Almost all organizations have their own web applications. Assuming that the security of your web applications is unbreakable is the biggest mistake that one can make. Yes, organizations that get their web application pentesting done on a routine basis are free from vulnerabilities commonly seen in web applications. However, the internet is constantly upgrading its software and infrastructure. With each upgrade and technology available in the open internet world, your web apps become more prone to sophisticated cyber attacks. There is no one right way to follow as the nature of web applications and attacks are so diverse. Yet so, web application pentesting has proven to be the best defense mechanism so far. Routine web application security testing and using a VMDR and Pentesting tool for real-time vulnerability tracking is the best combo!

What is Web Application Pentesting?

Web Application Penetration Testing is a security assessment to look for security vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or other flaws in the code, design, and functioning of a web application. In this type of testing, a hacker-style attack is simulated. This means thinking like a hacker to find the loopholes present in the application. Also, there are three types of testing. Black Box, Gray Box, and White Box are the web application pentesting methodologies used to assess security vulnerabilities.

Black Box Testing

In black box testing, the security analyst has no prior knowledge of the internal code, working, and architecture of the web application. The testing is done by mimicking the perspective of an external attacker.

Through this testing, the emphasis is on identifying vulnerabilities that could be exploited without insider knowledge.

Gray Box Testing

In gray box testing, a security analyst has partial knowledge of the web application’s code or architecture such as user credentials or a basic understanding of internal workflows.

Gray box testing simulates an attack by an insider or someone with limited access.

White Box Testing

In white box testing, the security analyst has complete access to the source code and other internal details of the web application. The testing emphasizes on thorough and comprehensive assessment.

White box testing involves testing the internal security mechanisms to identify vulnerabilities at the code level.

How to Conduct Web Application Pentesting?

The testing experts follow a specific approach to conduct penetration testing in web applications. It involves gathering information, understanding the configuration, testing the authentication process, managing the session, testing the authorization process, and validating the user’s data, followed by multiple other tests like error handling, business logic, and client-side code execution; and finally reporting. There are many aspects what makes web applications vulnerable. This approach is designed in a way that all the aspects are covered and evaluated.

Information Gathering

Reconnaissance or Information Gathering is the first and most important step in web application pentesting. 

In this stage, the testing team collects as much information as possible about the application. This includes searching for publicly available data using search engines, looking for any sensitive information accidentally made public, figuring out what technologies and software the application uses, and identifying the parts of the application that users or attackers can interact with. 

This step helps security analysts prepare for deeper testing by giving them a clear picture of the application’s structure and potential weaknesses.

Configuration Management

At this stage, the testing team ensures that the web application server is secure. Even if the application is secure, if the server is poorly configured, hackers can exploit the web application.

Configuration management helps identify common problems, such as insecure HTTP methods, leftover old or backup files that might expose sensitive data, and improper file permissions that allow unauthorized access. 

They also check whether strong security measures are implemented, like ensuring data is encrypted during transmission using HTTPS. This is because proper configuration helps keep the application safe from attackers exploiting weak spots in the setup.

Authentication Testing

Authentication Testing is about checking how the system verifies who you are when you log in, to make sure it’s secure and free of weaknesses. 

Testers check if the system can stop hackers from trying to guess passwords by testing lockout mechanisms (e.g., blocking access after too many failed attempts). They also look for ways to bypass the login process entirely, such as using tricks or loopholes. 

Other checks include making sure sensitive information isn’t accidentally stored in the browser’s cache and ensuring that alternative login methods, like through mobile apps or APIs, are just as secure as the main login process.

Session Management

At this stage, the security analysts assess how the web application keeps track of users while they are logged in and using the site. 

It includes everything from logging in to logging out and ensuring the user’s session is secure during that time. 

They check for issues like session fixation, where an attacker forces a user to use a specific session ID, cross-site request forgery (CSRF), where attackers trick users into performing actions they didn’t intend, and check how cookies are managed to ensure they aren’t easily stolen or misused. 

Further, they test if sessions expire properly when a user logs out. Proper session management ensures that a user’s activity stays private and secure.

Authorization Testing

The testing experts evaluate if a user is granted access to only the work they are supposed to do after logging in.

This testing ensures users with different roles like guests, admins or regular users can access only the information that they are authorized to.

The security analysts further look for problems like insecure direct object references, privilege escalation where a user gains high-level permissions they are not supposed to have, and ways to bypass permission rules.

By understanding how the system decides what users are allowed to do, testers can find and exploit weak spots to help improve security.

Testing for Error Handling

At the time of web application security testing, the testing team checks how a web application deals when it encounters any mistakes or unexpected issues.

This is because, at times, in case of discrepancies, the application can show error messages or codes that can accidentally reveal important information about the database, server, or security setup.

A tester during testing purposely causes errors either manually or using tools to see what the application reveals.

Testing for Business Logic

After the common flaws that are usually found during web application pentesting are assessed, the testing experts then work towards finding issues that are specific to the application working process.

These vulnerabilities are difficult to find using regular tools as they depend on the specific design or ‘logic’ of the application.

Client-side Testing

This testing refers to checking vulnerabilities in a code that runs directly in a user’s web browser instead of the server. 

The security analysts look for security issues like improper URL redirection where the user is redirected to a malicious or wrong page, and problems with cross-origin resource sharing (CORS) which controls how resources are shared between different websites. It also looks for ways that an attacker could manipulate the client-side code.

Web Application Pentesting Reporting

Reporting is the final step. At this stage, the testing team gathers all their findings as well as drafts them in a clear organized report.

The report includes the security issues found that are categorized into High, Medium, and Low as per their severity

Also, proper recommendations on how to fix them is provided as well. The goal is to ensure that everyone involved, like project managers or developers, understands the risks and can take action to improve the application’s security.

What’s Next!

After the web application pentesting is conducted and the recommendations are implemented, the organization can use a pentest tool, AutoSecT, to monitor their web application. The tool is a unified vulnerability scanning and management tool of Kratikal. It offers automated scanning and multi-scan support (Advance, Quick and Light). Moreover, it offers a seamless transition between automated and manual testing, volatile URL management, and comprehensive testing of API endpoints in modern web applications. Not only that, internet connection stability management, seamless handling of security obstacles, streamlined vulnerability scanning for efficiency, and reports with actionable suggestions are some of the other features available.

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The post What is Web Application Pentesting and How to Conduct It? appeared first on Kratikal Blogs.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Kratikal Blogs authored by Puja Saikia. Read the original post at: https://kratikal.com/blog/what-is-web-application-pentesting-and-how-to-conduct-it/