What is security testing in software testing?

The demand for software applications globally is at an all-time high. The reason is simple as the world is connected through powerful technologies and technologies are running a majority of the businesses worldwide. But, then how secured and robust are these software applications need to be thoroughly evaluated. A well-defined security testing strategy needs to be implemented for the application or system to work flawlessly without any issue of security loss or data and information being hacked. In this article, you will get a brief idea about security testing and the pivotal role it plays in the software testing domain.

What is security testing?

It is a testing method that verifies the software application against potential security vulnerabilities, flaws, and threats. If there are any security-related risks involved in the software application that is being developed, then security testing techniques are applied to eliminate or reduce the security-related risks.

Types of security testing:

1. Risk assessment: The organization’s security-related risks are carefully observed and analyzed. In this type of testing, security risks are categorized into three levels and those are low, medium, and high. Controls and measures are endorsed by this testing type in order to minimize the risks.

2. Security auditing: Security defects are scrutinized by carrying out an internal inspection of operating systems and applications. A security audit is also carried out by checking the code line by line.

3. Ethical hacking: It is performed to verify if there are any security flaws in the system or the application that is being developed. Specific tests are carried out in order to ensure that the application cannot be hacked by any hacker. Stringent security mechanisms are put in place to make the application hackproof.

4. Penetration testing: It is considered a simulation attack, where a malicious hacker attacks the security systems. The particular system under test is analyzed to scrutinize possible vulnerabilities from a malicious hacker who tries to hack the system.

5. Security scanning: In this testing type, system and network weaknesses are identified. Proper solutions are provided to reduce these risks and defects. It can be carried out both manually and automated.

6. Vulnerability scanning: Automated software is used to scan a system so that known vulnerability patterns can be detected.

7. Posture assessment: It combines risk assessment, ethical hacking, and security scanning so that the overall security of an organization can be strategically assessed.

The need for performing security testing:

Any entrepreneur or organization would not want to lose their business-critical data and information due to security flaws in the software application or system. If a software application meets certain quality requirements such as functionality and performance but ignores the security aspect of it, then it will create a major issue later on. The security factor also depends upon the functionality of the software application and what is its purpose needs to be ascertained.

Following security aspects pertaining to the application needs to be considered:

• Security of Servers, data history, databases, and information
• Customer’s trust and reliability
• Web applications are protected from untoward cyber-attacks.

The Goal of security testing:

• To identify and solve potential security threats in the system or software application
• Potential security-related vulnerabilities need to be strategically measured
• Security risks in the system or application need to be detected
• The security problems need to be fixed by developers and testers through coding and testing.

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to performing security testing for your specific software application or systems, then do get connected with a premium security testing services company that will provide a feasible testing framework that is in line with your project-specific needs.