More and more societal functions are being completely or partially digitized, which also introduces new risks. The consequences of system failures can be exponentially greater in a digitized system compared to its analog counterpart, not to mention the attractiveness it poses as a target for malicious actors. The heightened security landscape also contributes to an increased need to ensure that our digital solutions have robust resilience against external influences. In 2016, there were numerous targeted attacks against companies providing IT services to other businesses, resulting in several major incidents in Sweden. In 2022, it is believed that a patient in the German healthcare system died as a result of a cyberattack. There is therefore no doubt that security is a crucial aspect throughout an application’s entire lifecycle. Security testing can and should be integrated from design and procurement through to management and operation.
What is security testing?
Like the entirety of testing and quality work, security testing also relies on thorough and updated risk analysis tailored to the intended application. By identifying valuable assets that could be targeted by malicious outsiders for theft or sabotage, the security efforts gain clearer direction, enabling prioritization of actions to achieve the greatest impact.
Security testing encompasses various activities, including:
- Penetration Testing or Offensive Security Testing: This involves simulating the actions of a fictional attacker to gain unauthorized access to or disrupt an IT system. Similar tools and techniques as hackers are used, but the goal is to identify, demonstrate, and document security vulnerabilities so they can be remediated. Typically, this testing is performed against externally accessible applications rather than the entire IT environment of an organization. It distinguishes scenarios where the attacker has insider knowledge (e.g., understanding underlying system architecture, internal IP addresses) versus scenarios relying only on publicly available information.
- Vulnerability Scanning or Security Auditing: This activity aims to identify potential security weaknesses such as outdated server software, open firewall ports, and similar issues from within the IT environment.
- Red Team Testing: In some organizations, a dedicated “Red Team” assumes the role of an attacker. This team monitors and actively tests the target (either an application or the entire IT environment) to identify vulnerabilities as they arise and subject the target to various forms of attack. The goal is to provide a more comprehensive assessment by adopting an adversarial perspective and introducing new tools and techniques. Sometimes, deeper investigations into specific scenarios are conducted, such as assessing the organization’s exposure to specific “Zero-Day” vulnerabilities (e.g., as highlighted by the log4j vulnerability in 2021).
- Static Code Analysis and Code Review: This involves deep inspection of individual applications at the code level to identify security flaws caused by vulnerable third-party components or insecure coding practices. Automated tools are often used to analyze large volumes of code quickly, providing rapid feedback. Manual inspection by a developer colleague with a security focus can complement automated analysis effectively.
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