Guru99: Rest Assured - Understanding Various Types of Security Testing

Security testing is an essential part of software development life cycle (SDLC) that helps identify potential vulnerabilities, threats, and risks in a system. In this article, we will explore various types of security testing, their importance, and how they can be effectively incorporated into the SDLC.

Analysis of Various Tests Outputs from Different Security Tools

Security testing involves analyzing outputs from different security tools to identify potential security flaws. This includes penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, static and dynamic testing, white box testing, black box testing, and security analysis for requirements and misuse cases.

Test Tools Required for Security Testing

To perform effective security testing, various test tools are required. These include penetration testing software, vulnerability scanning software, static code analysis tools, and dynamic testing tools.

Security-Related Test Cases or Scenarios

Developers need to create security-related test cases or scenarios that cover all possible security risks in the system. This includes developing test plans that incorporate security tests, conducting posture assessments, ethical hacking, and risk assessments.

Posture Assessment: A Holistic View of an Organization's Security Posture

A posture assessment combines security scanning, ethical hacking, and risk assessments to provide a comprehensive view of an organization's security posture. Unlike malicious hackers who steal for personal gain, ethical hackers aim to expose security flaws in the system.

Ethical Hacking: Identifying Security Flaws

Ethical hacking involves hacking into an organization's software systems to identify potential security flaws. This can be done through manual or automated means.

Security Auditing: Internal Inspection of Applications and Operating Systems

Security auditing is an internal inspection of applications and operating systems for security flaws. This testing recommends controls and measures to reduce the risk, classifying risks as low, medium, or high.

Risk Assessment: Identifying Potential Vulnerabilities

A risk assessment involves analyzing potential vulnerabilities in a system to check for external hacking attempts. This testing helps identify threats and measure their potential impact on the organization.

Penetration Testing: Simulating Malicious Hacker Attacks

Penetration testing simulates an attack from a malicious hacker to identify potential security flaws in the system. This can be done manually or through automated software.

Security Scanning: Identifying Network and System Weaknesses

Security scanning involves identifying network and system weaknesses, providing solutions for reducing these risks. This can be performed manually or through automated software.

Vulnerability Scanning: Detecting Known Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability scanning uses automated software to scan a system against known vulnerability signatures, helping developers fix potential security flaws through coding.

Types of Security Testing in Software Testing

There are seven main types of security testing as per Open Source Security Testing methodology manual. These include:

1. Black Box Testing

2. White Box Testing

3. Gray Box Testing

4. Ethical Hacking

5. Penetration Testing

6. Vulnerability Scanning

7. Risk Assessment

Security testing is a crucial part of software development life cycle that helps identify potential vulnerabilities, threats, and risks in a system. By incorporating security testing into the SDLC, developers can ensure the security of their applications and prevent malicious attacks from intruders.

Guru99 rest assured