Security

How to ensure effective mobile application security testing in 2020

Today, the evolving technology landscape has led to the widespread distribution of components. It has made it mandatory for enterprises to focus on strengthening their application security measures. Along with it comes the need for a highly secure mobile app security ecosystem. After all, the adoption of mobile apps has been skyrocketing over the past decade. However, they are prone to flaws, just like web or desktop applications.

Let’s look at the main security threats that mobile apps face in 2020:

  • Spyware – attacks target devices
  • Leakage of data – includes accidental disclosure
  • Weak passwords – leads to hacking-based issues
  • Unsecure Wi-Fi connection – gives fraudulent access to personal/financial information
  • Cryptojacking – creates unsafe customer experiences

 

Through mobile security testing, you can identify threats, fix vulnerabilities, and increase the overall security level of your enterprise. Safeguarding high-value mobile applications also include stepping up to protect your enterprise’s digital identity.

Common types of security tests:

Black box testing: Also known as “zero-knowledge testing”, it lets unaware testers to use the app so that possible attacks can be documented 

White box testing: Also known as “full-knowledge testing”, it equips testers with source code and other necessary information

Grey box testing: It finds the middle-ground between the previous two testing types and provides limited information to the tester

During the security testing process, it is essential to leverage dedicated environments for Windows, Android, and iOS applications. It will help analyze and test mobile applications in an optimal manner. It would be best if you also simulated different types of cyberattacks, including mobile-dedicated attacks and general app attacks, to get better prepared.

It also identifies security holes and vulnerabilities in your Android and IOS applications so that they are not left open for exploitation. By using automated vulnerability scans and advanced manual mobile application testing, you can ensure maximum security coverage.

It is crucial to enlist a cybersecurity vendor to overcome the challenges involved in mobile application security testing. Considering the rapidly-changing nature of this ecosystem, to stay ahead of threats and attacks is no easy task. However, to make it easier for you, here are a few best practices to stay on top of your mobile app security testing game.

  • Ensure that your security consultants are certified in web application penetration testing
  • Harness the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) testing framework
  • Follow the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) guidelines, checksum controls, superior encryption, certificate pinning, and anti-debugging techniques
  • Implement an agile testing approach to perform in-depth security checks on your mobile app across Windows, Android, and iOS
  • Get consolidated reports that prioritize risks that are relevant to your enterprise so that you can remedy security vulnerabilities
  • Align your mobile security testing goals to workforce productivity and increased user confidence

The current reality is that the mobile ecosystem has empowered users, whether employees or customers, to carry out their critical tasks. Any enterprise that is not conscious is bound to stumble in today’s digitally-fluid business world.

A practical and thorough testing framework can help identify exploitable security issues and safeguard the integrity and security of your sensitive, business-critical data in your mobile applications. It also goes a long way to empower you to achieve and maintain compliance as per government and industry regulations.

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How to defend your enterprise’s infrastructure with firewall security assessment

A firewall is the frontline of defense for your organization’s IT infrastructure. In the case of a network firewall, it safeguards your organization from the inherent threats of the Internet. But first, you need to ensure that your firewall is accurately configured and assessed so that it protects your systems, applications, and data when the time calls for it.

After all, your firewall can be programmed to allow what comes in and goes out of your system. It helps to filter certain types of dangerous threats from entering your network.

Some of the major types of firewalls are packet filtering firewall, circuit-level gateway, stateful inspection firewall, and application-level gateway. Advanced firewalls like Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) and Unified Threat Management (UTM) provide traditional prevention measures while coming equipped with advanced features like Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) and Intrusion Detection System (IDS).

Importance of firewall security assessment

Having a firewall in place alone isn’t enough, since as time progresses, your system would be prone to new types of attacks that your firewall wouldn’t be able to detect. A firewall security assessment allows you to test your firewall’s efficiency, and more importantly, find weaknesses in the security system.

An annual review of firewall security is the minimum that is expected from an organization.

There are regulatory factors that need to be taken into consideration when discussing the importance of security assessment. Legislations such as SOX, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA are there to ensure that every organization has an up-to-date firewall installed and an annual assessment is done. It’s a mandatory step since it ensures that your firewall’s defense is updated to fight evolving threats.

Features of effective firewall security assessment

  • Thoroughly reviews the network architecture, its functionalities, and all the essential critical components in it
  • Monitors the processes and mechanism of security models that deny access by default
  • Reviews the access points by checking the implementation of open ports and services to it
  • Checks vulnerabilities inside the external/internal network protection structure
  • Identifies and protects all network segments by reviewing firewall configuration files
  • Verifies the implementation of access controls, necessary use policies and banners
  • Assesses the network and checks for the ingress and egress points
  • Looks for vulnerabilities, configuration, and administration flaws
  • Ensures the firewall complies with the necessary standards and policies
  • Review controls for default accounts, passwords, and network management community string
  • Comprehensively checks all switches and routers
  • Identifies and implements the best practices available and lack of hardening techniques
  • Carries out manual-based reviewing by using a customized testing methodology

We hope that you have brought to light the importance of conducting a firewall security assessment regularly. Apart from the above-mentioned essential tasks, an effective security assessment would also include:

  • Offering recommendations for critical software updates and additional security measures
  • Improving security by giving advice on improving configuration and equipment settings
  • Delivering insights on neutralizing identified vulnerability and reducing exposure

In our digital age, the threat of cyberattacks is on an unprecedented rise. They come in so many different forms that it can be extremely difficult to stay on top of unidentified threats and vulnerabilities. Especially with the new normal that businesses are getting accustomed to during these pandemic-induced times, the importance of firewall security assessment has exponentially grown too.

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