What Makes Application Vulnerability Assessment Necessary?

An application irrespective of whether it’s for web or mobile falls prey to the network of attackers and risks the security of the business.

Applications have gained prominence because of three major reasons – speed, easy application, and a variety of options for solutions (which becomes business value). All of these factors are compromised when a hacker breaches the layer of security and the result – loss of data, failure of workflow, and user trust.

While it’s the work of developers to continuously post updates to fix the vulnerabilities in an application, they at times fail to provide apt solutions due to a variety of reasons. If only application vulnerability assessment was done prior to being attacked, developers would have had upper hand in resolving these issues.

 

Viruses, malware, and many other threats damage the security network in an application. These are removed by updating patches of antivirus and high applicable code, but could you rely on a system that relies only on these patches?

Vulnerability assessment is vital to build a high-end platform with less loose areas. Application penetration is the first step in it. With the use of advanced software and tools (to which your developer may or may not have access), an application is thoroughly checked, and areas that are most likely to be vulnerable are then detected.

Getting a mobile application audit company to safeguard an application, can make things easy for the business, as the team of advanced professionals is better equipped with tools and developers for vulnerability assessment and they ensure a strong build in a platform that’s less likely to fall prey to a security breach.

Let’s discuss why vulnerability assessment is necessary -

It helps to detect application’s flaw

Running an assessment gives a better idea about overall flaws in an application or when a packet of virus attacks and enters the system, which might get skipped otherwise.

It prepares developer to better cope vulnerability

Knowing the loose ends helps developers to bring innovative solutions that strengthen the security system in an application, make a firewall which is free from vulnerabilities.

Reduces time of exposure of the flaw to users

The worst thing that could happen to a business is to expose malfunctions of the app to users. It could kill the business. Having a strong vulnerability assessment helps to come up with solutions fast, without troubling users with the flaws and database errors.

Secure Your Apps While You Can!

Building a mobile application involves a lot of work and so does securing the same. The following article explains some basic measures that need to be implemented for mobile application security.

 

  

Cyber-security is no longer just an IT buzzword. It is now the mantra nearly all business owners seem to be chanting at the moment. These days, it is not the war of guns that people fear the most. It is rather the war of computers, passwords and networks that is started by hackers.

If you have seen a couple movies such as Live Free or Die Hard or Swordfish, you would understand how a bunch of smart and capable hackers can wreak havoc on an entire city or even a nation. Several countries across the world have joined hands for many causes, one among which is fighting cyber-crime. Possibility of a security breach is often underestimated which is why so many hackers have successfully extracted confidential information and exploited it the way they wanted in the past. May be a pauper with nil balance in his bank account won’t worry about his passwords getting leaked, but millionaires would probably lose their minds if the same happens to them.

With software technology progressing in leaps and bounds, end-users are consistently switching to better options. At present, they are pretty much fixated on mobile apps. From bill payment to ticket booking, they are using these apps for a multitude of tasks, but what they fail to realize is that without mobile application security, the information stored on their devices is at the risk of being leaked. Everyone is entitled to a certain level of privacy and hackers are plotting to invade the same. They can either misuse one’s private information to their advantage or try to make a fortune by selling the trade secrets of reputed companies to their competitors.

While the threats to mobile app security posed by hackers are pretty serious, one can eliminate them with a few good practices such as the following:

Safeguard your applications by building them with a secure code. Test the code at every stage of development in order to make sure the app is free from malware.

The apps being used need to run in an environment free from vulnerabilities. It is thus necessary to secure the devices as well. These mainly include smartphones and tablets.

The information stored on tablets and smartphones, which is often accessed and manipulated by mobile apps, is a likely target for hackers who try to penetrate into a network by exploiting the security loopholes in these apps. Facilities such as data encryption can help secure this information. Also, one needs to utilize the “remote wipe” feature in case the device is stolen or lost.

Minimize the Cyber-Attack Damage in Healthcare

Cyber-attacks can definitely be delayed but we are yet to find a solution to permanently eliminate the possibility of the same. The following article explains how you can reduce the damage caused by these attacks. 

From budding start-ups to established businesses, almost every firm has resorted to online means for interacting with potential customers and clients. As a matter of fact, this lot includes healthcare service providers as well. While online availability of pretty much everything is a great bonus, there is unfortunately a downside to it as well.

What once was merely a myth based on science fiction has now turned into a bitter reality. Hacking into anything and everything is now possible. Healthcare industry has also become an area of interest for cyber-criminals these days. It is not just the personal records of patients that are at stake, but also sensitive information on pacemakers and drugs which the concerned person would never want to reveal to the wrong people. Furthermore, the operational functionality of healthcare-related software solutions makes it even more challenging for one to secure them. Unless there is a reliable penetration testing company to take care of information security in healthcare firms, the odds of them being victimized by cyber-crime are pretty high.

Attaining software security in healthcare industry is not just about complying with high standards but also about carrying out essential processes such as software security penetration testing. The aim here is to control the threat surface across the access layer as well as the infrastructure, so that any adverse factor that hampers the efficacy and speed of healthcare software applications can easily be detected. However, if being attacked by hackers is the destiny of some applications, here is what one can do to reduce the damage that results from the same:

Strengthen the defense mechanism on mobile devices. It is these devices that are more commonly used for running healthcare apps, when compared to laptops and desktop, not to mention that these are more user-friendly as well. Hackers thus target these devices first and it is necessary to defend them at any cost.
Vulnerabilities in applications are often dealt with randomly once they are found out. It is better to prioritize them before they are resolved. This way the process will be well-organized and much more productive.
Not many people should have access to the confidential information manipulated by healthcare applications, and the access levels of those who do should be clearly understood and recorded by software security professionals. 

Conduct regular security audits to make sure that each of the strategies implemented for the protection of information works as intended. Also, security professionals should devise plans to control the situation when their applications are under attack.

Best Practices for Web Security

There is more to security audits than just testing websites and web apps. The following article explains some useful practices regarding the same.

 

Security audit might very well be one of the things you totally hate about the corporate scenario, but it undoubtedly is crucial for any organization. Use of websites and web apps in any company is unavoidable and so is the risk of data leakage that can result from the vulnerability of these apps to hackers, not to mention that this leaked data might contain confidential data about companies, such as product pricing, inventory details and trade secrets.

Exposure of corporate secrets to competitors is a great fear factor for companies, which is why most of them go for regular web application security assessment. This assessment is mainly about ensuring that a website or web application is immune to the attacks of hackers. Security assessment is not just a standalone task. It is rather a pretty lengthy process involving multiple stages such as penetration testing and security audits.

A website security audit happens to be one of the least favorite processes in a company. Needless to say, nobody is expected to enjoy while outsiders are poking around their work space looking for security flaws in their system. An audit is usually assumed to be some sort of a surprise check carried out by auditors with the intention of exposing the IT loopholes in a company. But employees often fail to realize that they will also get victimized in the event of a security breach. Audits are aimed at securing not only the business apps but also the private details of employees manipulated by these apps while they use them. 

Content Source: http://avyaanwebsecurity.tumblr.com/post/147933450293/best-practices-for-web-security

Social Engineering is a Crucial Part of Penetration Testing

Now that the eerie face of cyber-crime has finally revealed itself, people all over the world are more alert than ever in regard to the software applications they use be it web apps or mobile apps. Internet privacy, contrary to the claims of some hackers, may not exactly be a myth, but it does face a great danger due to these hackers.

Hackers or black hats as they are otherwise referred to, are not like other criminals like thugs and murderers committing the offense personally and taking the risk of getting caught. Black hats plan each of their moves meticulously and the worst part is that they have more than enough time to cover their tracks. By the time you figure out the IP address of the computer through which your mobile app was hacked, the hacker would already have extracted the information he/she needs. This is a critical issue and companies all over the world who deploy apps for varied reasons are trying to resolve it. External penetration testing so far has been the most widely adopted solution.

Penetration testing in simple terms, is the process of testing the security of a web application or mobile application by subjecting it to attacks. These attacks are engineered by professionals known as ethical hackers or pen-testers. Equaling black hats in technical proficiency, ethical hackers break security protocols of applications only with the intention of evaluating and improving them. It takes many punches for one to know how many punches he/she can take. Same is the logic behind penetration testing services.

Originally Posted on: https://medium.com/@Avyaan/social-engineering-is-a-crucial-part-of-penetration-testing-a37db36e91de#.wvp9sbzb9

How is Web Penetration Testing Done?

Introducing web applications at this point of time does not make any sense as most of us already know what they are. In fact, our daily routine involves extensive use of such applications. Still, if a layman needs to know what exactly a web application is, the ideal definition would be “ A set of programs intended to serve a specific purpose with the help of an Internet connection”. A simple example for such an application is an online shopping app that allows you to place orders for desired products, make payment for the same and have them delivered at the address you specify.

Having become much more sophisticated and prevalent over time, web applications today are an indispensable need for almost all major businesses. Any data breaches in these applications will thus result in the leakage of confidential information. Fearing the same, most companies have added web penetration testing to their list of priorities. For penetration testing, companies either employ in-house ethical hackers or avail the services of an external company. 

In web applications involving client-server interaction, the origin of vulnerabilities normally lies in the following factors:

• Developers' failure in checking input validation
• Client requests handled in an improper manner

Before availing the services of an external penetration testing company, owner of an organization needs to know certain details about penetration testing. Needless to say, you won't be able to oversee a process when you don't even know the basic order of steps in it. 

Originally posted on: https://medium.com/@Avyaan/how-is-web-penetration-testing-done-e5d83c809499#.iphzsz4hv

Remember the Buzzwords in Website Security

For the current businesses, the game is all about automation. Web apps undoubtedly make these businesses flexible enough to reach millions of potential customers across the world but unfortunately, these apps also have a large number of security threats to deal with.

Some studies conducted by software security experts have revealed that almost 75 percent of cyber attacks are aimed at web applications. It has also been estimated that about 70 percent of websites are highly vulnerable to hacking. The more crucial the information handled by a web app is, the more likely it is to become a target for hackers. Web apps deployed by online businesses these days carry out numerous transactions and manipulate large amounts of sensitive information. It has thus become crucial for these businesses to avail application security testing services.

To ensure that a website is impervious to access by unauthorized users who try to extract information and resources with malicious intent, one needs to conduct website security testing – same is the case with web applications. With security testing, you will be able to identify the weaknesses in your web apps and keep them safe.

Professionals well-versed in the concepts of web security know the terminology used in the process. A layman, however, needs to remember certain buzzwords while dealing with web application security issues.

Originally posted on: https://avyaan.quora.com/Remember-the-Buzzwords-in-Website-Security