top of page

Test Security before Security is breached

 

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 Security Testing 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:

 

  • 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.

  • Random testing on overall system – Execute attempts in scenarios which are often unthought of, unspecified in the requirements or considered as low risk

  • 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

 

 

bottom of page