Posted by: Hasan Sameer
February 25, 2022
Penetration testing, also called ethical hacking is executed with the hacker’s mindset. Experts do that to simulate the attack which exposes the vulnerabilities of the web application infrastructure. Thus, It is important to rule out the weakness in your network before a cybercriminal would do.
of data breaches are initiated through hacking.
of a whopping increase is registered in the number of phishing websites.
of organizations receive malware via emails.
of phishing pages are using brand names to mask their identities.
To accomplish any complex task or even a simple one you need to make a checklist of the must-do things. The process of Pen testing has also a checklist with the following vital steps to mark:
1. Segregation of Test Categories
Not only is it a vital tip, but it also becomes a necessary step in the process of web application pen-testing. You need to divide the test process into distinct categories according to your application requirements and available resources.
2. Creating a Baseline
Creating a baseline is also as important. Because it ensures your application meets all the fundamentals of basic security standards. Along with covering the vulnerabilities, this will save a lot of time and effort during the process.
3. Linking References and Solutions
It would be redundant and inefficient to make a hit and trial on all different test procedures. To minimize the number of test scenarios, we can refer and link to the common ones to increase your coverage.
4. Develop the Hacker Mindset
For a penetration tester, it is important to adopt the same approach as hackers do. This helps to stimulate the scenario of an actual cyberattack. Along with exposing the basic vulnerabilities, it will ensure no unknown loopholes are left.
5. External and In-House Experts are Equally Important
Employing internal staff in the company can add up to the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of pen-testing. However, you may need the assistance of an external cyber security expert to get the third perspective. It is because, as an outsider and an upskilled team can pin out some loopholes that are not diagnosed internally.
6. Prioritizing the Remediation
‘First things first’ must apply here. The whole idea of web application penetration testing is to find the vulnerabilities and fix them. You need to fix the vulnerabilities highly prone to violation first.
7. Repeating the Tests
Well, yes you remediate the present vulnerabilities after the current results of the penetration test. But all the tools on the internet are upgrading every day. So are the hackers. Hence, you must include pen testing in your business process as an interval task to carry out regularly.
