. Hackers are always a few steps ahead of security experts. It’s better to grab the bull by the horns and perform pen testing on a frequent, regular basis then to risk exposing confidential information.

In addition to regular penetration testing, businesses should deploy penetration testing when one of the following events occurs:

  • Your industry requires it. Some industries require quarterly pen testing, while others require annual testing.
  • You’ve made changes to your web applications. This includes upgrades, security patches, new additions/modifications or complete changes.
  • Your policy changes. End-user policy changes can affect the way a user interacts with the web application, creating new concerns.
  • Your company relocates or adds a new location. This includes employees who work remotely and will access your company’s web applications through their home internet service provider, rather than your business’s secure network.

Web Application Penetration Testing Methodologies
There are six testing methodologies used for web applications.

1. Usability Testing
Web applications should conform to user interface standards as well as accessibility standards. Some guidelines for usability testing include:

  • Make sure the navigation between web pages works properly.
  • Provide a site map.
  • Use best practices for color combinations.
  • Avoid crowding content.
  • Ensure that beginners and experts are able to use the web application.

Make provisions to support physically challenged users.

2. User Acceptance Testing
The web application should meet the user’s expectations and not be difficult to use. Alpha testing is performed by developers, while beta testing is done by end users.

  • Acceptance testing includes:
  • Testing for browser compatibility
  • Checking mandatory form fields include the required data
  • Checking for time outs and field widths
  • Ensuring data uses proper controls.

3. Performance Testing
Performance testing for web applications gauges the performance in different situations. These tests include:

  • Stress Testing: This measures the performance limitations of the application
  • Scalability Testing: This determines the adaptability of the application to changes in hardware and software.
  • Load Testing: This will uncover how well the application performs under a heavy load, and records details such as memory usage, CPU usage, etc.

4. Security Testing
Security testing for your web application should ensure there are no security holes a hacker can exploit to gain access to your system. In addition, security testing should ensure proper authentication and authorization procedures are being used.

There are two types of security testing:

  • Static: This involves checking the application’s code for security vulnerabilities. Stepping through the code can reveal security threats.
  • Dynamic: This testing involves running the application to see if it responds properly to various commands.

5. Functional Testing
This checks if individual functions are working correctly. Functional tests include:

  • Database testing
  • Configuration testing
  • Compatibility testing
  • Flow testing

6. Interface Testing
Interface testing makes sure individual components are connected correctly.

  • Data should flow from one module to the intended module.
  • Data should flow smoothly from one module to another, and from one application to another.

Retest, Retest, Retest
As we mentioned above, hackers are constantly developing new attack methodologies. The biggest risk your company faces is assuming your web application is secure when it’s vulnerable. Retesting should be performed at intervals greater than industry regulations or recommendations. This may mean quarterly testing, which may be costly, but is better than exposing customer data to hackers.