Security Testing Blogs | ImpactQA Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:35:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.impactqa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Security Testing Blogs | ImpactQA 32 32 SAP Security Testing in the Cloud Era: Challenges and Solutions https://www.impactqa.com/blog/sap-security-testing-in-the-cloud-era-challenges-and-solutions/ Fri, 17 May 2024 12:41:04 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=2405956 In the era of cloud computing, the security of SAP systems has become a pressing […]

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In the era of cloud computing, the security of SAP systems has become a pressing concern for organizations worldwide. Many companies find themselves grappling with the daunting task of ensuring the security of their critical information. A report from Business Wire reveals that 99% of large enterprises face challenges in consistently accessing data stored in their ERP systems, with SAP being a leading ERP solution. This begs the question: how can organizations secure their SAP systems effectively amid such complexities?

The intricate nature of SAP, with its extensive customizations, makes achieving robust security a formidable task. Customization, while enhancing system adaptability, often leads to a fragmented view of SAP installations. Despite SAP’s unified structure, tailored modifications for distinct business needs can create isolated security responsibilities.

Moreover, standardizing information security practices across departments proves challenging. Unlike routine software updates akin to Windows, securing SAP demands meticulous consideration of each interface within its multifaceted architecture. This complexity necessitates a nuanced approach to discern existing configurations and ensure comprehensive hardening against malicious activities like data manipulation and unauthorized extraction.

Challenges in SAP Security Testing

Challenges in SAP Security Testing

1. Vulnerable Communication Protocols:

SAP ecosystems encompass diverse components like S/4HANA, ERP systems, SAP Gateway, Messenger Servers, RFC Gateways, and Internet Communication Manager. These components rely on communication protocols such as Remote Function Calls (RFC) and HTTP. However, many of these protocols lack encryption for stored login credentials, rendering them susceptible to security breaches.

2. Complexity of Environments:

SAP environments exhibit intricate structures due to the presence of multiple components, each requiring separate login credentials. Consequently, users often resort to password reuse, amplifying the risk. Compromising a single password could grant access to several sensitive systems. Even with Single Sign-On (SSO) implementation, password logins are permitted, exacerbating the security challenge.

3. Limited Integration with SOC:

Despite the presence of Security Operations Centers (SOCs) tasked with monitoring IT systems for breaches, SAP applications often operate in isolation from these centers. Typically managed by dedicated SAP teams, these environments lack seamless integration with SOC mechanisms. Moreover, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems may not be configured to monitor SAP logs due to their proprietary formats.

4. Challenges of Custom Development:

Custom development is integral to every SAP system, involving the creation of reports, transactions, and applications by SAP programmers. However, adherence to secure coding practices is often lacking, leaving the code vulnerable to exploitation. This exposes critical applications to threats like ransomware, malware, and unauthorized access. For instance, vulnerabilities like ABAP injection and directory traversal can compromise or disrupt entire SAP systems.

5. Complexity of Hybrid Environments:

The advent of new technologies has expanded the attack surface of SAP systems, particularly in hybrid environments comprising both on-premises and cloud solutions. Managing such environments poses additional challenges, exacerbating the complexity of securing SAP ecosystems.

SAP Security Testing Solutions

SAP Security Testing Solutions

SAP provides a wide range of business applications built on various architectures such as NetWeaver AS ABAP, SAP HANA, SAP Cloud Platform, and SAP Ariba. These solutions require robust security measures, beginning with the system backend where administrators can enforce security, define roles, and set access requirements. Each SAP solution has unique security features based on its architecture, especially differing between cloud-based and on-premises solutions.

In addition to core system administration and solution-specific security features, SAP offers dedicated security products to enhance the security of your SAP environment.

SAP Cloud Identity Access Governance

SAP Cloud Identity Access Governance is a cloud-based tool that streamlines governance processes across select SAP solutions. Key capabilities include:

  • Access Compliance Management: Perform continuous analytics and leverage real-time insights to manage access compliance. Use predefined and configurable access policies and rules, and dynamically update user access as business requirements change.
  • Intelligent Assignment Optimization: Assign user access precisely and identify business-critical issues using a dashboard-based interface with visual cues and analytics-based intelligence. Dynamically modify access and manage risk using guided remediation.
  • Extended Risk Management and Control: Extend access control to all users and applications on any devices, enabling mitigation monitoring and risk remediation for separation of duties (SoD) and security for both on-premises and cloud-based systems. Simplify compliance management with pre-configured audit reports.

Suggested Read

Optimizing Commodity Trading and Risk Management through SAP CTRM

SAP Enterprise Threat Detection

SAP Enterprise Threat Detection (ETD) is an SIEM solution leveraging SAP HANA to manage high-volume security events such as cyberattacks in real-time. It enhances the ability to detect anomalies and mitigate attacks:

  • Log Correlation and Analysis: Analyze large volumes of log data and correlate information across the SAP environment to uncover unknown attack variants. Integrate customized third-party systems and infrastructure components.
  • Automated Threat Detection and Alerting: Use attack detection mode to find threats related to known attacks on SAP software. Define attack detection patterns without coding, investigate attacks, and issue alerts to security teams and integrated systems.
  • Integration with SAP Solutions: Detect threats at the application server and database levels and integrate with SAP solutions across the IT environment.

SAP Data Custodian

SAP Data Custodian provides security information for public cloud users while enhancing transparency and credibility:

  • Policy Creation and Enforcement: Create geolocation policies to govern data lifecycles, access, processing, storage, and movement. Modify policies in response to changing regulatory requirements.
  • Data Visibility, Alerting, and Reports: Track where and by whom data is accessed, stored, and moved in the public cloud. Notify users of policy violations and provide near-real-time risk and compliance reports.
  • Independent Encryption Key Management: Maintain independent control over encryption data and keys, separate from cloud providers, to reduce the risk of data breaches and unauthorized disclosures.

SAP Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC)

SAP GRC includes solutions that help manage enterprise resources to minimize risk, build trust, and reduce compliance costs. SAP Risk Management, SAP Process Control, and SAP Audit Management are examples of products that use an integrated technology platform to automate GRC processes, improve control and visibility, and monitor and enforce risk.

SAP Identity Management

SAP Identity Management handles the entire identity lifecycle, allowing administrators to control data access. It offers:

  • Connectivity: Integrate with SAP S/4HANA and third-party applications and manage identity lifecycles in hybrid deployments.
  • User Provisioning and Workflow: Simplify user access maintenance and assignment, efficiently provision business partners and employees, and establish self-service password synchronization and reset.

SAP Information Lifecycle Management

SAP Information Lifecycle Management (SAP ILM) helps manage data privacy and compliance requirements by blocking and deleting sensitive data from SAP systems:

  • Data Management and Archiving: Manage data volumes without impacting the business environment and move old data to long-term, low-cost storage.
  • Retention Management: Support the full lifecycle of unstructured and structured data, creating data management rules and policies.
  • System Shutdown: Decommission legacy systems and import data to a central store, ensuring on-demand access to data after decommissioning.


SAP Call to Action

Final Say

Securing SAP instances is a complex endeavor, often requiring significant time and manual effort. Without robust security measures, businesses risk disruptions, data breaches, and financial losses. ImpactQA offers a solution by automating various SAP security processes which ensures comprehensive protection across the SAP system landscape. Through our platform, organizations can proactively manage vulnerabilities, detect and respond to threats, and ensure compliance with regulatory mandates.

 

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Top 5 Web Application Security Threats of 2024 https://www.impactqa.com/blog/web-application-security-threats/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/web-application-security-threats/#respond Mon, 18 Dec 2023 06:43:04 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=7896 Over the years, technology has revolutionized the globe. People start doing business in a completely […]

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Over the years, technology has revolutionized the globe. People start doing business in a completely new way. New communication methods were established and networks of the computer became larger and immense. However, every coin has two faces, so does the Internet. With the great conveniences, came the uncommon risks and drawbacks to relying on web applications for business processes. With the easy flow of information, it has been simpler than ever to know how to breach security.

 

Suggested Read

Why Security Testing is Significant?

 

The Gartner Group reports stated that last year “75 percent of cyber-attacks & Internet security violations are generated through Internet apps.” Many people don’t understand the network security breaches and threats that can exist in Web apps. With some knowledge, hackers are now able to create tools that will help them exploit security glitches, breach rules and policies and finally help out gain the object of desire.

Access to configuration and debug information, session identifiers, source code, and crucial information is possible in 79 % of web apps.

Let us have glance at the most common threats to web application security:

 

1– Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Cross-Site Scripting is similar to SQL Injection, in the way that the attacker can inject Javascript lines into input text fields of the web page, allowing attackers to execute malicious scripts into a legitimate site or app. That code can redirect to the attacker´s webpage sending session storage information, cookies, and other sensitive data. To avoid this vulnerability in web applications, you should use a GUI framework that has a way to sanitize/ break the user inputs.

 

Suggested Read

Security Testing “THREATS” and “METHODOLOGIES”

 

2- SQL Injection

It works similarly to cross-site scripting; however, the only distinction is instead of using Javascript hackers, insert malevolent SQL statements into the website. These codes are designed to manipulate database distinctively either- accessing confidential data, steal sensitive data or deleting it entirely, creating problems for the owners.

3- Malware

It is yet another common web security threat that companies have to guard against. Upon downloading malware, stern repercussions such as access to confidential information, activity monitoring, and backdoor access to significant data breaches can be incurred. Malware can be categorized into diverse groups since they work to accomplish different goals- Viruses, Spyware, Ransomware, Trojans, and Worms.

4- Phishing Scam Attacks

Phishing attacks continue to be one of the common security threats for engineering practitioners. These types of threats are designed to acquire personal information like bank account numbers, credit card numbers, login credentials, and other data. If the individual is unaware of the distinctions and indications that the email messages are distrustful, it can be deadly since they may respond to it. Besides, such an action can result in malware to be surreptitiously installed may end up gaining access to the user’s information.

Phishing-Scam-Attacks

5- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

DDoS attacks are meant to overwhelm the bandwidth of a targeted server or network by flooding the target’s surrounding infrastructure with heavy internet traffic. Typically, these attacks are aimed at online service providers like online shopping websites. 

Since these online servers have a limited bandwidth capacity and the businesses can only fulfill a finite number of service requests simultaneously, flooding the servers until the request capacity is exceeded disables the servers for legitimate use by customers. The attackers may use compromised computers or IoT devices to mobilize traffic for the attack.

ImpactQA offers a comprehensive range of customized security testing services that help companies deal with immediate security threats to their business operations.

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10 Best Mobile App Security Testing Tools https://www.impactqa.com/blog/10-best-mobile-app-security-testing-tools-in-2023/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/10-best-mobile-app-security-testing-tools-in-2023/#respond Mon, 16 Jan 2023 09:33:10 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=11831 List of Top 10 Mobile App Security Testing Tools: Quick Android Review Kit Zed Attack […]

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List of Top 10 Mobile App Security Testing Tools:
  1. Quick Android Review Kit
  2. Zed Attack Proxy
  3. Drozer (MWR InfoSecurity)
  4. MobSF (Mobile Security Framework)
  5. Android Debug Bridge
  6. Micro Focus (Fortify)
  7. CodifiedSecurity
  8. WhiteHat Security
  9. Kiuwan
  10. Veracode

The number of mobile users around the globe is now estimated over 3.7 billion. There are about 2.2 million in Google Play store and 2 billion or more applications in Apple App Store. As per Flurry, customers nowadays spend approx 5 hours each day on their mobile devices.

Such widespread usage of mobile apps comes with a complete range of new threats attacks formerly not relevant in the classic web app world. The latest research by NowSecure shows that 25% of mobile applications contain approx high-risk vulnerabilities. There are different kinds of vulnerabilities:

  • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
  • Leak of User Sensitive Data (IMEI, GPS, MAC address, email or credential) over the network
  • SQL Injection
  • Phishing Scam Attacks
  • Missing Data Encryption
  • Unrestricted Upload of Dangerous File Types
  • OS Command Injection
  • Malware
  • Arbitrary Code Execution

 

With the growth of mobile applications, delivering a highly secured app is vital to user retention. What can you do to avoid these threats? Fortunately, Penetration Testers can help ensure applications provide data protection.

 

There are many reasons why app security testing is significant. Few of them are –virus or malware infection, fraud attacks, security breaches, etc. Mobile App Security Testing comprises data security, authorization, authentication, session management, vulnerabilities for hacking, etc.

Suggested Read

Why Security Testing is Significant?

Hence from a business point of view, it is vital to perform security testing which requires best mobile app security testing tool that guarantees that your application is secure.

 

We have shortlisted 10 Best Testing Tools for Security:

1. Quick Android Review Kit (QARK)

Quick Android Review Kit” (QARK) was developed by LinkedIn. It is a static code analysis tool and gives information about android app related security threats and gives a concise & clear description of issues. QARK is beneficial for Android platform to discover security loophole in the mobile application source code & APK files.

Features:

  • It is an open source tool and provides complete information about security vulnerabilities
  • It generates a report about potential vulnerability and provides information about what to do to fix them. It highlights the problems related to the Android version
  • It scans all the elements in the mobile app for security threat. It creates a custom app for the purpose of testing in the form of APK and determines the potential issues

 

2. Zed Attack Proxy

Zed Attack Proxy is the world’s famous mobile application security test tool. OWASP ZAP is actively managed by hundreds of volunteers globally and is an open-source security testing tool. It is also one of the best tools for pen testers.

Features:

  • It is available in 20 diverse languages
  • Simple to install. It helps in identifying security vulnerabilities automatically in apps during the software development & test phases
  • It is an international community-based tool which gives support and comprises active development by universal volunteers

 

3. Drozer (MWR InfoSecurity)

It is a mobile app security testing framework which is developed by MWR InfoSecurity. Drozer helps to determine security vulnerabilities in Android devices.

Features:

  • It is an open-source tool that supports both actual android device and emulators
  • It takes very less time to assess the android security-related complications by automating the time taking and complicated activities
  • It supports the android platform and executes java enabled code on the android device itself

 

Suggested Read

Types of Security Testing

 

4. MobSF (Mobile Security Framework)

MobSF is an automated mobile app security testing tool for iOS and android apps that is proficient to perform dynamic, static analysis and web API testing. Mobile security framework can be used for a fast security analysis of android & iOS apps. MobSF supports binaries (IPA &APK) and zipped source code.

Features:

  • It is an open source tool for mobile app security testing
  • With the help of MobSF, Mobile app testing environment can be effortlessly set-up
  • It can be hosted in a local environment, so confidential data never interacts with the cloud
  • Faster security analysis for mobile apps on all three platforms ( Android, iOS, Windows ) Developers can identify security vulnerabilities during the development phase

 

5. Android Debug Bridge

Android Debug Bridge or ADB is a command line mobile app testing tool used to communicate with a device that runs on android. It offers a terminal interface for controlling the android device connected to a computer using a USB. Android Debug Bridge can be used to install/ uninstall apps, run shell commands, reboot, transfer files, and more. One can easily restore the android devices using such commands.

Features:

  • ADB can be easily integrated with Google’s android studio integrated development environment
  • Real-time monitor of system events. It allows operating at the system level making use of shell commands
  • It communicates with devices using Bluetooth, WI-FI, USB, etc

 

6. Micro Focus (Fortify)

Micro Focus majorly delivers enterprise services and solutions to their users in the areas of Security & Risk Management, Hybrid IT, DevOps, etc. It provides comprehensive app security testing services across various platforms, devices, servers, networks, etc. Fortify is one of the smartest security testing tools by Micro Focus which secures mobile application before getting installed on a mobile device.

Features:

  • It performs end to end testing using a flexible delivery model
  • Security Testing comprises static code analysis and scheduled scan for mobile applications and gives the accurate result
  • It helps to identify security vulnerabilities across – network, server, and client
  • It supports various platforms like Microsoft Windows, Apple iOS, Google Android, and Blackberry

Suggested Read

Security Testing – Critical Concepts and Attributes

7. CodifiedSecurity

It is one of the famous automated mobile app security testing tools to perform mobile application testing. CodifieSecurity discovers and fixes the security vulnerabilities and make sure that the mobile application is secured enough to use. It provides real-time feedback.

Features:

  • It follows a programmatic approach for security testing, which guarantees that the test outcomes are scalable and reliable
  • It supports both Android and iOS platform
  • It is supported by static code analysis and machine learning. Also supports dynamic and static testing in the mobile app security testing
  • It tests mobile app without fetching the source code. Files can be uploaded in multiple formats like IPA, APK etc

 

8. WhiteHat Security

WhiteHat Sentinel Mobile Express is a security assessment and testing platform offered by WhiteHat Security. It has been recognized by Gartner as a leader in security testing and has also won several awards. It offers services like mobile app security testing, web app security testing, and computer based training solutions, etc.

Features:

  • It is a cloud-based security platform and offers a quick solution using its static and dynamic technology
  • WhiteHat Sentinel supports both iOS and android platforms. Sentinel platform gives complete information about the project status
  • It can very easily detect loophole than any other tool or platform
  • Testing is performed on the actual device by installing the mobile application; it doesn’t use any emulators for testing

 

9. Kiuwan

Kiuwan provides a 360º approach to mobile application security testing, with the leading technology coverage.

Features:

  • IT comprises static code analysis & software composition analysis and with automation (in any phase) of the Software Development Life Cycle.

 

10. Veracode

Veracode provides services for mobile app security to its global customers. Using automated cloud-based service, it offers solutions for mobile app and web security. Veracode’s MAST (Mobile Application Security Testing) services determine the security glitches in the mobile app and gives instant action to execute the resolution.

Features:

  • It is simple to use and gives perfect security testing results. Healthcare and finance apps are tested deeply while the simple web app is tested with a simple scan
  • In-depth testing is performed using full coverage of mobile app use cases. Veracode Static Analysis gives accurate and fast code review result
  • Under a solitary platform, it gives multiple security analysis which counts dynamic, static, and mobile app behavioral analysis.

 

Solutions – How can we help you?
Each of these mobile app security testing tools has its pros and cons. Our mobile app testing services will help you to choose the best security testing tools based on nature of mobile applications and requirements.

 

Suggested Read

How to Improve Mobile App Testing Process?

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Compliance Testing or Conformance Testing: What’s The Difference? https://www.impactqa.com/blog/compliance-testing-or-conformance-testing-whats-the-difference/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/compliance-testing-or-conformance-testing-whats-the-difference/#respond Fri, 11 Feb 2022 10:29:04 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=21923 Every product, method, or system must be tested to ensure that it complies with applicable […]

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Every product, method, or system must be tested to ensure that it complies with applicable rules and regulations as well as conform to the organization’s standards or specifications. Compliance testing, which is commonly used interchangeably with Conformance testing, is performed to guarantee that the software product meets all criteria. However, there is a fine line between these categories, leaving businesses perplexed as to which test they should do.

This article will explain the distinction between compliance testing and conformance testing in software testing and offer a detailed comparison of both testing approaches.

Compliance Testing VS Conformance Testing

Compliance testing is concerned with ensuring that a product complies with applicable rules and regulations. Whereas conformance testing is a much broader phrase, this software testing procedure involves the system adhering to the IEE, W3C, or ETSI specified standards and rules. The inspection process is largely utilized for compliance testing, and the review process’s outcomes should be thoroughly documented for future reference. Conformance testing establishes how a system ensures that it meets the particular criteria of a certain standard during testing. As you might think, there is some overlap between the two. Your compliance standards may require conformity with a law or regulation; conversely, adherence to an industry-standard may be required to fulfill acceptable requirements.

Conformance Testing Compliance Testing
Conformance Testing is a formal and exact method of evaluating standards. Compliance Testing is more like an informal and less precise way of evaluating standards
Only operating systems that are certified by an authorized Certification Authority are eligible for conformance certification. A POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) compliant operating system is one that supports a single POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface) API.
Conformance testing ensures that a system satisfies all of the requirements of a certain standard. Compliance testing is performed to test a system’s ability to support a few of the given standards.

Use of Compliance Testing in Software Testing

For businesses, the internet used to be a bit of wild west, with legal compliance being an issue solely for organizations working in heavily regulated industries like finance and healthcare. However, the law is catching up with technology, as indicated by the flood of data privacy regulations engulfing the globe—for example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States.

If your company’s software, systems, or data are subject to any rules or regulations, you should do compliance testing to ensure that you are meeting all of the requirements. A compliance test is generally a practice audit in which a team of regulatory specialists (preferably in your specific sector) examines your systems, procedures, and security controls to ensure compliance. If your compliance testers find any problems, they’ll make specific recommendations for how to fix them and then do follow-up testing to ensure that all problems have been fixed.

Compliance tests are typically undertaken by a third-party agency comprised of experts in the specific laws and regulations being tested for, though quite big firms may keep an in-house team for this purpose.

Compliance testing is not the same as an audit, which is mandated by law, but it is a voluntary self-check that can be incredibly beneficial in preparing for an audit. Compliance testing will assist you in identifying the weak points in your compliance program, such as whether your personnel requires more in-depth training, your security controls are insufficient, or your administrative procedures require more precision. This enables you to address and correct any compliance concerns before an auditor discovers them.

Use of Conformance Testing in Software Testing

Conformance testing, on the other side, is concerned with adhering to specific industry, technical, or contractual standards that may or may not intersect with legal compliance requirements. Conformance testing is often concerned with the functionality of your software and systems, as well as whether or not you meet particular benchmarks. Conformance testing is classified into three types:

  • Load Testing
  • Stress Testing
  • Volume Testing

The particular benchmarks you must satisfy will be determined by your industry’s regulating organization (for example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE), your contract SLA, or other technical specifications. Almost every organization wants their software to conform to some sort of standard, even if it’s only a commitment made in a contract, therefore conformance testing can assist almost every organization.

Conformance testing may be obligatory (similar to a compliance audit) or elective to assure the quality and compatibility of your software and systems. In either instance, conformance testing aids you in delivering a high-quality finished product that meets all consumer, legal, and industry requirements.

Conclusion

Hope now you get a clear idea of conformance testing and compliance testing.

To deliver glitch-free software it is important to choose the right compliance testing partner. Schedule a call with us, leverage our 10+ years of software testing experience for your project.

 

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Zero Trust Security Model to Safeguard Software Apps https://www.impactqa.com/blog/zero-trust-security-model-to-safeguard-software-apps/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/zero-trust-security-model-to-safeguard-software-apps/#respond Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:47:03 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=21102 We’ve all heard a lot about digital transformation and its implications for the IT landscape. […]

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We’ve all heard a lot about digital transformation and its implications for the IT landscape. Whether it’s big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), or cloud computing, each of these technologies has made a substantial contribution to a variety of businesses. However, few people discuss the complexity they introduce, particularly in the context of enterprise network infrastructures.

The fences are crumbling, and there is a hazy peripheral that is causing security concerns.

To be exact, the adoption of mobile internet, cloud computing, and other technologies are permitting outside platforms to penetrate the enterprise, while the open and supportive needs of emerging technologies, such as IoT and big data, are enabling external platforms to reach the enterprise.

A zero trust architecture (ZTA) is a security approach based on the idea that every user and device within and outside an organization’s boundaries must be validated before access is granted. In this blog, we’ll look at how zero trust security can assist in delivering business value by allowing users to access their apps in a smooth and safe manner.

Introduction to Zero Trust Model

Zero Trust is a network security architecture based on tight identity verification. Only validated and authorized users and devices are allowed to access apps and data, according to the framework. Simultaneously, it protects such apps and users from sophisticated internet dangers.

 

ImpactQA - Zero Trust Security Model

 

Although not a fully new idea, this model was initially developed by a Forrester Research analyst. With time it has become more relevant for today’s digital transformation and its influence on enterprise network security architecture.

Groundwork to Zero Trust Model

We see Zero Trust as a well-thought-out concept that can be used to build a cybersecurity ecosystem. As a result, this informs a lot about what we want to achieve as a final aim after implementing this approach.

The three pillars of the zero trust security model are:

Remove all Connections

Many systems, like firewalls, employ a transit strategy, in which data are transferred to their receivers while being reviewed. Under this, a notice is given if a malicious file is found, but it is typically too late. The usefulness of Zero trust is that it closes all connections to allow it to keep and analyze unfamiliar files before they reach the destination. There is a proxy architecture that takes charge of inspecting all communication at line speed; this includes encrypted traffic, further supported by deep data and threat analysis.

Eliminate Attack Surface to Reduce Risk Frequency

Because of zero trust, users are only connected to the apps and services they require and are never linked to networks. By allowing one-to-one connections, it reduces the likelihood of lateral movement and prevents a compromised device from targeting other network resources. It’s worth noting that people and apps with zero trust are invisible to the internet and hence cannot be tracked or targeted.

Data Protection using Granular Policies

Zero trust uses the user identification and device posture to intelligently verify access privileges. It’s also recognized for employing specific business regulations based on context, such as device, user, requested app, and content kind. The user’s access capabilities are regularly examined when the context changes, such as the user’s device or location, since the policies are adaptable.

Suggested Read

How 2021 Will Emerge as the Year Of Adaptive Cybersecurity?

Advantages of Zero Trust for Businesses

1. Good Control Over Cloud & Container Environments

When it comes to moving to and using the cloud, security experts are most concerned about the loss of visibility and access management. Despite notable advances in cloud service provider (CSP) security, the idea of workload security remains a joint responsibility of the CSP and the cloud-using company.

When a zero trust architecture is implemented, security policies are based on the identification of communicative workloads and are directly tied to the workload. As a consequence, security is kept as close as possible to the assets that need to be secured and is unaffected by network structures such as IP addresses and protocols. As a result, protection not only adapts to the workload in which it tries to communicate but also remains consistent as the environment changes.

2. Reduced Cases of Data Breach

Because zero trust is based on the principle of least privilege, each entity (device, user, and workload) is assumed to be hostile. Every request is reviewed, individuals and devices are confirmed, and permissions are assessed before confidence is created. Furthermore, every time the context changes, such as the user’s location or the data being accessed, this “trust” is continually reviewed.

 

ImpactQA - Zero Trust Verification

 

As a result of being untrustworthy, an attacker who obtains access to the network or cloud instance through a compromised device or other weakness will be unable to take data. Furthermore, due to the zero trust security approach of establishing a secure segment of one, there is no way to migrate laterally. As a result, the attacker will have nowhere to go and access will be blocked.

3. Facilitates in Compliance Initiatives

All user and company relationships are protected from being disclosed on the internet with zero trust. It is easier to prove compliance with privacy principles and other requirements due to its obscurity.

Additionally, zero trust segmentation may be used to create perimeters around specific categories of sensitive data. This includes data backups, PCI data, and credit card data. The adoption of fine-grained limits aids in the preservation of a clear data separation between regulated and non-regulated information. When it comes to flat network designs that provide over-privileged access in the event of a data breach, a zero trust segmentation solution provides greater visibility and control.

4. Lesser Business and Organization Level Risks

All apps and services are harmful, according to zero trust, and they can’t communicate unless their identification traits can be positively authenticated.

As a result, zero trust reduces risk by exposing everything on the network, as well as how those assets connect. Since baselines have been established, it also reduces risk by deleting over-provisioned software and services and by regularly validating the credentials of each and every communication asset.

Conclusion

Businesses must maintain a zero trust network architecture in order to remain competitive. It must be able to safeguard corporate data regardless of where users and devices are located, while also guaranteeing that applications run fast and smoothly.

To achieve a zero-trust architecture, contact a well-known security testing service partner that can assist you in keeping your application safe, adaptive, and scalable. Contact us at ImpactQA to receive quick assistance with industry best security testing techniques for minimizing application risks as quickly as possible.

 

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Top 7 Practices to Enable Security in your CI/CD Pipeline https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-7-practices-to-enable-security-in-your-ci-cd-pipeline/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-7-practices-to-enable-security-in-your-ci-cd-pipeline/#respond Fri, 10 Sep 2021 08:36:10 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=20237 To improve efficiency, a software delivery team needs a better check on time-to-market. A DevOps […]

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To improve efficiency, a software delivery team needs a better check on time-to-market. A DevOps culture together with a solid CI/CD pipeline is implemented to achieve this. 

Why?

We work in a world driven by software, where we create new objectives for businesses. A setup with DevOps and CI/CD is necessary to adapt and handle these quickly changing business requirements. The CI/CD methodology enables teams to swiftly provide new releases, function modifications, and bug fixes in their capacity to create and deploy the Agile guidelines. 

However, the product’s safety and its supporting infrastructure are often affected by such quick release cycles. Moreover, the delivery of high-quality goods and service experiences calls for the CI/CD pipes to be secured. Hence, the safe delivery of quality applications needs to strengthen everything flowing via the software supply pipeline.

Need for Security across CI/CD Pipeline

Organizations must guarantee continuous security validation across the CI/CD pipeline to reduce vulnerabilities’ probability of undiscovered vulnerabilities during the software development lifecycle. Security incorporated into the CI/CD pipeline ensures code security while providing early alerts of insecure or faulty code, resulting in a safe end-product and increased customer confidence.

Below mentioned are a few restorative practices that can effectively implement security into your CI/CD pipeline.

1. Familiarity with CI/CD Pipeline & Elements

To build an asset registry and maintain overall knowledge of the application architecture and software development lifecycle, it’s necessary to have better insight into the CI/CD pipeline. It involves including assets and boundaries together with the different tools, stages, and code repositories. The motive is to gather the information that will reveal changes in assets as well as actions.

ImpactQA - Security in CI-CD pipeline

Further, listing all potential metric sources produced by the pipeline is essential.
The later step is to start implementing security across the development and deployment operations. Although the tools used in a project may be determined by the frameworks, languages, and operating systems utilized, many companies make versions that cover most circumstances. To prevent needless interruption within the DevOps process, introduce new tools one by one so that everyone on the team can adjust and understand them.

2. Deploy Threat Modeling

Understanding what possible security vulnerabilities exist inside your build and pragmatic approach and which ones require additional protection is the first step in securing your CI/CD pipeline. Because every step in the CI/CD pipeline might be a possible point of compromise, a threat modeling exercise helps you map out potential risks and plan for their avoidance.

3. Automate using IaC

For companies wanting to protect their CI/CD pipeline, Infrastructure as Code, or IaC, offers a significant security benefit. IaC prevents human modifications or direct access to underlying code since it enables the autonomous deployment of secure infrastructure — consistently and at scale. To simplify it further, since code is only deployed to production once accepted, IaC can offer the required aid in code security by discovering mistakes and configuration errors after deployment.

4. Quick Tracking of Committed Code

After they’ve committed their code, developers should get immediate feedback. Because they don’t require the application to be operating, static code analysis tools are ideal for the task, and many of them also offer remedial suggestions.

As a viable solution, sharing code scan reports with security testing or development teams is an excellent option to prioritize all sorts of follow-up activities. Also, adding any warnings or alerts created during these tests to a bug tracker like Jira is carried out. This guarantees the vulnerability gets allocated to someone and repaired, rather than ignored.

5. Secure the Code Repository

Another critical pillar in maintaining the security of your CI/CD pipeline is the protection of your code repository. If your access credentials or service are compromised, attackers can take advantage of any chance to alter the codebase without your consent. As a result, relying on a trusted repository becomes essential.

6. Keep an Eye for Open-Source Vulnerabilities

A brief check of imported open-source libraries and associated components is proper when you are trying to excavate known vulnerabilities. In current software development, these third-party products serve an important role, yet new vulnerabilities might arise at any time. Such vulnerabilities might affect an app’s security even if its code has not been modified.
How to analyze open-source code? Software composition analysis (SCA) tools are put in place to inspect open-source code, binaries, and third-party components. It ensures the provision of real-time security alerts and even identifies compliance as well as licensing issues.

7. Monitor your Pipeline Continuously

You need a safe code flow for building and constantly deploying if you want a continuous and secure software supply pipeline. This guarantees that the CI/CD environment is continuously monitored as it is operating, infringing, and configuring your pipeline safely. Active monitoring can help you proactively deal with security problems while enabling you to discontinue momentary resources like containers and VMs when the tasks are over.

Enable Security into CI/CD pipeline with DevSecOps

While an automated pipeline utilizing Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) ideas bring new difficulties to the traditional safety strategy (the dev team is too rapid), it also offers possibilities for teams who accept this method.

ImpactQA - DevSecOps

The essence of DevSecOps is to integrate security procedures across the pipeline and apply DevOps techniques and philosophy to safety efforts. An early security analysis follows this technique in the life cycle of software development (shift left), limiting its findings’ effect.

The actual question is: What should we feed in the pipeline?

Because there are various methods and tactics that InfoSec teams employ daily to accomplish their work, it indeed relies on the requirements and restrictions of a given solution or product. To name a few, there are:

  • Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
  • Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
  • Software Composition Analysis tools
  • Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

Each addresses a distinct set of security concerns and is a contender for inclusion in an agile development lifecycle based on DevOps concepts. For instance, deploying both DAST and SAST within the pipeline can help highlight both codebase and runtime vulnerabilities.

Furthermore, there are added security techniques that could be pushed in the pipeline, for example:

  • Analyzing imported libraries using Software Composition Analysis tools like Retire.js and OWASP Dependency-Check with the purpose of spotting licensing risks along with known vulnerabilities related to open-source libraries 
  • Getting a better idea about secrets with git-secrets or other similar solutions
  • Assessing and strengthening the infrastructure with the help of Nmap, Inspec, etc
  • Picking up specific issues with SSLyze, SQLMap, and others

Conclusion

The goal of integrating security throughout the CI/CD pipeline benefits the development, operations, and security teams by improving collaboration. Maintaining a correct sequence in order to keep track of the most recent hazards is critical for the success of any software product. To secure a long-term agreement, contact a reputable security testing company with experience in CI/CD pipeline security measures to assist you in planning retrospectives based on project successes and failures.

 

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Top Security Compliance Pitfalls Ignored by Global Enterprises https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-security-compliance-pitfalls-ignored-by-global-enterprises/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/top-security-compliance-pitfalls-ignored-by-global-enterprises/#respond Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:59:12 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=19949 As per the latest research, the financial services business takes an average of 233 days […]

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As per the latest research, the financial services business takes an average of 233 days to detect and contain a data breach. Mostly because half of the time they are completely unaware of when and where that data breach took place. Moreover, you are expected to report a data breach in the first 48 hours of its occurrence, failing to which a fine worth 20 million pounds or 4% of your global turnover can be charged, something that happens commonly amongst all major companies. As per the IAPP-EY Annual Privacy Governance Report, businesses spent around $1.3 million on average to meet various compliance requirements and were expected to put an additional $1.8 million above.

Staying forever compliant is more like a never-ending battle for your business. A single miss makes you end up with huge debt or bankruptcy. As and when a business expands, there are more rules to follow, more threats to be defended and more security holes to be looked after. There comes a stage when a minor act of putting together a compliance initiative may seem like an overwhelming task to handle.

Noting, compliance issues can pop from anywhere across the businesses operations, there are chances that you might not see them coming or worse, ignore them at first sight. In the most basic terms if you have access to sensitive customer data, no matter what the size of your company is, chances are your data can be breached and you may end up in a compliance lawsuit filed against you by your client. In the case of financial institutions, a third-party vendor’s vulnerability becomes your vulnerability that needs to be thoroughly tested. That’s precisely why you need an external security testing service provider to keep a constant check on your business and make sure you meet compliance standards at every strategic business move you make.

 

Must Read: Which is better, Bitdefender or Kaspersky? 

 

Below mentioned are six of the most basic security compliance issues companies come across:

1. Multiple Compliances

Any large size organisation with business centres across the globe may be subjected to dozens of compliance regimes that need to be abided by at every stage of their business. Even figuring out which product or service falls under which compliance regulation is a task. To add to this tussle, laws change constantly. There are local standards and cross border regulations that are incorporated to safeguard the interests of residents. Every other day a new trade treaty is put into place to ensure data privacy. The more your business grows the harder it becomes to keep up with these regulations and the complex these issues become.

2. Inadequate Implementation

With the above pointer, it’s obvious that the chances you’ll fail to abide by compliances are much more than succeeding in it. Companies that follow them diligently also fall under the red zone of multiple compliance issues. Most companies fail at interim PCI penetration testing. The regulations in this category are so many that nearly everyone fails at something or another.
Following compliances individually is difficult, tedious and confusing and hiring external help can be expensive. The reason why major companies fail at this is that any leadership is unwilling to commit the required money and time to do it right.

 

Suggested Read

How 2021 Will Emerge as the Year Of Adaptive Cybersecurity?

 

3. Partner Compliance

Initiatives like HIPAA are majorly designed in a manner that keeps your data secure. The ultimate objective is to make sure your client’s sensitive information is safe that helps you maintain a safe goodwill in the market. If in case a business partner or vendor breaches information, your business could be on the hook as well. Now, there are various contracts like HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA), CJIS Management Control Agreements, etc that help save you from such breaches. Unfortunately, there’s little that can be done to ensure your partner holds his end of the bargain. Contractual employees, for example, can be asked to sign a BAA but ensuring they do not leak any information cannot be guaranteed.
Contracts, such as HIPAA Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) and CJIS Management Control Agreements (MCAs), can help somewhat. They put rules in place for information access, security, and responding to breaches, helping both partners stay compliant, and provide crucial legal cover should your partner lose control of protected data. In the end, all you can do is take your vendors on their word, even when your company’s reputation is on the line.

4. Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD)

With the new trend of remote working on the place and aggressively promoted across the world, more and more companies ask their employees to Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD) at work. Though companies get to save a lot of money for setting up devices and workstations for their employees, it usually comes with a compromise on data privacy. To avoid such breaches, tools such as encryption, firewalls, and anti-malware programs can be put in place. The problem arises when employees don’t take this seriously, and put convenience ahead of compliance.

Stored passwords for example are an easy gateway for hackers to get unrestricted access to your company’s data. Devices can be infected by malware and become vulnerable to data breaches.

5. Poor DLP Management

DLP or Data loss prevention is a clause that should be mentioned in every employee’s contract. Noting that to expose sensitive information, all that a hacker needs is one email containing access to internal information i.e an ID or password and the next thing you know is a wrong person having access to all your employee information. Any hacker can hack anything that any employee has access to. That is precisely why you need to filter out your company data along with limiting the number of people who have access to all your sensitive documentation. No matter how strong passwords, encryption, firewalls, and other security tools you use, you cannot protect your company against such data leakage. A strong DLP planning can come to the rescue here that helps you minimise data exposure.

 

Learn How ImpactQA Delivered Independent and Unbiased Security Testing Solutions to a Leading Institutional Liquidity Provider in UK

How to Avoid Such Security Compliance Pitfalls?

Majorly all your legislation or technological changes in all possible geographical regions of the world can cause possible compliance issues or security breaches for a set compliant business as well.

Keeping a continuous security check also referred to as continuous security testing is an essential practice that needs to be adopted in every organisation. You need to be sure to understand the loopholes that come with data security whenever a new vendor and technological change has been incorporated. ImpactQA’s dynamic application security testing services effectively expose software vulnerabilities within your system to minimize risks and ensure better application security and scalability.

Leverage ImpactQA’s software & application security testing services to ensure your business is forever compliant. Schedule a call now and our security experts will get in touch with you.

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DAST Vs SAST – Application Security Testing Methods https://www.impactqa.com/blog/dast-vs-sast-application-security-testing-methods/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/dast-vs-sast-application-security-testing-methods/#respond Tue, 03 Nov 2020 06:39:30 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=16040 At present, a sudden increase in the amount of application being developed in the software […]

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At present, a sudden increase in the amount of application being developed in the software market has boosted the software application industry. I. It has created roadways to a rise in malicious activities and cybercrime attacks that need to be guarded by companies’ application security techniques. Companies today are investing a significant chunk of their IT budget on application security testing services that can help them protect their applications and safeguard their customers’ and stakeholders’ data.

Let us take a closer look in understanding what ‘Applications Security Testing’ is and then go further in examining what’s the primary difference in the two famous testing methods popularly used by developers, i.e.:

  • Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
  • Dynamic Application Security Testing? (DAST)

Both these application security testing solutions help detect bugs and vulnerable areas of an application or website at different stages. Both have their own set of benefits and loopholes, and if used together, both of them can help protect your applications from bugs or malicious activities from attackers before they become too active for you to handle. 

 

Suggested Read

Security Testing “THREATS” and “METHODOLOGIES”

 

What is Application Security Testing?

The process of testing, analyzing, and reporting security issues or vulnerabilities during or post the SDLC process is called Application security testing. It is a process adopted by developers and coders to help administer the security strength of web applications using manual or automated testing tools and identify threats that can jeopardize the Web application’s security.

 

ImpactQA - Application Security Testing Approach

 

Mostly, application security testing is performed post the application is developed and ready to be released. The process majorly includes attacking the application with a series of fabricated malicious attacks to analyze how the app responds to them and identify the areas to improve. 

Some of the fundamental processes within the testing process include:

  • Brute force attack testing
  • Password quality rules
  • Session cookies
  • User authorization processes
  • SQL injection

 

 

Suggested Read

Why Security Testing is Significant?

 

What is Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)?

Dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools are used later in the application development process. In this, the application once entirely developed is tested by running it on the DAST tools. It gives runtime environment vulnerabilities and issues in third-party interfaces. As you develop your application further DAST tools continue to scan your codes to identify and fix bugs at an early stage. It gives automated alerts to the concerned Tams with recommended changes for them to analyze them make suitable changes. 

What is Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools are used in the software development process’s initial stage. This testing technique tests the application from inside out, also referred to as the white-box testing technique, on a very early application development stage. It helps detect vulnerable points in advance for developers to fix before an attacker attacks the website.

Companies put in a lot of effort in building engaging applications and websites that store a huge amount of customer data on a daily basis. Securing this platform is necessary to avoid any attacker having access to sensitive information from your account. Implementing robust security testing measures during the development stage helps companies safeguard their applications from vulnerabilities at an early stage and be better prepared. This also helps save costs which would otherwise be spent post the development was over. 

SAST helps find issues that the developer may not be able to identify. These tools are scalable and can help automate the testing process with ease. The recommendation given by these tools is easy to implement and can be incorporated instantly.

What is the Basic Difference Between DAST vs SAST? 

 

S.NO. STATIC APPLICATION SECURITY TESTING DYNAMIC APPLICATION SECURITY TESTING
1. SAST is a type of White Box security testing that does not require a deployed application to run. DAST is a type of Black Box security testing that requires a Running application at the back to function.
2. This type of testing is a developer’s approach of testing which tests applications from inside out. This type of testing is a hacker’s approach of testing applications from outside in.
3. Vulnerable apps and codes can be detected and bugs can be fixed easily in SAST with a little cost assistance SAST identifies vulnerabilities and bugs towards the end of the SDLC hence fixing them becomes difficult and costly. 
4. SAST cannot discover issues related to run time and environment. DAST can discover issues related to run time and environment.
5. SAST scans all types of applications, web services, thick client, etc. DAST is only limited to apps like web applications, web services, and cannot scan different types of software.
6. The tester has full knowledge about design, application framework, and implementation in SAST. The tester has no knowledge about application, design, frameworks, and implementation in DAST.
7. SAST testing requires a source code to perform a testing operation. DAST testing does not require a source code to perform a testing operation.
8. It scans static code and performs its testing operation. It scans dynamic code and performs its testing operation.
9. This testing is performed in the early stages of the Software Development Life Cycle. This testing is performed at end of the Software Development Life Cycle.
10 You can perform a comprehensive application analysis in SAST. You cannot perform comprehensive application analysis in DAST

 

Learn About ImpactQA's Unbiased Delivery of SAST, DAST & VAPT Solutions to a Leading Institutional Liquidity Provider in UK

Conclusion:

As we observed both SAST and DAST have their own set of benefits and loops holes. While one takes the inside-out approach others prefer outside in detecting bugs in the application. In general, both techniques make attempts to penetrate the application in several ways to identify potential vulnerabilities.  

Furthermore, it is also observed that source code, byte code, and binaries are not essential requirements to run a test using DAST. It’s easy and cost-effective compared to SAST tools. Collectively SAST tools can be deployed during the development stages of an application and DAST can be used before an application goes live and when source code is not available to be tested. This can help safeguard your applications from all possible attacks at an early stage and be prepared. The collaborative involvement of both these application security testing methods is helpful in spotting potential bugs and other discrepancies.

ImpactQA has polished its approach with DAST and SAST tools to offer quality application security testing services. This makes us an efficient software testing provider that exhibits state-of-the-art knowledge and expertise to address global clients. For any query related to application security testing methods, feel free to contact us. 

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What is a DDoS Attack? Different Types & Methods to Prevent It https://www.impactqa.com/blog/what-is-a-ddos-attack-different-types-methods-to-prevent-it/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/what-is-a-ddos-attack-different-types-methods-to-prevent-it/#respond Mon, 12 Oct 2020 05:27:59 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=15843 Understanding a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack has become essential as websites are falling […]

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Understanding a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack has become essential as websites are falling prey to this tragedy. The knowledge and nature of these attacks must be familiar to website owners, counting it as a part of their security arrangement. Not many knew about DDoS attacks’ impact until it started causing loss of customers, brand, and ultimately brand degradation to slaughter the business on the whole.

What Do You Mean by a DDoS Attack?

A DDoS attack is ranked among non-intrusive internet attacks carried out to dismantle the targeted website. Eventually, this slows down their functionality by flooding the server, application, or network using fake traffic. In 2019, the count of network and application layer attacks was mind-boggling. According to confirmed sources, a network layer DDoS attack was capable of reaching 580 million packets per second (PPS) in April. Moreover, a separate application layer attack lasted for around 13 days and sharply peaked at 292,000 requests per second (RPS).

 

ImpactQA - DDoS Attack Regional Analysis
DDoS Attack Regional Analysis

 

Focusing on additional statistics, there was distinguished development in the count of network layer assaults on businesses, especially in the East Asia region. This made the target region termed as “dangerous,” considering the number of attacks and the possibility of being attacked. East Asia was home to the four most attacked nations, where India was ranked at the top.

On a practical front, spotting the different types of DDoS attacks is difficult, which might take too much time. Hence, several simplified guidelines have been issued to learn better about DDoS attacks and they prevent measures. This includes careful supervision by software testing services and network experts to put in well-defined efforts for curbing DDoS attacks.

Types of DDoS Attacks

Looking at DDoS attacks’ seriousness and extensiveness in today’s time, they are broadly categorized into three types. Let us try to learn about them in-depth to simplify their impact on an organization.

Volumetric Attacks

As per volumetric attack, the machine’s network bandwidth is crushed by flooding it using false data requests. This is carried out by targeting every open port associated with the device. Since the machine is swamped with malicious data requests, there is little or no room for accepting genuine traffic. Under volumetric DDoS attacks, you have UDP floods and ICMP floods.

Suggested Read

What is the Role of Software Testing in Cyber Security?

  • UDP Floods: UDP or User Datagram Protocol highlights the simple transmission of data without assessing its integrity. Under the UDP format, it is more inclined towards fast data transmission. However, this is the primary reason why attackers get a chance to conduct a breach.
  • ICMP Floods: ICMP or Internet Control Message Protocol basically refers to network devices that are in communication with each other. An ICMP focused attack majorly depends on attacking nodes that are responsible of sending false error requests.

 

ImpacQA - DDoS & Application Based SecurityApplication-Layer Attacks

It is vital to be familiar with the fact that the application layer constitutes the topmost layer within the OSI network model. Moreover, you can view this layer as the closest to user’s interaction that happens with the system. DDoS attacks that target the application layer are majorly focused on direct web traffic. Some of the possible pathways include HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, or DNS.

If you think recognizing application-layer attacks is easy, you might have to reconsider your analysis! This difficulty is the involvement of a smaller machine count that can even get restricted to a single device. As a result, there is a higher possibility that the server can be fooled into viewing the attack as a minor inconvenience.

Protocol Attacks

The effect of a protocol attack is concentrated on destroying connections within the defined network sections, which are directly linked to verifying connections. The attackers can make use of deliberate malformed pings or successive to cause memory buffers. Such an action can cause overloading and eventually leads to system failure. It is essential to remember that a protocol attack is also capable of targeting firewalls. At present, the most common and treacherous protocol attack is the SYN flood.

Intelligent Steps to Prevent DDoS Attacks

Network Hardware Fortification

There are certain minor hardware tweaks you can access to smartly avoid a DDoS attack. For instance, configure your router or firewall to avert incoming ICMP packets. This action also includes the blocking of DNS external responses. The purpose of this step is to prevent certain volumetric attacks (ping-based).

Additional Bandwidth

There are several ways to control DDoS attacks, but the most simplistic is to enhance your infrastructure to make sure there is enough bandwidth. It will prove useful to handle spikes in website traffic that might be reason of malicious movement.

Ensuring more bandwidth as compared to any cyber attacker was considered as a helpful act to prevent DDoS attacks. However, the nature of DDoS attacks has augmented over the years, which has lessened the operational benefit of buying additional bandwidth as a suitable solution against DDoS attack.

Cloud to the Rescue

You can rely on cloud-based service operators to manage DDoS prevention. To be precise, the cloud consists of additional bandwidth as well as resources as compared to private networks. Moreover, the use of cloud functions as a diffuse resource, that is, cloud-based applications helps in absorbing ‘cruel’ traffic before it reaches the target system. Finally, almost all cloud-based services are controlled by software engineers who are capable and up-to-date with monitoring the latest DDoS strategies.

The installation of a DDoS mitigation plan is crucial for safeguarding your website, application, and network from nasty security breaches. For this, you can reach out to efficient security testing services such as ImpactQA, which is a leading software testing company well versed with contemporary internet-based attacks. Our expertise and practical know-how to curb DDoS attacks can prove beneficial in protecting your website and upholding business operations.

Suggested Read

Security Testing & Organization Level Website Protection

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How is Security Testing Important in Healthcare Applications? https://www.impactqa.com/blog/how-is-security-testing-important-in-healthcare-applications/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/how-is-security-testing-important-in-healthcare-applications/#respond Wed, 06 May 2020 17:20:00 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=14303 The healthcare sector is facing several challenges for the past few years. With the ongoing […]

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The healthcare sector is facing several challenges for the past few years. With the ongoing pandemic affecting the global population, the need for improved healthcare technology is vital.

Talking about healthcare applications, their key purpose is to manage critical data linked to different patients and organizations associated with its services. Under this arrangement, data is stored as health records, payment information, account details, and identity particulars. This data is sensitive and requires high-end security shields for averting any mishap. Therefore, the implementation of security testing comes as a requirement related to healthcare applications.

In the recent past, security failures within the healthcare sector have led to serious damage. Such events have greatly influenced healthcare applications used in this modern era that maintain patients’ important data. Also, the rising count of cases highlighting medical identity theft has called for a firm deployment of security testing for healthcare apps.

 

Security Testing for Healthcare Apps

What is the correct security testing approach for a healthcare app? To obey a comprehensive security testing process, the primary goal is focused on a constructive app review.

  • This includes the provision for a well-detailed guideline to execute vital facets with security given the topmost priority
  • The security tester is responsible to highlight existing security features and remodel the framework for verification, data security, audit logging, and much more
  • Additionally, a calculated security testing approach involves data validation testing, configuration management testing, session management testing, business logic testing, and OWASP testing for vulnerabilities like XSS and SQL injection.

 

Suggested Read

How does Test Automation Improve Healthcare Applications?

 

Advantages of Security Testing Concerning Healthcare Apps

For creating a better understanding associated with the practicality of security testing related to healthcare applications, below mentioned are a few important actions that need not be missed.

 

  • Protecting PHI

The role of security testing within healthcare apps is centred at targeting all vulnerabilities including potential risks linked to protected health information (PHI). This action also covers decryption attempts as well as other attacks. In simple words, to ensure the healthcare applications fulfil HIPAA compliance, the overall security of PHI is essential.

 

  • Authentication of Data Storage

It is imperative to ensure that transferred data should be kept safe and similar measures need to be abided for data storage. The deployment of security testing assists in safeguarding your data storage measures. Overall, it offers an analysis of the ongoing security solution, policy-based data management, and encryption technique.

 

  • Validating Identity Management

The presence of security loopholes acts as vulnerability pointers for hackers. It is through the implementation of security testing techniques we can detect such errors, thereby, allowing the testing professionals to enhance identity validation and diminish any scope for violating patient privacy.

 

  • Approve Security Methods

What are your supreme methods to protect the healthcare application’s data? Have you implemented two-way authentication or any specific encryption algorithm? With the use of security testing, a complete assessment of your safety mechanism is carried out.

 

  • Improved Software Quality

While dealing with the healthcare domain, the use of safer software is always preferred. This includes the ability to spot bugs in the initial stages with a purpose to lessen overall cost and enhance product quality at release time.

 

  • Secure Data Transmission

A healthcare application would manage data exchange across different platforms, such as email, mobile devices, and cloud storage. Therefore, it is essential to ensure the data is properly encrypted and safeguarded from unauthorized access during the overall exchange process. It is crucial to stay watchful during transmission since data leak can cause a major blunder at such a stage. The role of security testing works as a shield and permits a safe transfer of data.

 

  • Risk Assessment

The level of risk associated with a healthcare application can be assessed well before the scheduled release. Such an action can prove advantageous to your team of tester for carrying out further diagnose and cure related vulnerabilities.

The healthcare sector has been loaded with technological aids, thereby, augmenting the need for application security testing. This blog has carefully highlighted the various positives of security testing in regard to healthcare apps. For a better understanding of this operation, you can connect with experienced professionals from quality software testing companies like ImpactQA.

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Security Testing & Organization Level Website Protection https://www.impactqa.com/blog/security-testing-organization-level-website-protection/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/security-testing-organization-level-website-protection/#respond Mon, 30 Mar 2020 09:51:12 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=13425 The concept of security testing defines the range of testing initiatives that are focused on […]

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The concept of security testing defines the range of testing initiatives that are focused on ensuring accurate and faultless working of an application. In simple words, the purpose is to evaluate different elements of security that involve confidentiality, integrity, susceptibility, authenticity, and stability.

Security testing manages a stern observation of the diverse bands of an information system available across the database, infrastructure, network, and access channels. Such an action proves effective in making the applications intact and protected from serious exposures.

 

Importance of Security Testing to an Organization

The world today is highly interconnected since consumers now confidently rely on online channels to carry out transactions. For such a setup, any form of a security breach can drop down customer confidence and eventually lead to revenue loss. According to research findings, the count of security attacks at the global level has surged exponentially.

 In such a scenario, the value of security testing has enhanced since it is regarded as the only authority that assists an organization in identifying their vulnerabilities and further rectify security errors. Over the years, numerous organizations have enrolled to get their security audits done. Such measures are necessary for shielding critical applications from unintended infiltration or breaches.

In layman’s language, more extensive the organization’s security testing arrangement, the stronger are the possibilities of sustaining in a progressively threatening technology domain. Below mentioned are the topmost reasons why security testing favors an organization:

  • An organization can easily avert risks due to unintended disclosures of crucial data by imposing active data security measures. There have been instances when such exposures have cost organizations heavily, primarily through legal complications associated with delicate information.
  • The incorporation of data security guidelines helps minimize compliance costs. This is achieved through simplified data audit methods.
  • Furthermore, an organization is enabled to uphold its data integrity by actively preventing unofficial usage.
  • With the implementation of sturdy data security methodologies, an organization stays on track with the legal and compliance standards operative within countries.

 

Suggested Read

10 Best Mobile App Security Testing Tools

 

Benefits of Website Security Testing

The role of security testing towards website safety is being practiced by several organizations in today’s time. Security testing is viewed as a boon, with advantages mainly concentrated at data shielding and system protection.

Some of the major perks of running a security test to analyze a website include:

 

  • Multiple Scanning of Websites

It deals with computerized web investigation that allows the simultaneous analysis of different sites and web applications. For abiding the condition of security for every website, there is an additionally penetrated announcing device suitable for assistance. Such highlights are fitting enough for extensive partnerships considering several individuals present on a web improvement faction.

 

  • Ease of Automation

The maintenance of web application security cannot be marked as a simple task. It is only through the inclusion and utilization of robotized instruments the process can be simplified to some extent. The minor quantification of setup and mix has successfully empowered the robotized device to carry out effective security checks on websites and web applications.

Hence, the task which normally requires point-by-point working information related to a web application can now be managed by using a web application scanner.

 

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Security Testing “THREATS” and “METHODOLOGIES”

 

  • Quick Vulnerability Detection

With a manual web application security test, there are several limitations concerned with the identification of known vulnerabilities. However, utilizing an automated web helplessness scanner allows the analysis of different parameters concerning a plethora of web application security disparities. As a benefit, web application vulnerabilities can now be recognized faster before it becomes a major hassle for the testers.

 

  • Hack Proof

Programmers make use of self-imposed variants of mechanized scanners for recognizing web application vulnerabilities. With the involvement of automated web application security investigation, an organization can carry out a helplessness test that informs to turn away from unhandled weakness which attracts hackers. The most convenient method to tackle online attackers is through the utilization of computerized security tools for spotting vulnerabilities and inadequacies.

 The act of safeguarding a website or web application is comfortably managed via security testing. You can view it as a set of measures prepared exclusively to figure out loopholes, which should be corrected to ward off hacking threats. For additional information about security testing for website protection, you can contact testing professionals at ImpactQA. These experts will readily address all your queries with satisfactory solutions and examples.

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Why Security Testing is Significant? https://www.impactqa.com/blog/why-security-testing-is-significant/ https://www.impactqa.com/blog/why-security-testing-is-significant/#respond Mon, 24 Jun 2019 14:37:05 +0000 https://www.impactqa.com/?p=6802 Hundreds of thousands of applications have come up in the market, but only a few […]

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Hundreds of thousands of applications have come up in the market, but only a few are protected with up-to-date security methods. Security testing services are important to ensure that an application once downloaded does not stop while functioning. Client information is confidential, but having loopholes in the application can mean that private information of the client can be leaked out, which will result in losing clients and further legal action from the client’s side may result in complete bankruptcy. Hence, another important aspect as to why security testing services are important is because it mitigates the chances of having confidential information leaked out to an all-time high.

ImpactQA offers a reputed security testing service in the market. We deploy experts who use state-of-the-art tools, technologies, and methods keeping in mind the modern threats and cyber attacks that pose a problem to emerging businesses and entrepreneurs. Our team of experts will cater to your demands individually and provide a solution based on your business’s need. We provide two types of testing services in security for applications:

  1. Static testing
  2. Dynamic testing.

Even though every business’s requirement will be unique, as a general approach we’ll talk to you about ports that are open and vulnerable to intrusion from attackers. The numbers of manual and automated attacks are on the rise these days. URL manipulation, session fixation, and brute force attacks are only a few to name. In an assessment called the vulnerability test, we’ll locate vulnerabilities in your application and strategize a way to ensure that it is not open for exploitation from outside attackers. Using the N-Map tool we can locate open ports in your application and help you protect the same.

 

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10 Best Mobile App Security Testing Tools

 

In another attempt to protect your application, we may also apply penetration testing. For the same, our team of experts will be replicating the attack that a hacker might use to attack your open port and report the findings back to you in an attempt to ensure that your application is safe from all possible attacks. In the end, we’ll provide a summary and recommendations on how to correct the bugs that were found to make sure that your application is equipped with the best security service.

Security Testing Methodology
Security Testing Methodology

In conclusion, security testing is a very crucial aspect of testing an application because of the following reasons:

1.It is required by the payment card industry to have security testing done as it deals with sensitive information.

2.Clients put in confidential information on the website and failure to protect the same does not only put the client’s trust in the company in jeopardy but also sends out a bad name for the company.

 

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Security Testing “THREATS” and “METHODOLOGIES”

 

3.It is cost effective to have bugs fixed initially than to have them fixed once the application is running.

ImpactQA’s security testing service team will help you in making your application safe from any attacks from hackers, protecting confidential client data, and making sure that the application doesn’t stop working while it is in use. Having client’s trust, support and further recommendation will help in having a good name for the company, and in return secure more clients; ideally helping you scale your application and business to new heights.

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