Web applications have become an ubiquitous part of how businesses operate and provide services in the digital age. However, with the rapid growth in web apps comes an increasing risk of cyber attacks aimed at stealing valuable user data. This makes comprehensive web application security testing crucial for companies looking to secure their apps and prevent data breaches which cost organizations an average of $4.24 million per incident according to IBM.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll provide an in-depth look at different types of web application security testing methodologies, when testing should occur, and additional solutions to strengthen cyber defenses.
Why is Web Application Security Testing Important?
The goal of web application security testing is to thoroughly evaluate if a web app is vulnerable to hacking attempts and cyber attacks. It involves both automated and manual testing procedures designed to find weaknesses before they can be exploited by bad actors.
With web applications storing and transmitting large amounts of sensitive user data, failing to properly secure them can lead to incredibly costly data breaches resulting in regulatory penalties, lawsuits, and reputational damage. In fact, research shows that over 70% of cyber attacks target web applications which tend to have vulnerabilities easily leveraged by hackers.
This makes comprehensive web application security testing a must for companies looking to avoid the staggering impacts of a breach.
4 Types of Web Application Security Testing
There are four primary types of web application security testing, each with their own strengths and weaknesses:
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
DAST operates from the outside of a running web application, simulating attacks to identify vulnerabilities. This "black box" testing views the web app as a bad actor would, with no internal knowledge of the code.
Pros: Great for testing production web apps, finds common vulnerabilities like SQLi, XSS, broken authentication, etc.
Cons: Misses logical flaws, higher false positive rates, can‘t test apps under development
Sample DAST tool: OWASP ZAPStatic Application Security Testing (SAST)
Unlike DAST, SAST analyzes application source code and architecture for security flaws from the inside out. This "white box" testing requires full access to code, but doesn‘t necessitate a running application.
Pros: Finds logical flaws early, excellent for CI/CD integration, wide language support
Cons: Limited to only analyzing code it can access, misses system configuration issues
Sample SAST tools: Veracode, Checkmarx, SynopsysInteractive Application Security Testing (IAST)
IAST combines elements of DAST and SAST, monitoring a running application while also leveraging code analysis. This "gray box" approach instruments the web app code to detect and confirm vulnerabilities as code is executed.
Pros: Provides more accurate and actionable results, great DevOps integration
Cons: More overhead to implement, requires specific app runtimes
Sample IAST tools: Contrast Security, application.secOut-of-Band Application Security Testing (OAST)
OAST remotely tests web apps for potential weaknesses without direct access to the app or internal systems. This non-intrusive "black box" testing analyzes responses and behavior to infer vulnerabilities.
Pros: Safe for production, finds issues DAST misses, minimal overhead
Cons: Unable to detect certain flaw types, prone to false negatives
Sample OAST tools: Radware Wallarm, Signal Sciences Selecting the Right WAST Approach
Choosing the optimal web application security testing approach depends on weighing several key factors:
Application Type: Mobile, SPA, web service APIs all have specific testing needs.
Compliance Requirements: Regulated industries like healthcare and finance have stringent rules and protocols.
Organization Size: Larger enterprises lean towards extensive automation, smaller teams prefer manual testing.
Stage of SDLC: Shifting security left requires deploying the right tools at each phase.
In-house vs Outsourced: Building vs buying talent impacts tooling strategies.
Budget: Both open source and commercial testing tools have tradeoffs.
Ultimately, a layered approach utilizing multiple complementary testing strategies yields the best results.
When Should Companies Consider WAST?
Too often, organizations treat security as an afterthought, leaving apps vulnerable at launch. The most effective approach is to shift security left, integrating testing throughout the entire software development lifecycle via DevSecOps practices.
With automated testing tools, developers can find and remediate bugs early on, producing more secure code. This reduces the burden on security teams down the line. Embedding security into CI/CD pipelines enables constant feedback to developers on potential flaws.
While rigorous testing should occur across the entire development process, some key stages that warrant extra attention include:
- Requirements Gathering: Define security requirements like encryption, access controls, and data privacy.
- Design: Use threat modeling to find design weaknesses.
- Development: Integrate SAST scanning into code commits to detect bugs.
- Testing: Rigorously test authentication, session management, and input handling.
- Staging: Scan for issues using DAST before production deployment.
- Launch: Perform final penetration testing to validate security before launch.
A holistic approach throughout the software lifecycle results in robust protection for web apps in production.
10 Tips for Improving Web Application Security Posture
While tools and testing provide a strong foundation, there are additional steps organizations can take to further enhance their application security:
- Prioritize patching known vulnerabilities through vigilant scanning.
- Adopt least privilege principles for access controls and separation of duties.
- Encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest.
- Sanitize & validate user inputs and outputs thoroughly.
- Implement robust logging, monitoring, alerting to detect attacks.
- Start developer training on secure coding principles like threat modeling, abuse cases, and OWASP Top 10.
- Practice principal of least astonishment in UI design to avoid confusion.
- Continuously backup data for availability and recovery.
- Hire application security experts and embed them into development teams.
- Establish AppSec metrics tailored to your organization and existing processes.
Conclusion
As web applications become more ubiquitous for businesses, prioritizing their security is paramount. Employing rigorous web application security testing throughout the SDLC enables organizations to release apps with confidence that vulnerabilities have been mitigated.
Combining multiple testing approaches, embracing DevSecOps practices, and deploying additional cybersecurity solutions creates robust defenses for your web apps.
With application security threats rapidly evolving, taking proactive steps to safeguard your apps and data from compromise has never been more critical. Use this guide as a starting point and let us know if you need help selecting the right application security tools, services, and strategies tailored to your organization‘s needs.