What is Web Application Testing?

What is a Web Application Penetration Test?

A web application penetration test, or WAT, is a special pen test that goes deeply into an app’s securities and connections to check if there are any threats or vulnerabilities that might affect it. These tests should be done often to make sure that the app is not vulnerable to new threats that pop up. Normally, it is important to get these tests at least once a year, but it is recommended to get them at least twice a year or every time there is a significant update to the app.

These updates and changes in an app can open up new cracks that bad actors can get through. As such, a WAT can be done to show these vulnerabilities and show examiners that you’re paying attention to the security. For many cybersecurity firms, these checks and tests are usually based on OWASP, the Open Worldwide Application Security Project, which is the industry standard for many huge companies and various other organizations.

When getting a web application penetration test, you should be getting vulnerability scans of the application, manual exploitations, and a comprehensive report including actionable recommendations. Like most other penetration tests, a security analyst will gather the proper information necessary and attempt to break into the app to see what sorts of things they can gather, be it a connection to a customer or the network itself.

Types of Web Application Tests

When considering a web application penetration test, there are a few different types that you can get. Depending on the type of app, there will be different methods used. Along with these types of testing, many cybersecurity firms take into account OWASP’s top 10 application risks. These types are:

• Web Application Testing
• Mobile Application Testing
• API Testing

Web Application Testing

These apps are software application that will run on a network or web server. They may have user logins, a graphical user interface (GUI), perform tasks, and store data. They are usually like desktop software that many businesses have for many things like baking and shopping.

The Top 10 Risks

1. Injection
2. Broken Authentication
3. Sensitive Data Exposure
4. XML External Entities
5. Broken Access Control
6. Security Misconfigurations
7. Cross-Strike Scripting
8. Insecure Deserialization
9. Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities
10. Insufficient Logging and Monitoring

Mobile Application Testing

Mobile apps are becoming more and more necessary when it comes to doing business. Not only do banks and credit unions use them, but restaurants, stores, and many others as well. People use them daily and more apps are launching every day. They usually come with security aspects, but it is still important to get them tested before you launch them.

The Top 10 Risks

1. Improper Platform Usage
2. Insecure Data Storage
3. Insecure Communication
4. Insecure Authentication
5. Insufficient Cryptography
6. Insecure Authorization
7. Client Code Quality
8. Code Tampering
9. Reverse Engineering
10. Extraneous Functionality

API Testing

API stands for Application Program Interfaces. This software is usually the way that two apps talk to each other and can range from very simple to very complicated. APIs are how a device uses an app to check through shopping catalogues, emails, and even pulling data from your accounts with a financial institution like a bank or credit union.

The Top 10 Risks

1. Broken Object Level Authorization
2. Broken User Authentication
3. Excessive Data Exposure
4. Lack of Resources and Rate Limiting
5. Broken Function Level Authorization
6. Mass Assignment
7. Security Misconfigurations
8. Injection
9. Improper Assets Management
10. Insufficient Logging and Monitoring

Each of these risks should be checked with a penetration test. Not all of these will be an issue for everyone, but it is important to go through the checklist. OWASP has been a proper standard for many businesses, so that is why many cybersecurity firms go with their recommendations. Of course, some of them go above and beyond just these checklists—they should be a minimum at the very least.

Process of a Web Application Penetration Test

Like the other types of pen tests, the Web Application Penetration Test follows a very similar process when it comes to testing the security of an application. Remember, these apps can be anything from a website, an app on a mobile device, or software. These apps should already be working well enough to stand on their own to begin with and the security should be tested afterward. Any change in how it works can affect the security of the app. This is why it is important to do penetration tests for any big change or update, too.

Scoping Questions

The first step in any penetration test is always information collection. A cybersecurity firm will try to get with the creators or owners of the application to get specific information. This information can range from current security protocols, the size of the app, how many apps there are, and various other things. Timelines are also important here, especially if the app has a deadline to be released or used.

Planning the Test

After the scoping and contracts have been signed, it is time to set aside specific time for the test to be done. Usually, a cybersecurity firm will get with the app owners to go through the best times. There should never be any impact to development time or business during the test, but it is important to figure out when the least impact will happen. The test will be scheduled at the agreed time and the security analyst will likely follow up when the test approaches.

Manual Scans

Manual scanning is the next step in the WAT process. This is more impactful than automated scanning, considering the security analyst will be looking through the scan at the same time. Automation can be bad for a penetration test, considering that it only scans predetermined areas and can only act in the preset way. A manual scan, however, will have the advantage of the human eye, going deeper into a scan if something might be amiss.

Exploiting the Vulnerabilities

If a vulnerability is found, a security analyst will attempt to exploit it. While this does sound serious, it will likely not impact any business or function of the app itself. Should the analyst get somewhere they shouldn’t, it will be put on a report and the company will be informed. If everything is up to date, there shouldn’t be too many pressing issues, but a small mistake can cause a heavy loss.

Reporting the Results

After finishing up the pen test, there will be a comprehensive report given to the company. This will likely be reviewed with the analyst and they will go over each finding, ranging from major issues to minor ones. If any are found, the company will be given time to fix the problems and a retest can be done, which are usually included in the package.

Another Pen Test

Retesting is an important aspect of a penetration test. After the company has presumably fixed the issues, a second test should be performed. The test will provide another report that will show any remaining issues if there are any. This will be the report that should be given to any examiner that may request it.

Conclusion

Web application penetration tests are an important part of making an app, no matter if it’s for a website, mobile device, or software. App development is becoming more and more of a common thing among companies. If a business doesn’t have one, especially if it’s a bank or credit union, it might be the cause of losing a customer or two. People enjoy ease of access and nothing is more easily accessible than an app on a mobile phone.

If a business does have an app, it’s important to get as much cybersecurity posture as anything else on the network. A bad actor can just as easily get into the network through an application as much as a website or WiFi connection. There are many different types of penetration tests and are always a good investment. They are also required by the government for compliance to regulation. It’s recommended to get them at least twice a year or after a significant update.