More and more businesses are turning their business operations online due to the many advantages of online businesses. Just as sharks are attracted to the smell of blood, the same is with hackers and cyber criminals who have increased their significantly increased their attacks.
The digital world has now become a hacker’s paradise.
Businesses usually hire chief information security officers and penetration testing companies to combat this threat. However, there’s a lot more to information and web application security.
Web Application Vulnerability Assessment – A New Type of Security
Offered by Lean Security, the web application penetration testing and vulnerability assessment is a testing tool that enables businesses with:
Vulnerabilities Identification
With the help of this tool, you can identify vulnerabilities within your web application and computer system’s framework. Additionally, the tool will help uncover potential (negative) impact to the application, infrastructure and operational levels.
Security Posture
The tool will also let you know how your website security posture is presented to potential attackers. Knowing just how hackers view security of your web application will give you an idea of what step should be taken to ensure high security.
Following are some steps that you can take in order to review and fix your web application’s security.
Assess the Web Application Security Your Company
Majority of cyber attacks take place because of basic security vulnerabilities that often go unnoticed. Take care of this when assessing your web application for vulnerabilities. What to look out for?
o Poor patch management procedures
o Web-based personal email services
o Weak passwords
o A lack of end-user education
o Sound security polices
Remember: unknown vulnerabilities can wreak havoc to even the most secure network!
Pinpoint Applications and Data Important To Business Processes
Identify and rank each business process according to its importance and sensitivity. Once this step is completed, identify data and web applications over which the above processes depend.
This step is made easier with the collaborated help of your IT department and other business players. In time, you will find out there are far more critical process than previously identified.
Find Hidden Data Sources
Take mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) and desktop PCs into account as well when searching out data sources and application. Why? These devices contain collective, most recent and sensitive data processed by your organisation.
Try and understand how data flows between these devices and the data centre applications (as well as storage). Find out how your employees are sending important business emails that might contain sensitive information.
Determine What Hardware Runs Applications and Data
You will find all layers of your system’s infrastructure as you continue to follow the above step. This identification process of servers (both virtual and physical) is important. There will be three or more sets to look out for when it comes to web/database based applications – web, application, and database.
Interlink the Network Infrastructure with Connecting Hardware
In this step, web application developers must know all there is about routers and other network devices which enable your applications and hardware to operate fast and provide a secure performance.
Identify Controls That Are Already In Place
Let’s take a look at the security continuity measures you already have in place. These measures will include application firewalls, IDP systems, virtual private networks, polices and firewalls, data loss prevention systems and encryption.
You will have to understand important qualities and capabilities that each protection provide to all addressed vulnerabilities.
You should run vulnerability scans only after every step is addressed. Small businesses (with a less structured IT department) can have trouble with this procedure.
Having trouble securing your web operations? There are a very few web application vulnerability scanners in the market that can help identify all false positives within an application. Save the hassle and contact Lean Security for that job.