Web Application Security Testing Tools: Necessity and Benefits

Web application security testing is the process of evaluating web applications to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities and loopholes that could be exploited by malicious attackers. The goal is to ensure that web applications are built and maintained with robust security measures to protect sensitive data, maintain user trust, and prevent security breaches. As we know, software security has become very essential due to the wide use of software applications in our daily life. Each and every electronic gadget we use runs on operating systems and other necessary application software.

Following software security requirements lead to the development of security-based tools:

• Data confidentiality
• Data integrity
• Data availability
• Authentication
• Authorization
• Access control (read, write, read-write, execute, full control)
• Audit
• Privacy protection
• Security protection

Figure-1: Security testing types

There are two types of security testing: functional testing and vulnerability testing.

Functional testing assures tools developed comply with security standards and takes care of all the basic security functions as per requirement specifications. Vulnerability refers to any bugs in the software coding or in design.

Vulnerability testing tests the tools as an attacker attacking the system’s security application tools. It is also referred to as penetration testing.

Figure-2: Web application security testing tools

There are various security testing tools which include SARA, Qualys Free security scan, Qualys Guard, STAT scanner, Nessus security scanner, SAINT, NetIQ Security Analyzer, Nikto scanner, Tenable Security Center, SPI Dynamics WebInspect, IBM AppScan, Acunetix web vulnerability scanner, etc.

Web applications are in tremendous use owing to the boom in internet supporting wireless and wireline technologies and devices.

Web Application Vulnerabilities

Following are a few of the vulnerabilities of a typical web application. This leads to the development of web application testing tools.

• Cross-site scripting (XSS)
• SQL injection
• Adoption of wireless technologies with loopholes
• Broken authentication
• Session management
• Use of unsecured open-source software and applications
• Use of unsecured pirated stuff
• Improper configuration to counter security

Why are Tools Required?

Web application security testing is required for several important reasons as outlined below.

• To identify vulnerabilities mentioned above
• To protect sensitive data
• To comply with regulations and standards e.g. GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS
• To safeguard business reputation
• To prevent financial loss
• Maintain customer trust
• Stay ahead of evolving threats
• Prioritize security resources
• Improve software development
• Adhere to best practices

Web Application Test Tools

Test tools are essential for streamlining the testing process, improving test coverage, detecting bugs and security vulnerabilities, and ensuring the application’s overall performance and quality. Several application security tools are available to help with this process, covering various aspects of web application security.

Some popular web application security testing tools are Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Acunetix, Nikto, Nmap, SQLMap, Netsparker, Vega, AppScan, Wapiti, Qualys WAS and so on.

Wapiti

This tool was developed by Nicolas Surribus in 2006 and is widely used as a vulnerability scanner for web applications. It will scan the launched website’s web pages. It will inject the payload and check for script vulnerabilities. Basically, it acts like a fuzzer.

Wapiti does not find all the vulnerabilities, but it is a good open-source tool. It will help detect the following vulnerabilities:

• Errors in File handling operations
• Database injection
• LDAP injection
• CRLF injection
• Cross-site scripting

OWASP Testing Tool (ZAP)

It is one of the penetration testing tools. The features are active scanning and fuzzing. The active scanning feature of the ZAP tool helps find XSS and other types of vulnerabilities. Fuzzing feature of ZAP helps fuzz any portion of the application software. It is also an open-source software tool.

Netsparker

This web application security testing tool is used as a scanner. This tool scans the web applications and produces the vulnerability results if any, in no time. This tool works independently of any technology or platform applications are designed for. It supports JavaScript and AJAX. Netsparker helps scan for XSS, SQL injection, backup files, static tests, boolean SQL injection, etc.

Advantages of Application Security Tools

Following are the benefits or advantages of web app testing tools. They can greatly aid in the process of testing and ensuring the security, functionality, and performance of web applications.

• The tools automate the testing process, allowing testers to perform repetitive tasks quickly and efficiently.
• We can achieve broader test coverage by executing a large number of test cases across various browsers, devices, and operating systems. This helps identify potential issues in different environments.
• Automated testing ensures that the same tests are executed consistently and accurately every time, reducing the risk of overlooking critical issues.
• When changes are made to a web application, regression testing is crucial to ensure that existing functionalities remain intact. Automated testing tools can easily re-run test cases to check for regressions and catch potential issues caused by new updates.
• The tools can help to identify vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, etc. These tools can scan the application for security flaws and provide detailed reports to aid in remediation.
• Tools like JMeter, LoadRunner, or Gatling can simulate a large number of users accessing the web application simultaneously, helping you understand how the application performs under different loads and identifying potential performance bottlenecks.
• Automated tools reduce the time and effort required for testing, leading to cost savings in the long run.
• Some testing tools can simulate real-world scenarios, such as user interactions, to provide more realistic testing conditions and uncover potential issues that may not be evident in isolated test cases.
• By identifying and fixing bugs and vulnerabilities early in the development process, web application testing tools help improve the overall quality of the software, leading to a more reliable and secure application.

Conclusion

In conclusion, using web application security testing tools is crucial to proactively identify and address security vulnerabilities in web applications. They offer efficiency, comprehensive coverage, early detection, and continuous monitoring, all of which are essential to building secure and reliable web applications in today’s threat landscape. They play a critical role in delivering robust, secure, and user-friendly web applications to end-users.