A Guide to Effective Application Security Testing

Many organizations benefit from the use of DevOps for their continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) workflows. Yet, despite adopting a DevOps environment, it is not uncommon for the security of an organization’s applications to ultimately be lacking.

Why is the case? Some see security as an inconvenience while they are working on projects. Others recognize that security is important, but they feel there’s not enough time to give it justice.

Despite these points, you should never view application security testing as an option. It should be mandatory. To help ensure you can fit it into your workload, here is a guide on effective application security testing.

Have the right policy in place

When you utilize an effective vulnerability management policy for your organization, this helps to ensure there’s more control over your security protocols. It will teach employees how to control and remediate security vulnerabilities, which can prevent damaging breaches.

When you implement this type of policy, everyone involved in your app development process will be aware of their roles and responsibilities.

Incorporate automated tools

Your employees should not be responsible for handling all of the security on their own. It is highly recommended you implement automated application security testing tools when possible. These should directly plug into your CI/CD toolchain.

Not only do automated security tools cut out the possibility of human error, but they also supply added features that go beyond the proficiency of the average developer. This means that, whether it is a penetration test or vulnerability scans, automated tools can assist with keeping your files secure.

Shift testing to the beginning

The traditional application security testing method, which was a checkpoint prior to deployment, is obsolete in this day and age. Due to the way apps are developed and deployed, there is a greater emphasis on speed. Yet if you seemingly get to the end of development but discover various major security issues, this will take a significant amount of time – and resources – to correct.

This is why security testing is being moved to the start of development. By doing this, applications can be tested along every stage of the process. If security flaws are discovered, they can be corrected early on before they become a bigger problem. A shift left process helps to save a lot of time, effort, and money.

Keep a close eye on third-party code

Virtually all developers make use of third-party components for their projects. They help to save a lot of time, where certain elements do not have to be developed in-house. With that said, it is essential you closely monitor each piece of open-source code you use.

Simply put, it only takes one flawed component to compromise your entire application’s safety. While the code you test and work on in-house will not provide that flaw, the risk grows when you use external code. Before you decide to add any third-party code, ensure you run thorough testing, so you know it is secure.