The
advent of Internet entrepreneurs around the globe has triggered the development
and launch of web and mobile applications to an extent that every process is
being probed for the possibility of turning it into an application. Every day,
billions of digital interactions are accelerating operations, executing
transactions and multiplying opportunities. This phenomenal rise in the
adoption of digital assets is matched by the growing concerns on the status of
information security.
Security Testing is more than
Pre-emptive penetration with responsible disclosure
In
a digital asset, a vulnerability is either discovered with security testing or
is inevitably discovered at the expense of a security breach. Recurrent
incidents of security breaches corrode the credibility of the information
system’s security and can lead to a decline in the user base. Being one step
ahead of a potential security breach is not a matter of advantage, it is the
primary benchmark of commitment to information security.
Every information system is
vulnerable as long as it is not absolutely isolated.
A
smart phone enables a user to contact friends, post updates on social networks,
send e-mails, play games, make financial transactions, order/purchase products.
With sync options, hackers can choose a wide range of options to penetrate into
your device and then penetrate the user’s accounts through the device. The same
holds true for web applications, enterprise applications and e-commerce sites
as well, although the penetration threats might be different.
Increased usage of IT demands
multi-layer Security Testing
Social
networks with amazing options to consolidate user generated content, e-mail
services with staggering population of active user accounts and search engines
with enormous data are blurring the line between the creation and consumption
of data. Not very long ago, enterprises (including governments) have recognized
the wealth of the digital identities and built processes to replace direct
human interactions for recurrent processes wherever possible.
Risk mitigation inconstantly
evolving scenarios
Thus
we have mission critical scenarios spanning across multiple applications
synched to a single device/e-mail id, payment transactions in handheld devices
and desktops via apps, strategic access control in an organization, pathways to
server etc. Security compromise of any single component spreads the risk to all
the connected components and contacts making it imperative for the users to
sanitize the overall security.
The
sheer volume and diverse ways in which information is being exchanged makes SecurityTesting a high priority in a business strategy, and thus brings security
testers high in demand. Prioritized risk mitigation allows business
organizations to proceed with the initiatives with stringent security testing
for the areas which deserve to be made resilient.
Security is a continuous concern
and Security Testing is a consistent effort.
So
how does an organization leverage Security Testing to ensure resilience,
pre-empt defects and enable quick response? In the following three steps with resonant
executions:
1.
Focus on high risk areas – Pockets
of confidential information, business facing apps, mobile apps, web apps,
network, server, cloud, ERP/Admin control panels and Key user accounts etc.
2.
Random testing on overall system –
Execute attempts in scenarios which are often unthought of, unspecified in the
requirements or considered as low risk
3.
Information Security specific eco
system awareness - Contingency for estimated capacity of load balancer in case
of DDOS attacks, knowledge of new breed of malware, virus and sanitization of
bugs reported in the ecosystem
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