Web application security testing is crucial for safeguarding applications against cyber threats. With the rise of data breaches and hacking attempts, businesses must implement robust security measures to protect their applications. 

The following guide takes you through the most salient aspects of web application security testing, from methodologies to tools, to secure your web applications from vulnerabilities.

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11 web application security testing steps

  1. Identify critical assets
  2. Define testing scope and objectives
  3. Information-gathering and reconnaissance
  4. Perform vulnerability scanning.
  5. Manual testing of critical areas
  6. Test for OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
  7. Simulate real-world attacks
  8. Perform security audits and code reviews
  9. Prioritize and patch vulnerabilities
  10. Retest and validate fixes
  11. Continuous monitoring and regular testing

What is web application security testing?

The aim of web application security testing is to assess web applications for possible vulnerabilities an attacker might use. It is vital to find those weaknesses that may exist within your web applications, which could result in data breaches, unauthorized access, or service disruptions. 

Web application security testing involves various types of testing methodologies, each designed to detect specific vulnerabilities within web applications. Such testing allows an organization to ensure that their systems are not only in compliance with standards like OWASP for web applications but firmly protected against cyberattacks.

Why conduct web application security testing?

The security testing of a web application, be it a small web app or a large-scale platform, should be the number one priority to preserve the integrity and functionality of the app.

The most important reasons are because it:

  1. Prevent data breaches: Scanning to find possible data breaches and mitigating them protects the web application from any exploitation that can lead to unauthorized access of valuable data.
  2. Ensure compliance: Several industries are under legal requirements to perform regular security testing or intrusion testing.
  3. Boost user trust: Safe web applications provide a sense of security to the users, hence creating more user interaction and loyalty.
  4. Minimize financial loss: A successful cyberattack could result in massive financial losses either from stolen data or service downtime.

Web application security testing checklist

An infographic that shows the 5 steps of web application security testing methodology.

A web application security testing checklist ensures that you don’t miss any critical security areas when testing your web app. Here’s a basic checklist to follow:

  • Input validation: Ensure all inputs are validated to avoid injection attacks.
  • Authentication and authorization: Test for proper user authentication methods, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), and ensure authorization levels are set correctly.
  • Session management: Verify the existence of sessions based on IDs, session expiration, and other mechanisms for security, such as secure cookies.
  • Data encryption: Verify whether sensitive data is encrypted, both at rest and in transit.
  • OWASP compliance: Ensure that the application adheres to the latest OWASP guidelines for web applications.
  • Security headers: Test for correct implementation of security headers (e.g., Content Security Policy, X-Frame-Options).
  • Error handling: Ensure that error messages don’t disclose sensitive information.

Types of web application security testing

Different types of web application security testing focus on various aspects of the application. Here’s an overview:

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

SAST analyzes the source code or binaries of an application for vulnerabilities without executing the application. It is good for catching the flaws in coding during the development process.

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

In DAST-based testing, the application is engaged when it is already up and running. The methodology works by executing mock attacks in a live environment to test for vulnerabilities, thereby allowing one to gauge in real-time the behavior of an application when under an attack.

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

IAST merges the two concepts of SAST and DAST in such a way that it analyzes the application in real time while it is running, providing a view of potential vulnerabilities in greater detail.

Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP)

RASP adds in more security at runtime. It provides detection and mitigation of active attacks with a strong line of defense inside the runtime environment of the application.

Different uses for web application security testing

Web application security testing has a wide variety of functions to perform across various industries and applications. You must recognize that given the nature of the application, users, and data sensitivity, each web app will have unique security demands.

Here’s a closer look at the various uses of web app security testing across different sectors:

E-commerce platforms

E-commerce websites deal with very sensitive information about their customers, such as payment details, personal identification, and shipping addresses. A security breach in this context may lead to identity theft or credit card fraud and heavy financial loss, which in turn can breed loss of trust between the customer and the company.

Use case

  • Ensuring the security of payment gateways, encryption of sensitive data, and protection against SQL injection and cross-site scripting attacks.
  • Put tools like SAST and DAST to work to ensure that the best security guidelines are followed in coding practices, while intrusion testing provides assurance that no unauthorized user gains access.

Related whitepaper: Securing E-commerce Mobile Apps—Armor of Trust: Threat Defense Best Practices for E-commerce Mobile App Security

Healthcare applications

Healthcare applications process very sensitive information related to personal health, and thus these are prime targets of the cyberattacks. Breaches in these systems could lead to the exposure of confidential patient data, posing a threat in terms of legal consequences or loss of reputation for healthcare providers.

Use case

  • Guaranteeing compliance with data protection regulations, such as HIPAA in the U.S. or GDPR in Europe.
  • Focus on encryption of data in transit and at rest, secure communication between patient and provider, and against attack vectors intended for medical record theft.

Related whitepaper: Protecting Mobile Healthcare Apps: How XTD Helps Healthcare Organizations Thwart Cyberattacks

Financial services

The financial services industry, which includes banking, investment platforms, and insurance companies, require standards that are highly demanding. Financial institutions handle sensitive data from transactions, which makes them common targets of many cybercriminals looking to gain financially from vulnerabilities.

Use case

  • Preventing unauthorized access, safeguarding transactions, and ensuring secure authentication systems (e.g., multi-factor authentication).
  • Protect against fraud, data breaches, and malicious activities, ensuring compliance with industry standards like PCI-DSS for payment card security.

Related whitepaper: Protecting Financial Services Mobile Apps—App Guardian: How XTD Safeguards Financial Service Providers’ Mobile Security

Enterprise web applications

Most businesses run enterprise-level web applications, which are vital to running their operations on a day-to-day basis. Examples include internal project management tools, CRM systems, and HR applications. A breach in an enterprise web application can lead to data theft, service interruptions, or exposure of proprietary information.

Use case

  • Protecting the enterprise from both external attacks and insider threats.
  • Use website vulnerability scanners and automated tools like SAST and DAST to ensure all entry points, including APIs, authentication systems, and user interfaces, are secure.

Web application security testing vs. web application pentesting

While web application security testing and web application pentesting are two fundamental activities for identifying vulnerabilities within web applications, they differ in objectives, methodologies, and coverage.

Web application security testing Web application pentesting
Objective Aimed at providing a broad evaluation of the application’s overall security by identifying vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance with security standards. Emphasizes real attack simulations to exploit the vulnerabilities of an application and test its defenses in case of such an attack.
Approach A mix of automated tools and manual testing to ensure scalability and comprehensiveness across the application. Primarily manual testing: limited automated scans are used as a starting point, and from there, a more hands-on approach is taken in order to exploit the vulnerabilities.
Scope Broad and comprehensive, covering all aspects of the application’s security, from code review to data protection. Narrower but deeper, focusing on high-risk areas and potential weaknesses to determine how far an attacker is able to penetrate.
Frequency Done regularly during an application’s life cycle, as part of the ongoing development and deployment phase. Performed periodically, such as after major updates or within yearly security audits in general.

Essential steps for web application security testing

Take the following steps as necessary to execute thorough web application security testing.

  1. Identify critical assets: These could include data, APIs, or business logic that is considered particularly valuable and should be safeguarded when testing.
  2. Define testing scope and objectives: Clearly develop the objectives of the testing, including the application parts to be tested and the types of vulnerabilities that are concentrated on.
  3. Information-gathering and reconnaissance: Gather information about the architecture, entry points, and configurations of the application to be potentially attacked.
  4. Perform vulnerability scanning: Use automated tools like vulnerability scanners to quickly detect common security risks such as SQL injections and XSS.
  5. Manual testing of critical areas: This involves the testing of business logic, session management, and error handling—all areas that might be overlooked if one only relied on an automated tool for testing.
  6. Test for OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities: Ensure the testing covers the most critical vulnerabilities, as listed in the OWASP Top 10, such as injection attacks and broken authentication.
  7. Simulate real-world attacks: Web application pentesting allows one to understand how an attacker can use a particular vulnerability in the real world and judge the real-world impact.
  8. Perform security audits and code reviews: Review the application’s source code and configurations to detect vulnerabilities, using techniques like SAST and manual code audits.
  9. Prioritize and patch vulnerabilities: Assign a priority to each vulnerability based on its severity and patch the most critical issues first.
  10. Retest and validate fixes: After the patches are applied, it is time to rerun tests to ensure that fixed vulnerabilities won’t open the door for new ones.
  11. Continuous monitoring and regular testing: Integrate security testing into your CI/CD pipelines and automate regular vulnerability scans to ensure the application is kept secure over time.

Web application security made easier

Web application security testing is a crucial part of maintaining secure and reliable web applications. Hence, understanding the different types of testing methodologies and various steps involved will help you to protect your application from impending vulnerabilities. 

From automated tools to manual penetration testing, it is a continuous process of ensuring web application security that requires high vigilance and adaptation. 

To further enhance your security efforts, consider Verimatrix XTD. It extends your threat defense through continuous monitoring, advanced threat detection, and response capabilities, helping to protect your web and mobile apps from evolving cyber threats. Learn more about Verimatrix XTD here.