Are you planning to develop a new app or already have a launched and working project that requires support? If yes, then how prioritized is the question of security in your software?
It’s difficult to make your users feel fully secure in the modern web environment. Sly social engineering experts may use a minimum amount of info (like username or email) to start blackmailing honest people. But don’t worry, we’ll give you a practical tip or two about how to perform security testing for web applications, mobile solutions or static apps so that you protect your target audience from any data leaks with timely pentesting. In this brief article, we’ll discuss the common truths of mobile, static, cloud, and web application security testing and direct you in finding the niche experts on the job market that will do the job right.
How to Find Application Security Testing Companies?
A few following tips will help you with the direction of looking for pentesters (or ethical hackers) to provide efficient data protection for your software creations.
Say ‘no’ to freelance
Let’s start with delineating the fact that there are seldom freelancers offering the pentesting services. See, unlike good old programming, for example, this niche of IT expertise requires the use of specialized security testing tools for application in the web and some real hacker hardware, all of which isn’t free and, at times, quite expensive. Without good tools and equipment, your pieces of software could only be tested for some tiny holes or typical social engineering tricks, which isn’t enough for the current business managing realities.
Consider companies with outsourcing services
If you need to find a compromise that wouldn’t require you to spend half of your budget all at once without making you sacrifice the end quality, take a look at some companies that are open to outsourcing.
For that matter, we’d recommend going for establishments based in Eastern Europe and Ukraine in particular. There, you can get an absolutely competitive rate while receiving the high-quality end product (the government of Ukraine takes sufficient preparation of good IT experts very seriously - both on the level of higher education institutes and special police departments).
Look through portfolios
Before turning to a certain company, use both an official website and related third-party resources in order to find which vulnerable web applications for security testing they have already had a chance to work with. Their previous clients are always of importance. These are the points of initially defining the qualification of experts you are about to establish cooperative relationships with.
For instance, a truly prominent US company’s clients would include such renowned names as NASA, Walmart, Nestle, eBay, Toyota, BlueBird, Vodafone, AMC Networks, American Express, etc., which says a lot about their level of competence in the field.
Consider the updated GDPR requirements, New York Cybersecurity Regulations, etc.
Even if your solution is a regular social engine that doesn’t require any additional layers of protection, it is important to understand which user data stored online exactly is touched by some necessary, internationally-followed security policies.
Thus, there are GDPR guidelines for EU and many specific policies for almost every state of America.
Define the Niche of Software Your Pentesting Partner is About to Work With
Any web project requires a dedicated app to be created for it sooner or later. And in order to implement a fine-tuned, working solution, you will need to undertake a whole complex of common testing practices which covers various application areas of security testing. Let’s take a look at some particular cases.
Web Application Security Testing
This model of pentesting usually includes the following testing subtypes:
- scanning of the separate software elements for holes;
- scanning of the overall software security;
- scanning of apps via special software and hardware tools;
- DevSecOps (Development, Security, and Operations);
- Dynamic application security testing (DAST).
Before the direct application security testing takes place, expert teams formulate a plan of tests and adjust a WAF (Web Application Firewall) as well as other security testing tools for web application according to that plan. After that, a set of cyberattack emulations is launched - both via automation tools and manually, using some social engineering techniques.
Cloud Application Security Testing
Сloud application security testing usually implies the analysis of SaaS products for the purpose of checking how safe they are in different deployment scenarios.
As a rule, pentesting experts use code optimization and flaw detection tools, as well as the development framework assessment means for that. They also help to define a set of components that can safely adopt an open-source nature.
Android Application Security Testing
Creating a mobile solution for Android, it is important to consider holes and potential risks related to this OS in particular. Traditionally, a connected-to-the-web application security testing checklist here includes the analysis of both frontend and server-side weaknesses. This is done with the help of thorough research of software capabilities, decryption of encrypted data, source code check and decompilation, reverse software structure design, and attempts at deactivating built-in software security features.
Pentesters also carefully work with APK files during the Android application security testing, using both manual and automated tests in order to define the chances of any user info being intercepted.
iOS Application Security Testing
Penetrating iOS-based devices isn’t really a simple affair - the exclusive vendor company took some good care of the authentic OS. Nevertheless, there are hacking masters that find ways to breach the system.
To prevent such happenings, pentesting experts usually employ a number of also narrowly exclusive tools, like iOS Pentesting Lab and others, for protection measures in this niche of devices.
Application Security Testing: Summary
We hope that our brief guide will help you with your pentesting service providers’ search and figure out some testing nuances when it comes to different types of apps. We’ll recapitulate it once more that it isn’t necessary to go for certified NASA or eBay pentesting partners at once if you wish to get good, efficient, all-around service. You can always go for application security testing companies based in Eastern Europe that offer profitable outsourcing opportunities. In such a manner, you get an absolutely competent level of capabilities at a reasonable price.
