Last updated on June 5th, 2023
The software has developed into several types and has grown more complicated over the past few years. From time to time, we see many updates and advanced technologies introduced in software industries.
The user data must be protected and secured amid these innovations. By performing software security testing, organizations can prevent cybercriminals from getting in. Building security into your program is crucial in the present when security breach instances are on the increase. It is only achievable if organizations strive to develop a robust software security testing methodology for their Software that can accept sensitive information from customers and allies.
In this article, we will learn everything about software security testing and how you can use it to prevent your Software from cybercrimes.
A Brief Approach to Software Security Testing
The following approaches can be taken while preparing and planning security tests:
- Identifying the organization’s business requirements and security goals is the first step toward achieving security compliance. All security considerations should be taken into account when planning tests.
- Gather all system configuration data, such as computer systems, hardware, and technology, used in the software development process and connections. Prepare a list of all the possible threats you must test.
- Perform software security testing by the attacks, weaknesses, and potential threats found.
- In the next step, the developer must select the security testing tools that will efficiently perform testing.
- An open-source code or manual fix should be performed after the developer performs a security test.
- Make a comprehensive description of the security checks you executed. It would include a list of the dangers, vulnerabilities, and problems that have been addressed and those that are still available.
Top Software Security Testing Tools
Software security testing tools are increasingly popular since cybercriminals constantly develop new strategies for hacking into network security and stealing critical data.
Additionally, you must conduct extensive network security testing and identify network weaknesses before hackers do. Several tools are available for checking network security. Still, the best ones are highlighted in the list below:
1. Astra Security
Astra Security’s Network Security Solution is a one-of-a-kind offering that offers a rigorous security analysis of your network to assist you in identifying and resolving security problems. The solution provided by Astra enables you to locate system vulnerabilities in your system and assists you in closing them.
Astra Network Security Solution is the best comprehensive network security assessment solution. Using this solution, your network is scanned and checked to identify the network devices, ports, and protocols so that you can find the vulnerabilities in your network and fix them immediately.
2. Intruder
A cloud-based software program called the Intruder vulnerability scanner identifies and ranks cyber security flaws, assisting enterprises in avoiding the most significant security dangers. Hackers continuously search for security flaws that they can exploit to launch and sustain an assault.
The Intruder vulnerability scanner helps you save time and lowers risk by dynamically scanning for emerging vulnerabilities and attacks. A trained ethical hacker’s use of an external vulnerability scanner is crucial to safeguarding your company’s networks and assets.
3. Wireshark
As the preferred network packet capture tool, Wireshark is one of the most helpful tools for IT professionals. You may collect network packets with Wireshark and view them in detail. There are various applications for Wireshark, one of which is network performance troubleshooting. Cyber security experts frequently use Wireshark to trace networks, examine the content of dubious network transactions, and spot spikes in network traffic.
On www.wireshark.org, you can install Wireshark for nothing. As an open-source program released under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2, it is also freely accessible.
Install the version suitable for your particular feature if you use the Windows operating system. For instance, if you run Windows 10, you would download the 64-bit Windows installer and use the tutorial to complete the installation. You’ll need administrator permissions to install.
4. NAMP
An open-source tool for network research, security testing, and network detection is called Nmap. Although it functions perfectly against a single host, it was created to scan massive networks.
The enormous developer and programmer community contributing to Nmap’s upkeep and updates has allowed it to maintain its dominance. The tool can be downloaded for free, and the Nmap community says several thousand downloads occur weekly.
Port scanning is at the core of Nmap. Users choose a list of targets on a network about which they want to find out more information. Users are not required to designate specific targets, which is advantageous because most network managers must be fully aware of everything using their network’s hundreds of ports. Instead, a variety of ports are compiled for scanning.
5. OpenVAS
The OpenVAS scanner provides a comprehensive vulnerability assessment in addition to detecting security issues on servers and network devices. Your Internet infrastructure can be tested instantly using this hosted version of OpenVAS.
Performing comprehensive Software security testing of an IP address is the primary reason to use this scan type. A port scan will be conducted on an IP address in the initial stage to discover open services. An extensive database tests listening services for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations after discovering them.
6. Netsparker
There are numerous Software security testing tools on the market, some of which are free and others in premium versions. One program used to identify security flaws in your computer is called Netsparker. It may identify SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other software bugs. These tools may also be used for SAAS solutions and on-site applications.
The Netsparker scanner not only notifies users of risks but also creates a proof-of-exploit that verifies the threats are genuine and not just false positives. As a result, you can scale up web application security and quickly scan hundreds of sites without wasting time manually checking the scanner’s reports.
Important Article: Software Testing Services and The Role of QA Managers
Types of Software Security Testing
- Security Scanning
- Penetration Testing
- Ethical hacking
- Vulnerability scanning
- Risk assessment
- Security auditing
- Posture assessment
After learning the approach and tools that can apply to software security testing, now it is the time to tell you the types of software security testing:
1. Security Scanning
By identifying weak areas and gaps, security scanning seeks to estimate the system’s overall security status. The complexity of the security scan must increase with the complexity of the system or network. Although it can do once, most software development businesses prefer to undertake security scanning often.
2. Penetration Testing
In a security exercise called penetration testing (also known as pen testing), a cyber-security specialist searches for it and tries to exploit threats in a computer network. This simulated attack is meant to find any vulnerability in a system’s defenses that an attacker might employ.
An expert pen tester may be able to uncover blind spots missed by the developers who built the system if they have little to no knowledge about how it is secured. As a result, testing is usually done by outside contractors. Because these contractors hack into systems with permission and to increase security, they are called ethical hackers.
3. Ethical hacking
Breaking into the system to uncover flaws before a harmful attacker might find and fix them is known as “ethical hacking.” Ethical hackers can utilize the same techniques and equipment as their malevolent counterparts, but only with authorization from the designated individual. They must also notify management of any vulnerability discovered throughout the operation.
4. Vulnerability scanning
It is a software security testing procedure intended to locate and rate the seriousness of as many security flaws as feasible in a predetermined time. This procedure could include automatic and manual methods, with different rigor levels and a focus on thorough coverage.
Before a threat occurs, vulnerability testing enables organizations to find weaknesses in their Software and underlying infrastructure.
5. Risk assessment
The procedure of locating and deploying crucial security measures in Software is known as a risk assessment for security. Additionally, it emphasizes mitigating security flaws and vulnerabilities. Organizations can develop risk levels for systems, computers, Software, etc., determine how important they are to company operations, and implement mitigation measures based on detailed security assessment findings.
6. Security auditing
Testing and evaluating the data system security for the business is done through security audits. A security audit enables you to determine that the company is by rules, that the security policy you developed is adequate, and that any unauthorized software has been installed.
7. Posture assessment
A cyber security posture reveals the data security atmosphere’s resilience and the business’s capacity to fight cyber-attacks. A posture assessment offers a broad overview of the institution’s security posture, identifies any deficiencies currently present, and recommends improvements that should be made.
Related Article: Software Testing Guide: How to Test a Website?
Are You Looking for Software Security Testing For Your Business?
Many factors must be considered to ensure your software performs at its best. The development process is crucial to ensuring that it works correctly and that you can get as much out of it as possible once it is up and running. This process involves testing for software security, which is one of the most critical steps.
The iTechnolabs Company ensures that private information remains private. In this testing, the tester outsmarts an attacker and manipulates the system to look for security-related problems. Software engineering places a high priority on security testing to safeguard data at all costs.
