According to one recent cybersecurity survey, around three-quarters of organizations only perform web app testing on a monthly basis or less frequently. There is an ongoing web app security crisis, and practices like this contribute to the problem. Even worse, some organizations are unfamiliar with the concept of app security testing, let alone effective testing.
Application security testing is a must, given the rapid evolution of cyber threats. Bad actors have become more aggressive and capable of launching more serious attacks, especially with the help of artificial intelligence. App tests exist to keep up with the continuously progressing nature of threats, helping developers to make applications less vulnerable.
Organizations new to establishing their app security testing regime will understandably encounter challenges. It can be difficult to select the right processes and tools to implement. To simplify, here are a few key aspects organizations can focus on.
Automating Vulnerability Identification
App security testing is all about identifying weaknesses in an application before threat actors discover and exploit them. The process of finding these vulnerabilities used to be undertaken manually. However, because of the more complex nature of modern apps, manual inspection no longer cuts it.
Most applications at present come with numerous open-sourced components and third-party dependencies. Evaluating them thoroughly requires automation and expert assistance to efficiently reveal configuration issues, functionalities that may enable unauthorized access, potential vectors for data breaches, and other security weaknesses.
Conducting effective testing today, therefore, requires the use of application security services. This collection of tools and managed professional services help teams protect applications holistically throughout their lifecycles. They include security testing and consulting, threat management, compliance support, threat modeling, security integration, and incident response. Organizations that lack proficiency in vulnerability identification rely on these tools and services to effectively test app security.
There are four key areas to examine when identifying vulnerabilities. One of them is user authentication and authorization, which entails the evaluation of login procedures and granting of access permissions to make sure that there are ample security measures and mechanisms in place to prevent unauthorized access. Next, it is important to ascertain data security, particularly the ways an application stores, transmits, and archives data. Another focus area is the ability of an app to communicate over networks in a secure manner. Lastly, it is vital to assess an app's session management. It should block session hijacking attempts by requiring access tokens and imposing time limits on inactivity.
Using the Right Tools
Hunting for vulnerabilities in apps may involve code review, static analysis, dynamic analysis, and penetration testing. Organizations can use more than one of these techniques, depending on the nature of their apps.
Code review, as the phrase suggests, is the examination of the application's code manually by experienced security professionals or through automated code review tools. Static analysis is designed to evaluate an application's code without running it, similar to examining the blueprint of a structure. Dynamic analysis involves the testing of an app while it is operating, providing the security team the ability to observe how the app behaves while it is used under various conditions and the vulnerabilities that may emerge. Penetration testing is the process of simulating an attack on an app to test its security features and reveal any weaknesses.
The app security testing solutions offered by cybersecurity providers now employ techniques combining two or more of the techniques enumerated above. Over the years, app testing solutions have evolved. For instance, code review is now an automated function in Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools. Meanwhile, the functions of SAST and DAST tools have been integrated into a new category called Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) to cover a broader range of vulnerabilities by running the tests within the application server and examining compiled source code.
There are also tools specifically intended for mobile applications, such as Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST). They come with the capabilities of SAST, DAST, and IAST tools to address security weaknesses that are specific to apps running on mobile devices. Moreover, organizations can also use Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools, which perform automated code reviews to reveal issues in various software components, including third-party dependencies and open-source components.
The most advanced category of tools is arguably Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP). This approach integrates SAS, DAST, and IAST functions while adding the ability to analyze app traffic and user activity during runtime. RASP not only detects vulnerabilities but can also prevent attacks by terminating sessions or deploying alerts to staff.
It is advisable to use the most advanced app security testing tools. However, organizations that are dealing with less complex applications can settle with SAST, DAST, IAST, or SCA. They may also come up with bespoke testing processes and automated code inspection tools that address specific requirements.
Compliance Management and Best Practices
Application security testing is not a specific requirement in cybersecurity-related laws and regulations. However, testing is one of the strategies organizations can employ to comply with requirements in data security regulations. It simplifies and accelerates the process of finding vulnerabilities and plugging the security holes as quickly as possible.
To comply with HIPAA and PCI DSS requirements for data security, for example, organizations have to thoroughly examine their app code and observe app behaviors to determine if they are in line with proper data handling rules. They can use SCA, IAST, or DAST to expedite the process of vulnerability detection and resolution instead of doing manual code review or coming up with new processes in evaluating their applications.
Compliance does not always guarantee effective app security, though. It is an aspect of app security that should be taken into account, but it is not the be-all and end-all of app protection. It is advisable to go beyond the minimum requirements of regulations by adopting the "shift left" approach in software development, testing internal interfaces, conducting security tests frequently, emphasizing the testing of third-party code components.
In Conclusion
To achieve effective app security testing, it is important to highlight the key goal of identifying vulnerabilities, which can no longer be practically undertaken through manual means. Additionally, it is crucial to use the right app inspection tools with an emphasis on automation and testing beyond the code. Lastly, it pays to comply with regulatory requirements and adopt best practices.
