Penetration Testing
DEFINITION
What is web application penetration testing
Web application security testing plays a vital role in protecting web-based systems from potential threats and vulnerabilities. As web applications are often publicly accessible, they are regularly targeted by threat actors seeking to exploit weaknesses. A successful attack can lead to the exposure of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), sensitive business or commercial data, and may provide an entry point into the internal network for further compromise.
The main aim of application security assessments is to identify and remediate any flaws that could be exploited by attackers. Through comprehensive testing, we assess your application’s security posture to uncover and address any vulnerabilities. Our goal is to ensure your web applications are secure, resilient to cyber threats, and capable of protecting valuable data while preserving the integrity of your digital infrastructure.
benefits
Why should you do it
Identification and Mitigation of Security Risks
Web application penetration testing plays a key role in identifying exploitable vulnerabilities within an application’s structure, logic, and configuration. By uncovering these risks, organisations are able to implement targeted security measures to prevent threats such as data breaches, unauthorised access, and application-layer attacks. This proactive approach significantly reduces the potential for financial loss and reputational harm.
Demonstrable Compliance with Security Standards
Web applications are often subject to regulatory requirements and industry-specific security standards (e.g. GDPR, PCI DSS, ISO 27001). Penetration testing assists organisations in meeting these obligations by providing evidence of due diligence and effective risk management. It helps avoid potential penalties, enforcement actions, or legal consequences associated with non-compliance.
Strengthening Customer Trust and Confidence
In today’s digital landscape, customers expect their personal information to be protected. Regular web application penetration testing demonstrates a clear commitment to safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining strong cyber security practices. This not only enhances user trust but also strengthens the organisation’s reputation in the marketplace.
Cost-Effective Security Assurance
Identifying and resolving vulnerabilities during the development or early operational phases of a web application is far more cost-effective than responding to the aftermath of a breach. Penetration testing provides actionable insights that enable organisations to address weaknesses before they can be exploited, helping to prevent costly incidents and ensuring long-term security resilience.
methodology
Our approach
Our methodology encompasses a wide range of techniques and approaches, among which the OWASP Top 10 is an integral part. While we prioritise the OWASP Top 10, we also incorporate various other industry-leading best practices and security standards to ensure a comprehensive and robust assessment.
Identify any flaws or information disclosure issues related to authentication mechanisms, such as user enumeration, password policies, account hijacking and brute-force attacks.
This stage focuses on scrutinising how a web application handles user input, with special attention to identifying potential flaws. These include but are not limited to: Cross-Site Scripting, SQL Injection and XML Injection.
The focus is on identifying design and implementation flaws typically linked to web application authorisation mechanisms. These may include vulnerabilities related to horizontal and vertical privilege escalation, occurring at different privilege levels, even from an unauthenticated position.
Uncover potential attack paths that may result in arbitrary code execution and potential compromise of the underlying infrastructure. Addressing this critical concern is of utmost importance as it significantly impacts the application’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
In this phase, we focus on identifying and exploiting application logic flaws. The tests conducted at this stage are specific to each application, generally involving the manipulation of data flows and workflows within a business context.
FAQ
Further Information