Security Testing Procedures

This document outlines the standard procedures for conducting security testing of your applications and services. Adhering to these guidelines ensures a robust security posture.

Phase 1: Planning and Reconnaissance

Before any testing begins, thorough planning is essential. This phase focuses on understanding the target environment and defining the scope of testing.

1.1 Define Scope and Objectives

• Identify the specific applications, systems, and functionalities to be tested.
• Clearly articulate the security goals and the potential risks that need to be mitigated.
• Establish the types of testing to be performed (e.g., vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, code review).

1.2 Information Gathering (Reconnaissance)

• Gather information about the target's infrastructure, technologies, and potential entry points.
• Utilize both passive (e.g., public records, search engines) and active (e.g., network scanning, port enumeration) techniques.

Phase 2: Vulnerability Analysis

This phase involves identifying potential weaknesses in the target system.

2.1 Automated Scanning

• Employ automated tools to scan for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and common security flaws.
• Examples of tools include Nessus, OpenVAS, and SQLMap for specific vulnerability types.

2.2 Manual Code Review

• Analyze source code for logic flaws, insecure coding practices, and potential security loopholes.
• Focus on areas like input validation, authentication, authorization, and error handling.

2.3 Configuration Review

• Examine system and application configurations for insecure defaults, unnecessary services, and weak access controls.

Phase 3: Exploitation

In this phase, identified vulnerabilities are exploited to determine their actual impact.

3.1 Proof of Concept (PoC) Exploitation

• Attempt to exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or demonstrate a security breach.
• The goal is to confirm the existence and severity of the vulnerability.

3.2 Privilege Escalation

• If initial access is gained, attempt to escalate privileges to gain higher levels of control over the system.

Phase 4: Post-Exploitation and Reporting

Once exploitation is complete, the focus shifts to understanding the full extent of the breach and documenting findings.

4.1 Data Collection and Analysis

• Collect evidence of successful exploitation, including screenshots, logs, and any exfiltrated data (if applicable and within scope).
• Analyze the impact of each vulnerability on the overall security of the system.

4.2 Reporting

• Generate a comprehensive report detailing all findings, including:
  • Executive Summary
  • Scope and Methodology
  • Identified Vulnerabilities (with severity ratings)
  • Exploitation Details and Evidence
  • Recommendations for Remediation
  • Risk Assessment

4.3 Remediation and Verification

• Collaborate with development and operations teams to implement recommended fixes.
• Conduct re-testing to verify that vulnerabilities have been effectively resolved.

Security Testing Tools

A variety of tools can assist in security testing. Here are a few categories:

• Vulnerability Scanners: Nessus, OpenVAS, Qualys
• Web Application Scanners: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Acunetix
• Network Scanners: Nmap, Wireshark
• Exploitation Frameworks: Metasploit
• Static/Dynamic Analysis Tools: SonarQube, Veracode