Security Testing Terminologies and Concepts

Introduction to security testing:

A crucial component of software testing is security testing, which helps us ensure the security of our software applications and identify any vulnerabilities, hazards, or threats in the program. It also aids in preventing malicious outside attacks.

Finding all possible ambiguities and vulnerabilities in the application is the main goal of security testing to ensure that it continues functioning. Security testing not only assists the programmer in fixing problems but also helps us uncover any potential security concerns.

The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) defines testing as evaluating a system’s or application’s current state with a set of standards. Thus, security testing is a subset of software testing in which security requirements make up the comparison criteria.

Common Security Testing Types:

1. Information Security Audit –  An audit of an organization’s information security posture is known as an information security audit. It is an impartial assessment and investigation of system logs, actions, and associated documentation. 

Automated vulnerability scanning and manual penetration testing are combined in a security audit to produce a comprehensive report.

In a security audit, the security posture of an information system is methodically evaluated by determining whether or not it complies with specified standards.

2. Security hacker: An individual who investigates ways to get beyond security measures and take advantage of holes in a computer system or network is known as a security hacker.

 Ethical hacking is another kind of security testing tool. The importance of ethical hackers cannot be overstated, as it is impossible to identify every vulnerability.

3. Penetration Test: A penetration test, also referred to as ethical hacking or pentest, is a sanctioned simulated cyberattack on a computer system that is carried out to assess the system’s security.

Penetration Test Vulnerability scanning is behind penetration testing, also known as ethical hacking. It points out security holes.

4. Vulnerability Scanner:  A vulnerability scanner is a computer program designed to assess computers, networks, or applications for known weaknesses.

Vulnerability Scanning: An automated tool is used to scan a system for known vulnerability signatures.

The automated method automatically assesses the network’s computer systems’ security threats to ascertain.

5. Application Security: Application security encompasses all activities that provide development teams with a secure software development life cycle. Its ultimate objective is to enhance security procedures and, in doing so, identify, address, and ideally prevent security vulnerabilities in applications.

In the long run, a lot of technologies have surfaced to support well-thought-out and secure applications. I am using security testing for static applications (SAST).

Security Testing Terminologies:

There are penetration testing phases-

1. What are Http and Https?– HTTP stands for hypertext transfer protocol HTTPs stands for hypertext transfer protocol secure.

The HTTP protocol is used by the server when a user sends a request. The client receives a response from the server. As soon as you type in the web address and hit “Enter,” you will get a web page with the response.

Cons: When a request is sent, outside parties may be aware of it before it reaches the server. They might be the company that provides your wifi connection, your network provider, or any proxy program like Fiddler.

Combining two separate protocols results in HTTPS. It is an amalgam of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL/TLS) protocol with the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS). It is a safer method for clients to make queries to servers because all communication is encrypted, keeping the user’s search terms secret. Emails, payment gateways, and banking websites all use the HTTPS protocol exclusively.

2. Parameter tempering– A type of online assault known as “parameter tampering” occurs when specific parameters in a user’s web page form or Uniform Resource Locator are altered without the user’s consent.

This manipulation is frequently possible with:

Cookie-based

Form Entries

Query strings on URLs

Headers for HTTP 

3. XSS vulnerability: One of the most prevalent flaws in web applications is called cross-site scripting, or XSS, which enables a hacker to insert their scripts—particularly JavaScript—into webpages that other users are seeing. Please feel free to read our other blog for comprehensive information on preventing and identifying Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, a procedure designed to find weaknesses in an information system’s security measures and so assist it preserve data and perform as intended.