Cyber Security Testing Checklist: Steps To Conduct Before Testing a Product in the Security Domain

These days, a news story on a cyberattack is as familiar as a weather report. To protect against these potential attacks, companies have built products and software applications created to secure their data. But can these security products and applications provide full protection against these threats?

It’s possible with the proper QA testing process and web security testing checklist in place. After all, even security products require QA testing.

What Is Cyber Security Penetration Testing?

Cyber security testing is the technique of testing networks, programs, systems, and software applications to assure that they can withstand digital attacks.

Your QA team or cyber security testing company makes a web security testing checklist to follow in order to discover any weaknesses within your application. That way, your development team can refine the security of your software system before deployment.

A strong software application security testing checklist would contain these kinds of cyber security penetration tests:

• Network Service Penetration Testing
• Web Application Penetration Testing
• Client-Side Penetration Testing
• Wireless Network Penetration Testing
• Social Engineering Testing
• Red Team & Blue Team
• Mobile Penetration Testing

Testing cyber security starts by examining your application through a cybercriminal’s eyes. What information within your system is most appealing to an unauthorized user? What vulnerabilities would a cyber attacker try to exploit? Are there any unsuspecting loopholes that can be found by an intruder? All of these questions should impact your cyber security audit checklist.

What Types of Software Applications Need Cyber Security Testing?

So, do all software applications require a cyber security test plan? In short – Yes!

Here’s why it’s important to apply a cyber security risk assessment checklist to any software application. Chances are, your software or product is developed to protect sensitive data-be it’s personal information, patient records, passwords, or financial data – within another application. This sensitive data can be lucrative in the incorrect hands, and cybercriminals are ready to exploit any system vulnerability to catch it. When your system is hacked, that often leads to lost revenue, bad press, and a reduction in consumer loyalty.

Steps To Complete Before Testing a Product in the Security Domain

An engineer or a cyber security testing company starts testing a product in the security domain with a cyber security checklist. To build this product testing checklist, specific questions require defined answers. Here are 5 of the 9 steps to cybersecurity testing that can demonstrate to be invaluable for your software security test plan:

What Type of Application Is Being Tested?

It is crucial to make sure your testing team knows the kind of application that is to be tested. First, determine whether the application security testing checklist should concentrate on a desktop, cloud, mobile, or web-based application. Then, select which kinds of cybersecurity tests are suitable for your application type and your cyber security audit checklist.

Efficiency and thoroughness are essential when carrying out your cyber security risk assessment checklist. Defining your application can more easily specify which tests require attention within your software security test plan. For example, a mobile application would need comprehensive mobile penetration testing within your product testing checklist.

What Is the Category of Your Product or Software Application Under Testing?

When creating your cyber security checklist, ensure to specify which of the following categories your product or software application falls under:

• System Security: This security category covers application, mobile data network, data, and web security. Select this category for your cyber security test plan if your product or software protects websites, data, and networks from malicious files.
• Security Risk Assessment: The tools within this security category determine vulnerabilities, react to attacks and handle security operations. Choose this category for your product testing checklist if your tool concentrates on incident responses, threat intelligence, event management, security information, and vulnerability assessments.
• Identity Security: Select this security category for your cyber security audit checklist if your product or software provides single sign-on (SSO), cloud identity and access management (CIAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), password manager, and risk-based authentication services.

Is the product or software in the system security, security risk assessment, or identity security category? There’s also a chance that your software or product falls under another category? Consult your cyber security testing company to help you decide which category is most appropriate for how to test cyber security.

What Threats Does This Software or Product Protect Against?

When making your cyber security checklist, select the threats that your software or product saves users against. Knowing this can direct your team towards producing the right kinds of test cases for your application security testing checklist. Instances of threats that your product or software protects against include performance of application during extreme load times, stability of application beneath heavy load, the failure point of deployed hardware, and ability of hardware for expected load.

Does your product defend against network attacks, injections, and/or authentication? What kinds of test cases are required for how to test cyber security? Based on these threats, what kinds of cyber security penetration testing are crucial for your cyber security risk assessment checklist?

Which Environments Are Supported by Your Software or Product?

Understanding which environments your products support can help you build specific test cases for your cyber security checklist. First, determine the environments that the product or software supports. Which operating systems, browsers or mobile devices does your software or product support? Next, which types of test cases are required for your cyber security test plan so that your testing process is detailed?

Is the Test Plan Well Thought Out and Thoroughly Prepared?

As with any testing work, it is crucial that your web security testing checklist is as prepared as possible. A well-thought-out software security test plan can help prevent delays in the testing procedure.

Is your cyber security checklist sound? Are all test cases effective for the product beneath the test? What additional testing can assure the security of your system?

Also Read : A Checklist Every Developer Must Have For Mobile App Security Testing

Need more guidance to create your cyber security test plan? Consider picking a QA services provider like TestUnity. Our team of testing experts is qualified in security testing products and software within the security field. We can guide your team through the process of creating a solid cyber security risk assessment checklist as well as assist throughout your cyber security testing process. Get in touch with a TestUnity expert today.

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