Azure DevOps is a modern-day tool used for version control and trouble-free team management. An individual can manage his entire team with a minimum of a browser as a requirement. The team can easily be part of different countries and manage their activities without any delay. The development team can be in one country, and the testing team can be working in another country. Even If the management has trust issues, the Azure Audit does an audit of each activity that the team is doing, and the management must only worry about cross-country chatting and financial management.

The following types of testing are mission-critical for ensuring the success and reliability of your software:

1. Unit Testing with Azure DevOps
2. Integration Testing with Azure DevOps
3. System Testing with Azure DevOps
4. Functional Testing with Azure DevOps
5. Acceptance Testing with Azure DevOps
6. Smoke Testing with Azure DevOps
7. Regression Testing with Azure DevOps
8. Performance Testing with Azure DevOps
9. Security Testing with Azure DevOps
10. User Acceptance Testing with Azure DevOps

1. Unit Testing with Azure DevOps

Unit testing is breaking the code into its parts and testing each separate code one by one. This testing technique should never be confused with any other testing technique. This is because unit testing is like laying a brick. Brick by brick, the developer will lay code and test each code unit; this is what unit testing is all about. Azure DevOps creates version-controlled parts of the project; they can be assigned, and the automation tests can be tested using a version-controlled build. It also provides the user with the ability to have a view based on recent pipeline activities and control access to various stakeholders.

Fig 1. Pipelines in Azure DevOps

2. Integration Testing with Azure DevOps

Integration testing establishes testing techniques for when the individual bricks of code are laid together to test the data movement and failure points when separate developers merge their code together. Since each developer is separate, they can make fatal flaws in how the code blends together. Terraform is a recommended tool from the Azure team for such chaotic activity. The tool allows the user to create their own customised configuration files and allows the developer or tester to test the ability of their code to work with these config files, along with an additional static code analysis feature. For more information regarding Terraform, visit their website, Terraform by HashiCorp. Another cool thing about Terraform is that it is Datadog-ready.

Fig 2. Integration Testing flow using Terraform

3. System Testing with Azure DevOps

System testing tests all the modules together and is closely related to integration testing in the sense that all modules are integrated together to do a full system QA. Azure DevOps allows integration with various service providers. The workings of this are already mentioned in integration testing. Another nuance of system testing is that the testers may not have the necessary understanding of how the code works. It is divided into functional and non-functional testing.

Also Read: Testing Assistive Technologies in a Product

4. Functional Testing with Azure DevOps

Testers like to fondly call functional testing feature testing because it’s exactly that. The tester tests all the features of the individual module and sees that the features that you intended to have in the software are there in the product. A few years of experience will tell you that Azure DevOps is a lifesaver in terms of linking manual test cases with bugs, PBIs, and feature requests. The Azure DevOps and its rich UI provide a very good mapping of individual features of the product, which allows newbies to join the team to understand the pros and cons of the product within a 60-day period for the development or testing team. Some of these details can be used again by automation to conduct regression testing.

5. Acceptance Testing with Azure DevOps

Code must be accepted in the context of business, user requirements, regulation, the vision of the developers, and feedback from the testers. Just like the Azure DevOps functional test. Azure DevOps is good at keeping track of users’ use cases, scenarios, and even edge cases. Every idea from every individual on the team can be tracked and used at any phase of the project to get a customer-centric product. Standardised tests in the context of regulations that will be applied to the product can also be added to plans in Azure DevOps when they need to be conducted.

6. Smoke Testing with Azure DevOps

This is simply to check or test whether the build is stable enough or worthy enough to do a sanity or regression test. The plan will mostly come from years of experience from previous releases or simply from a list of critical functionalities that should be working, based on the consensus made by the management on what should be working.

7. Regression Testing

Smoke tests and sanity lead to regression with regular intervals to submit a bug. The entire code is under scrutiny. Azure DevOps can help in creating manual tests in a flash based on queries from in-sprint QA and years of experience in testing the product. Azure DevOps helps in creating the test plan and managing it at the time of execution with the help of filters and neat charts that provide feedback to management and the tester about their progress. What shift managers fail to manage in factories, Azure DevOps does in a flash: employee engagement when the work is in progress.

8. Performance Testing

Performance testing is a test to know whether software performs at scale, on a good foundation for speed, and to remove bottlenecks whenever developers and testers identify bottlenecks. The example provided below is based on a tool of preference based on popularity. Ex: JMeter and test engines connected to the virtual machine and various other tools and app services to conduct performance testing using a dashboard from Azure DevOps Performance testing is simple with Azure DevOps.

Fig 3. Load testing flow in Azure DevOps

9. Security Testing

Test the HTML and JavaScript code; for other cases, it’s different, for vulnerability to threats, security loopholes, risks, and emulating an actual hack or attack. Pen testing is one example of security testing. Security testing involves adding common CVE-identifying tools to a Kali Linux machine, adding them to Azure DevOps using Azure agents, running security tests, and providing feedback using Azure charts using data available to Azure DevOps.

10. User Acceptance Testing

Code must be accepted in the context of business and user requirements, as well as based on regulations, by the end users. Support engineers love it because it integrates well with the sales force. Continuous cooperation among support engineers, in-sprint engineers, and regression of manual and automation can constantly happen. They can quickly interact with urgent changes and ensure that the code is stable after testing.

Conclusion

Based on the above description, Azure DevOps is a tool that allows a wide range of integration with tools of maximum importance in the development and testing of a new product. Along with it, it has control over the process of development and testing with neat features like version control based on Git and Team Foundation. Everything is audited. The dev team, management, and product owners can all be in sync with the latest features and details. Since Microsoft owns almost everything related to IDEs, Git, and cloud infrastructure, it is going to be the future of everything in development, at least for the foreseeable future.

The post Empowering Testing Excellence: Exploring the Synergy between Azure DevOps and Diverse Testing Techniques appeared first on Indium.

In this blog post, we will look at the issue faced by our client on their software, our VAPT solutions to their problems, and the positive business impact created by our testing solutions.

A glimpse of our client portfolio and the reason behind partnering with us!

Our client is a software development enterprise that offers solutions for E-reading, information consumptions, and document visualization. They render software solutions that create digital PDF experiences helping the application users to connect with facts and information across sources and save the content for references.

The client’s application works on iPad. It enables users to work on multiple documents simultaneously and becomes an essential app for communities in law, technical document verification, contract writers, RFPs, etc. Our client offers a free download of the e-reading application to all the users and enhances some advanced features to the premium users with paid subscriptions.

Our client’s application required a QA as the users and hackers were trying to break the software’s premium walls and leverage the advanced premium features without the subscription.

Hence, the client partnered with us to go through a vulnerability assessment to help them identify the loopholes in premium access. Also, they want the premium users to remain confidential with their key/license to prevent unauthorized access.

Client’s requirements and our VAPT solution

A look into our client requirements.

The client was facing a tough phase in their business as the users and hackers were breaking the premium walls of the application and leveraging the advanced features of the paid application model.

This, in turn, reduced their number of subscribers as premium users were sharing their license to the app users, and hackers were cracking the advanced version and sharing the software. Which required urgent notice and the need for an experienced software testing company. Our client approached us with a set of requirements.

• They required a detailed report of all the security loopholes that can be leveraged by a user/hacker to access the premium account features in the application.
• The client wanted us to verify the vulnerabilities of reverse engineering/decompiling the application code base that leads to unauthorized access of premium features.
• They opted for 360-degree security testing of the software with a VAPT approach and reports that infer defects and business impacts pertaining to these actions.

They approached the Indium team to provide solutions for this vulnerability around their software.

How Indium team offered an automated QA strategy with a VAPT approach to get rid of unauthorized access to premium features?

Indium Software is a pioneer in Quality Assurance solutions and has strong expertise in security testing. Indium Software’s VAPT helps discover vulnerabilities within the application and reduces the risk drastically. Indium also provides a wide range of security testing services apart from VAPT.

Quality Assessment

The Indium testing team developed an optimized strategy for automated assessment with open-source tools and manual methods in the perspective of hackers to penetrate through the e-reading software and identify the loopholes for security breaches.

Our test engineers performed the vulnerability assessments on both enterprise and customer versions of the software. We then performed a static and dynamic analysis to pierce through the application to identify the loops by which hackers crack the premium features.

Static Analysis

Our team then framed a customized static analysis to exploit the interesting files and performed the test cases with injection and reverse-engineering attacks. This includes license key forgery attacks, memory analysis, and binary analysis. Our software testers dug deeper into the static analysis of the application.

• They cross-checked the windows search, load algorithms as they might help in tampering with the application codebase.
• We also validated the hard-coded credentials/ data, keys, comments, and hidden functions.

Dynamic Analysis

Indium team does not want to leave our client down in any scenario and hence we do perform a dynamic round of testing in the apps.

• Tested the man-in-middle attacks using enumeration techniques with manual methods.
• We performed a thorough analysis of API calls to the application.(Both request & response).

Identification of threats

Our quality engineers performed manual enumeration to identify the security breaches, functionality defects, and they leveraged CLI tools. With these customized testing strategies, we notified two critical vulnerabilities under sensitive data exposure and insecure communication.

Our Fixes

Our team recommended appropriate fixes for every potential threat identified in the e-reading application to our client. Here are our recommendations!

• API for secure HTTP methods and transport-level encryption for secure communication.
• Appropriate configurations for server address and handling of API, app error responses by removing sensitive details from the software cache.

Business Impact

Our client was much happier as we created strong premium walls for their application by breaking down all the security breaches. We created an automated vulnerability assessment and penetration test suite for their application to get rid of unauthorized access to premium accounts.

• Complete coverage of breach scenarios with QA approach underlines with OWASP top 10 & SANS 25/CWE security standards.
• Our team extensively defined the processes that led to extensive test coverages, inclusive of QA techniques like false-positive and binary analysis.
• We created vertical privilege escalation methods to restrict the recreation of malicious versions.
• Generated the reports by identifying the critical vulnerabilities & discussed with the development and production teams the security risks in the application with recommendations of fixes. The teams fixed the defects and delivered the e-reading software with zero loopholes for breaches.
• Our VPAT solutions completely destroyed the security breaches, and there were zero reviews on the app store regarding security breaches. After implementing the QA solutions, the client app generated stable revenue on all three-quarters.
• Our quality engineers reproduced the breaches and defects to generate detailed reports & test documents. Our test reports inferred the defects in the aspects of affected URLs with screenshots & logs. Our SME teams added-on the fixes in the reports to ease the client’s upgrade on the e-reading software!

The post How Indium performed VAPT to get rid of unauthorized access to premium features? (A Success Story) appeared first on Indium.

This can be done with the intent of stealing personal information (such as in social engineering) or to reduce the functionality of a target computer.

The objective of a malicious attack is to exfiltrate information, disrupt the operation, demand payment and many more. While there are many reasons your system could be attacked, it is better to stay safe and prevent malicious attack before occurring.

What is Penetration testing?

“Penetration Testing is defined as a type of Security Testing used to test the insecure areas of the system or application. The goal of this testing is to find all the security vulnerabilities that are present in the system being tested.” – Guru99.com

To make it simple, Pentest is a simulated cyber attack on your system to test its vulnerability. In this type of ethical hacking, a number of application systems are attempted to breach such as APIs and Frontend/backend servers.

Pentest Approach to Mitigate a Malicious Attack

Planning phase

In this phase, the strategy and scope of the project are determined here.

Discovery phase

Here, all possible information of the system is collected, in order to check the vulnerability of the system

Attack phase

In this phase, the system is exploited to test for vulnerabilities

Reporting phase

Here, a detailed report is generated on the risks identified

The insights from the Pentest can be used to fine-tune the security policies. There are 5 different types of pentests that are performed on an organizations system to identify the vulnerability.

• Network Services
• Web Application
• Client-Side
• Wireless
• Social Engineering

Reasons to Perform a Penetration Test

Penetration testing is one of the most used and oldest forms of security testing. Here the ethical hackers simulate real scenario cyber-attacks to test the system.

The primary reason organizations perform penetration testing is to identify and fix the security loopholes before a hacker finds out.

Once a penetration testing is completed, a detailed report is shared to the organization illustrating the weakness and areas of entry within the organization.

This report contains clear, actionable and prioritized steps for mitigating security risks. This report will provide a clear idea on which risk to address first and which you can deal with later.

Moreover, this report will also provide an efficient remediation process.

Penetration testing can be a money saver for you by elapsing data breaches and monetary penalties.

Seriously, imagine the amount of money you could end up spending to reinstate your organizations brand identity after a data breach.

Moreover, customers are becoming very sensitive to data breaches, as they don’t want their information to wander across the internet.

Penetration testing also fulfils some of the compliance constraints such as PCI DSS and SOC 2. Which is mandatory in most cases.

Benefits of Penetration testing

Penetration testing not just saves you financially, but also provides various other benefits such as,

• It saves network downtime caused by a breach
• It identifies the effectiveness of security awareness training
• Gives a way to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures and security controls
• Uncover methods hackers might potentially use to compromise customer data
• It helps organizations with their security stance
• The overall security life cycle is enhanced
• It demonstrates the impact and feasibility of the attack without suffering the risk
• It provides knowledge to assist in regulatory compliance
• It helps determine proper security budgets

Who should the organization choose to perform Pentest?

Within most organizations, the internal IT team has the capability to run few pentests. However, an experienced security testing service provider is highly recommended for conducting penetration tests.

Because these pentests are not just important, it also requires expertise to perform these tests. It is a best practice to partner with third-party security testing vendor for your security testing needs.

Your internal IT team will not be able to test the vulnerability of your system effectively compared to a third-party vendor.

Because the security testing vendor will follow best practises, OWASP standards, have immense expertise and proven experience in security testing.

Hence it is better for the organizations to outsource the penetration testing to an experienced security testing vendor.

In a Nutshell

Penetration testing is more than a compliance obligation, it is a critical first step to network security and information.

Though it cannot replace other security measures such as vulnerability assessments, it is a valuable part of a comprehensive security program. Failing to do may result in loss of data, reputation and customers.

The post Pentest Approach to Mitigate a Malicious Attack appeared first on Indium.

Earlier, security testing was performed towards the fag end of the project. However, this trend has changed over time and more organizations prefer to include security during the development phase itself because the benefits are plenty.

Security practices have changed significantly and have got sophisticated over time with the evolution of technology.

The cost of fixing a bug after the completion of a product coupled with the cost of data breaches has made organizations to shift focus on DevSecOps.

DevSecOps has created a major paradigm shift in IT. According to a Markets and Markets report, the DevSecOps market is expected to grow to USD 5.9 billion by 2023 from USD 1.5 million in 2018. The CAGR during this forecasted period is 31.2%.

What is DevSecOps

Now we all know that DevOps is the process of combining Dev (Software development) and Ops (Operations) together to reduce the software development life cycle and offer continuous delivery within the project.

DevSecOps is the process of introducing security testing within the DevOps process. The DevSecOps process is more like DevOps solutions.

It focuses on establishing new solutions for complicated software development processes inside the agile framework.

In simple words, DevSecOps bridges the gap between security and IT while act in response to bottlenecks in the present environment.

The reason why many organizations move from DevOps to DevSecOps is because of the following benefits.

• DevSecOps provides a favourable environment for test automation builds and QA testing
• It improves operational efficiency and effectiveness
• With DevSecOps it is easier to detect vulnerabilities
• It provides more agility for security teams
• DevSecOps means increased RoI
• With DevSecOps, the security personnel have greater freedom to focus on high-value projects
• It provides a greater amount of transparency to the environment
• DevSecOps improves scalability in the cloud
• It builds healthier collaboration among teams within the company

How to Shift from DevOps to DevSecOps?

The following are some of the key elements that organizations should implement for a fully functional DevSecOps environment.

Shift left

By shifting the focus of security testing to left in the SDLC means identifying the vulnerabilities at the early stage of the development process.

In order to make security an integral part of the process, the entire team should share the responsibility of maintaining security throughout the development process.

By making this shift in SDLC, the process will be faster and secure. Since it is a shared responsibility, the knowledge has to be shared across on how to implement.

By embracing this “shifting left” philosophy, the development process will not only be quickened but also reduce potential security threats in the future while tackling existing threats at the minimum cost with marginal damage to the platform.

Continuous and focused automation

Applying continuous and focused automation is crucial to the success of DevSecOps ecosystem.

When automation is introduced early in the SDLC, it reduces the conflict between the security and development teams over the software and helps resolve existing and potential threats at a lower cost.

Choosing the right automation tool is another critical step in this process.

There are many open source security tools that are available in the market which can be very much helpful in automating the security process.

Listed below are some of our favourites. Before finalizing on a particular tool, we highly recommend doing comprehensive research on each of the tools.

• Continuum Security
• ThreatModeler
• Aqua Security
• IMMUNIO RASP tool
• White Source
• Evident.io

Microservice-Based Infrastructure

The number of interactions with other sources is not that high in legacy software. However, it is quite the opposite in microservices.

Since there is a very high number of interactions happening, we need to ensure these interactions are secure.

For successful implementation of DevSecOps approach, single-function modules with distinct interfaces and operations are necessary.

By regularly monitoring, improving and tweaking the microservice-based infrastructure, companies will be well equipped for brand-new developments.

Continuous Feedback Loop

Feedback is one of the most vital elements of the DevSecOps environment. With the help of a continuous feedback loop, the developers will get a thorough insight into the platform’s vulnerability.

Thus, the continuous feedback loop becomes the enabler by helping the organizations to stay alert and always on guard.

Rules to implement DevSecOps

In order to successfully implement DevSecOps, you need to follow the following 7 rules.

• Security testing should be in the pipeline right from the beginning
• Security should be automated
• Monitor and track every single software stack in detail to identify which needs fixing
• Code dependency checks such as vulnerability assessment and OWASP dependency checks should be implemented
• Robust policies should be put in place to manage the DevSecOps environment.
• In order to improve the reliability of deployments, your tasks should be broken down into manageable portions
• Set a proper compliance reporting system to increase the transparency and traceability of the pipeline

To Sum up

DevSecOps is not a fancy word or a trend that you should follow because your competitor is using it. Rather it is a methodology that should be adapted in this constantly changing world of software development.

Failing to follow these philosophies will not only leave you behind in this competitive world but also leave your product or software vulnerable to security threats.

The post Shifting From DevOps to DevSecOps appeared first on Indium.

DevSecOps is the process of introducing security at the early stages of software development.

Specifically, it’s a subsystem (more of an upgrade) of the DevOps design philosophy (which you should read about first).

And it focuses on synchronizing the demands of different production parties.

Most software is designed for business reasons. It is either a compliment to an already existing service or it’s the main service/product itself.

As a result, there’s a ton of consideration that goes into software development. There are the “business plan demands” and “customer demands” to synchronize before releasing the end product.

This is where software testing services play a vital role. As the final product goes through many stages of testing, monitoring, and quality checks.

Balancing Business and Client Needs.

From a client perspective, all that matters is the user experience. Clients want a product that lives up to their expectations.

It has to deliver the promised experience with minimal errors, all while keeping their personal information safer.

As for business, the software producers want faster and cost-effective delivery, and within a budget.

That is, they want a quick software development cycle. And this is where DevSecOps comes in.

This approach helps balance the demands of parties involved in developing and using the product. It ensures quick and affordable product development (for business goals), without failing to provide quality (for user experience).

Providing Structure to Work Teams.

The structure is important in software development. Because software development isn’t just done by a handful of individuals.

There are many departments involved in development. So, there needs to be a way of structuring communication and work processes between different departments.

Basic Example

Let’s say you have a new developer working with you on a project or, maybe you’re a new member of a team. You need a “set of protocols” to help you interact with the other teams.

It’s like a language that streamlines software development. Those protocols are called “tool chains.” They speed up the development of the software. And they ensure no miscommunication throughout the process.

In-Depth: Explaining the Term “DevSecOps.”

Now that you understand the basics, it’s time to break down the definition. DevSecOps is made up of THREE parts, describing the different demands.

To give you an idea,

• (Dev) – Refers to the software development process, and all the coding work involved.
• (Sec) – Refers to integrating “security practices” into coding for safe-to-use software.
• (Ops) – Refers to IT and business management, in addition to future business plans.

As you can see, this design philosophy attempts to balance the demands of THREE parties,

• Software developers.
• Security teams.
• IT and business management departments.

Emphasizing the “Security” Aspect.

As we mentioned before, the DevSecOps philosophy is an offshoot of the DevOps. It focuses more on security.

The reason is, many software design lifecycles relegate security checks to the final stages of development.

When developing software, many developers focus on performance. And they forget to safeguard the application from malicious use. With DevSecOps, security testing is done early in the design stage.

Let’s explore the DevOps development lifecycle for a second. Normally, there are 7 to 8 stages in software development.

And an important mid-stage is “testing.” This is immediately done after coding. And here, usually the functionality of the software is tested.

With the introduction of DevSecOps, security tests are heavily performed during the mid-stage. They are done even before the launch of the final product.

Why Not the End of the Development Cycle?

In the DevOps model, “monitoring” is the final stage. This is done after deploying the software for public use.

Here, developers wait for feedback on user experience. They check to see different problems in functionality.

However, security testing cannot be relegated to this stage. The reason being is, security is a vital part of software use. If not set up properly, then users may distrust the entire project giving it a bad review.

And this can lead to project collapsing. It prevents the development cycle from continuing, where massive business costs are paid to patch up the software’s reputation.

What Are the Requirements for DevSecOps Security Tests?

One of the pros of DevSecOps protocols is ease of application. “Special coders” aren’t needed to execute its lifecycles.

Instead, existing programmers can be trained for that job. This means a business can change its operative structure to DevSecOps, without needing to hire outside help.

What is Required of DevSecOps Coders?

Skills with certain tools are necessary. Those tools include Puppet, Checkmarx, ThreatModeler, and Chef.

Also, it is ideal to seek a developer with knowledge of the DevOps philosophy. That way, it is easier for a business to introduce DevSecOps to coders, without needing excess time to train them.

Finally, updated knowledge of cyber-security assessments is necessary. This applies to security threats, risk assessment, etc. People with security testing certification is a necessity since they are more likely to perform well in security assessments.

Learning secure coding can save developers time fixing mistakes during security assessments.

It’s necessary to find coders with knowledge on secure coding. This reduces the time required to test and fix security problems. Plus, it ensures a reduced likelihood of security issues!

Application of DevSecOps Philosophies.

Let’s start with browser-based and online software. Such programs need to be frequently updated.

And this is done with downloadable updates, which address common complaints by end-users.

Quickly responding to user complaints is done through a faster lifecycle. And essentially, it is a business requirement.

Without it, a business risks losing customers due to a perceived lack of response on issues within the programs.

What About Offline Software?

The offline softwares do receive frequent updates. However, there is more leeway, since release dates for updates tend to be wider.

Those include programs installed by CD and USB Drives. They also include “one-time” downloadable apps. Updates for those tend to arrive every few weeks (maybe months), with newer features and uses.

Those apps tend to exist for productivity reasons – or they ease the use of other computer/android functions.

While those software systems tend to be updated online (with downloadable patches), there’s usually a large timeframe available.

Summary

DevSecOps isn’t just a single process. It’s a string of steps that help software developers communicate better.

It provides common ground in the production and updates life cycle of software. And it makes releasing updates faster and timelier.

Plus, it brings in an element of security. It doesn’t stray away from the foundations of good software production – making it a useful framework.

It is fundamental in software design philosophy. It is a defining trait that lets users trust software more.

The post An Overview to DevSecOps appeared first on Indium.

As an ethical hacker, you have an odd job. Companies hire you to compromise a product’s security. You’re someone who finds “holes” in the final product.

You perform VAPT or Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing. Your job is to produce a report of vulnerabilities while suggesting fixes.

This form of testing applies to almost every IT-related product. It can be a software/app, database, or even a website.

And it’s necessary. After all, if it isn’t you hacking – then it’s someone malicious!

What does it take to become an ethical hacker?

Becoming an ethical hacker requires training. Even more importantly – you need to be certified. And you’re not just getting any certification.

You need specific security testing certificates to prove your efficacy.

I have mentioned here 7 certifications which can help you land a job in a security testing company.

Explore the list, get yourselves trained in these certifications and start your ethical hacking career!

#1 – CREST

It’s an internationally recognized security testing body headquartered in the UK. From there, you can get a special certificate.

It is a special certificate because it is professionally recognized in the marketplace. Getting a CREST certification means many job opportunities, both at home and abroad!

It works well for ethical hackers who work at home. Its wide recognition means being more approved of on the world markets.

Multiple Schemes

CREST provides certifications at multiple levels, and for many jobs. Plus, it isn’t just 1 certificate. There are many schemes you get tested on, which defines your security specialization.

CESG Collaboration

This is their certification framework. It’s also titled as a “cyber essentials” program, and it focuses on solidifying security testing fundamentals.

This scheme focuses on 5 control measures

• Malware Protection
• Patch Management
• Secure Configuration
• Boundary Firewalls/Internet Gateways
• Access Control

In a sense, it’s a certification program for software testing. Thus, CREST is an excellent certification for software testers.

CREST is highly recommended before exploring other options.

The 4 Exam Branches

CREST provides up to 16 types of security tests. They range from practical exams to pen and paper knowledge tests. To be registered as a security specialist, you need 2 years of experience. And to do be certified, you need 5 years.

With CREST, you can get specialized certifications depending on your field. But as a security tester, penetration testing should be your top priority. However, we still recommend exploring the previous branches, and picking your specialty!

#2 – CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)

This certification is much simpler than CREST. So, it’s recommended for beginners in security testing. Even though it is simpler, it still is highly rated.

And it’ll introduce you to many concepts and tools in the security testing world.

Advantages

Unlike CREST, there are no eligibility criteria for this certification. That is, you don’t need to wait 2-5 years.

It acts as an excellent “base certification.” Plus, it’s accredited by the EC-Council, which is a global leader in ethical/forensic hacking.

Finally, taking the exam is free. That is, its fee is included in the courses (which you need to take beforehand).

Speaking of that…

Courses/Classes

Everything is done in live virtual classrooms. And the sessions are recorded, just in case, you miss something. Being an online class, you’ll need headphones and a microphone.

After all, you’ll be talking to others in class too! Additionally, there’s a community and support system behind the certification. If you have inquiries, it’s easy to get help!

Important Note

While a good certification – it only lasts 3 years. Plus, the course itself is lengthy, and the exam time is 4 hours. This is not a certification you can get quickly!

#3 – LPT (Licensed Penetration Tester)

In the previous point, I had mentioned about EC-Council. As is turns out, they’re endorsing multiple certification programs.

LPT is one of them. In fact, this certification is made by them! You can be guaranteed that it’s designed with quality. And it’s highly regarded when applying for security testing jobs.

More Information

Again, there are no eligibility criteria for signing up. You can join the courses, take the exam, and get certified quickly.

However, note that the certification is only valid for 2 years. And when renewing, the cost of retaking the exam is $250.

Important Requirements

To take the exam, you need to be 18 years or more. You’re most likely that age or older if you’re reading this. But still, there are a few people out there who want early licensing.

Do note the following…

If you’re under 18 years of age, you can still take the exam with written consent by your parent/legal guardian.

What this means is – this can be the earliest certification you get. You can use it to start your career early!

#4 – CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)

This certification is more advanced. And there is a reason behind it. It is aimed at full-time professionals.

That is, training for it requires “5 years of fulltime experience” in 2/8 of CISSP’s domains. The requirements are quite tough. The good thing is, you can prepare for it online (both courses and the exam).

The Details

The courses contain 32 hours of material – all led with an instructor’s help. You can attend an online classroom or self-learn.

However, note that it is a little pricey – costing $2000 to $3000. So again, it’s for serious professionals.

The material is primarily for managerial roles. It’s more focused on strategy and management of security efforts. That is, if you’re already an ethical hacker, and want a promotion – this is the course you’ll need.

Advantages

This is an internationally accepted certification (just like CREST). You can take the test as a student in North America, Europe, Asian-Pacific, and the Middle East.

Exam Information

This test is quite serious, and you’ll need to find a Pearson VUE branch to take one. Plus, the exam includes 5 test papers.

And you need at least an 85% or higher score in 3 of them to pass. But then again, the certification is worth it. It’s a step extra in the path of a professional!

#5 – CCSP (Certified Cloud Security Professional)

Not all VAPT protocols are software testing. Sometimes, information on the cloud is what’s protected. And this certification ensures that a hacker is qualified for that job.

Exam Details

This certification is promoted by ISC – a world leader in cybersecurity. ISC promotes many other certifications (like the previous option). And they only recommend the best.

This is one of them.

The exam is 3 hours long, and tests in you in 6 domains. Please note, the test has to be taken in English only. Also, the exam is frequently updated, and so are the course materials that come with it. In fact, the next update is in August 2019.

Costs and Requirements

The exam normally costs about $550 – with retakes being between $300 to $400. Also, you need tons of professional IT job history.

Qualifying requires 5 years of paid full-time experience. Out of those 5 years, at least 3 years should be in information security.

#6 – GIAC Security Essentials

This certification tests for “hands-on” security work. Thus, it’s a practical exam. We recommend this certificate since it has a long life. It needs to be renewed every 4 years, which is a good timeframe.

Exam Information

It’s only one exam, with 5 hours required for completion. It’s taken with a proctor’s supervision, and the passing score isn’t excessively high (only at 73%). You’ll need to take it at a test centre and on schedule.

You would need to find a Pearson VUE branch near you

#7 – OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)

Let’s finish the list with a highly specialized program. It’s designed as a fully “hands-on” test. This program focuses on training hackers exclusively, maximizing their capability.

As for the test – it is 24 hours long.

In that timeframe, you’re given a database that you’re required to breakthrough. You have to research, test, and demonstrate your capability during that period.

Passing or failing depends on whether you hack it or not. So yes, it’s a longer exam than normal. But consider it the epitome of what it takes to be a certified ethical hacker.

Course Information

You can take courses for this test online or offline. And it has limited seats for signups. It costs about $800, it’s quite expensive. However, it is worth the investment!

The post 7 Security Testing Certifications You Need to become an Ethical Hacker appeared first on Indium.

No organization want their data stolen. Organizations are doing their best to protect sensitive data. However, hackers are coming up with new ways to steal important data. Listed below are 5 common ways how hackers steal user’s sensitive data.

• Generic Vulnerabilities are present in any web applications and used by any person
• Common Networking flaws/vulnerabilities appear when accessing any random web applications
• Vulnerabilities appear when any general web application is integrated with any third party application
• There can be issues explicitly exposed in social engineering that can be exploited when used
• Exploits intentionally revealed from the source

Generic Vulnerabilities Present in Web Applications Used by Any Person:

If a web application contains any vulnerability such as Injection, XSS (Cross Site Scripting), and CSRF (Cross Site Request Forgery) etc. then attackers can compromise the user’s application and get sensitive information about the user.

In recent times, attackers use different types of application cracking techniques to steal sensitive information from the application.

We can regularly perform Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Tests to identify the vulnerabilities in the application to help organizations avoid the data breaches.

Common Networking flaws/vulnerabilities When Accessing Web Applications:

Sometimes web application having zero vulnerability also lets attackers get into it with the help of network flaws.

Some of the ways to compromise application on the networks are by using Firewall bypassing, attack on Routers and DNS poisoning etc.

If attackers are able to bypass application servers on the hosted vulnerable network then they could equally compromise the application.

Vulnerabilities when the General web Application is Integrated with any third Party Application:

The third-party apps offer a huge amount of useful functionality to fulfill the end user’s business need, making the web app connected and app designing in an interactive way for the global market.

Security experts have warned users to be cautious about the level of access they offer third-party apps on smartphones and web apps as they run the risk of handing over their sensitive personal information to cyber crooks.

Most of the developers take help from third-party domains to complete their task during the development stage.

Some of the third-party vendors can be offering the scripts to reach specifications easy and in a quick way such as ads, trackers, analytics and social media buttons etc.

Hackers can affect the third-party providing links by malicious data passing through the links and scripts into the developer’s application environment.

However, if third-party domains are vulnerable would mean the developer’s application also get affected, and face difficulties.  So third-party domains code take many risks when merging into the developer’s application.

Issues explicitly in social engineering that can be exploited when used:

Recent times, attackers were sending malicious emails and messages to the mobile numbers to get the details of the user details.

In case users respond with details without validating to whom they are sending the details, that is clear exploitation.

One another way of data theft is getting the OTP and sensitive information such as bank details and credentials from the application users.

Major remediation for social engineering is educating the application end users to differentiate between trusted and untrusted email, messages, and calls from the unauthorized persons.

Intentionally revealing from the source:

Intentionally some organizations give user’s information to third-party organizations.

As an example, Facebook allowed other vendors to use user’s details from the Facebook stored data.

Few frustrated employees and Ex-employees reveal the user’s/client’s sensitive information to take grudge on their employer/company.

The post 5 Common Ways How The User’s Sensitive Data is Compromised appeared first on Indium.

There are several examples of data theft and security issues with mobile and web applications.

While security issues that affect prominent institutions and large organisations are reported in the media, it is a major problem inflicting firms and institutions of all sizes – from startups and SMEs to large corporations.

Of course, this means that developers and the testing community is constantly working towards making software more robust, defensible and secure.

A Markets and Markets report suggests that security testing market will be worth $4.96 billion by 2019, up from $2.47 billion in 2014.

Cloud, mobile, Internet of Things – all these are set to boost app usage across devices, increased data aggregation online, and thereby, greater data vulnerability and the need for a robust security testing services process.

A 2015 NetDiligence Survey shows that the most vulnerable segments for cybercrime are the Healthcare, Financial, Legal, and Retail industries.

While cybercrime against large banks, retailers, and federal agencies become news, small and medium businesses are not immune to it.

A Microsoft estimate suggests that 20 per cent of small to mid-sized businesses have been cybercrime targets.

Three Kinds of Hackers

A system can be penetrated by three kinds of hackers:

• Black hat hackers breach internet security to penetrate networks
• White hat hackers are ethical hackers who mostly test vulnerabilities and enable developers to enhance the security
• Grey hat hackers typically are hackers from within the system, breaching protocols

Six Kinds of Security Vulnerabilities

Penetration can be of different types, broadly categorised as follows:

Web parameter tampering: 

The user manipulates parameters exchanged between client and server and modifies application data such as user credentials, permissions, price or quantity of products, etc. for their benefit.

Database Tampering: 

compromising the databases that support the system and store data critical for business or running of the app

Cookie Stealing: 

A validcomputer session is exploited to gain unauthorized access

Cross-site Scripting: 

An attacker injects malicious scripts on the client-side code to redirect the website link.

Cross-site Request Forgery: 

Also called one-click attack or session riding, unauthorised commands from a user that the website trusts are transmitted. This is also called phishing and is used to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, and sometimes, indirectly, even money.

Privilege Escalation: 

To hack into a senior’s ID and misuse privileges.

How Safe Are You?

It is not just large organisations that are vulnerable. Every organisation stores its financials, HR details and client details on its system, and is therefore of interest to attackers looking to make a quick buck capitalising on any loophole in any system.

Most computers run Oracle Java, Adobe Reader or Adobe Flash and all of these are vulnerable to cyber attacks.

According to one estimate, nearly 59 per cent of employees steal proprietary corporate data at the time of quitting or being fired; or there could be malicious intentions. Careless insiders are another potential security threat.

Why Security Testing

• A white hat hacker, also called ethical hacker, tests for vulnerabilities in a focused and knowledgeable manner, thus identifying possible penetration risks.
• Data integrity and functionality are assured.
• Information leakage due to encryption, firewall, or other software, also is exposed.
• It helps strengthen the software against potential attack.

The post Security Testing 101 appeared first on Indium.