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What is a web application pentest?
What are the benefits of a web application pentest?
How are pen tests for web applications performed?
Meaning
Performing a pentest, on a Web application simulates a series of attacks in an attempt to gain access to sensitive data, with the goal of determining whether the system is actually secure. These attacks are performed internally or externally on a system and help obtain information about the target system, identify vulnerabilities and discover exploits that could actually compromise the system. It is an essential health check of a system that informs testers whether remediation and security measures are needed.
What are the benefits of a web application pentest?
There are several important benefits to (having) pen testing for Web applications in a security policy.
- It supports fulfillment of compliance requirements. In some industries, pen tests are explicitly required, and performing pen tests on Web applications helps meet these requirements.
- It helps assess IT infrastructure. Infrastructure, such as firewalls and DNS servers, is publicly accessible. Any change to infrastructure can make a system vulnerable. Web application pen testing helps identify real attacks that could succeed in accessing these systems.
- It identifies vulnerabilities. Web application pen tests detect risks in applications or vulnerable routes in infrastructure before an attacker does.
- It helps assess security policies. Pen testing of Web applications involves testing existing security measures for vulnerabilities.
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How are pen tests for web applications performed?
There are three main steps for performing pen tests on Web applications.
- Determining the scope of the test. Before you begin, it is important to determine the scope and goals of the test. The end goal of the pen test may be compliance with certain compliance requirements, or it may be to verify that the Web application is truly foolproof. After deciding what the goals of the test are, information must be gathered about the target environment to be explored. This includes the Web architecture, information about things like APIs and general infrastructure information.
- Conducting the test. This typically includes simulating attacks to see if a hacker can actually gain access to an application. Two main types of tests you could run are:
- External pen tests that analyze components accessible to hackers over the Internet, such as Web applications or Web sites
- Internal pen tests that simulate a scenario in which a hacker has access to an application behind your firewalls.
- Analyzing the test. The results of the test are analyzed to reach actionable conclusions. Vulnerabilities and exposure to sensitive data should be discussed. After analysis, necessary changes and improvements can be made.
What tools are used for web application pen testing?
There is no universal tool for pen testing. Instead, there are several tools needed for various purposes, such as scanning ports and applications, breaking in over Wi-Fi, or directly penetrating a network. In general, the tools a pentester would use can be divided into five categories.
- Exploration Tools - These are used to discover network hosts and open ports.
- Vulnerability scanners - These detect problems in network services, Web applications and APIs.
- Proxy tools - This includes specialized Web proxies and generic man-in-the-middle proxies.
- Exploitation tools - These are used to gain access to sensitive systems and data.
- Post-exploitation tools. This allows a pentester to interact with systems, maintain access, extend and reach attack targets.
How can Warpnet help?
Warpnet offers on-demand expertise to help you manage your risks. Our pentest services help you conduct exploratory risk assessments and results-oriented analyses of your digital security. This allows you to discover and fix critical vulnerabilities in your Web applications and Web services. Source code is not a requirement for this, by the way.