User data security testing: keep it all safe

by TestFort News Editor on 10/11/2018

Data security is one of the biggest concerns these days. Because users want their apps to run on every device they acquire — it’s a real challenge for the apps’ owners to make them secure. However, there is a way to ensure the data is protected from breaches, unauthorized access, and viruses. Security testing is the ultimate solution.

Types of security testing: know the difference

Manual or automated, security testing has to be done impeccably. To achieve the highest level of protection, it is important to understand that web, mobile, and desktop applications are tested differently due to the variety of programming languages and frameworks they are built on.

Web Security Testing

As long as every business has its own website serving as a company face, web applications perhaps are the most prone to damage from all existing. This is the reason why they demand even more attention in terms of security measures. Web app testing aims to prevent SQL injections from running on your service under cover of the root user. It is essential if you want to protect your service from data leaks.

Mobile App Security Testing

Not all of the businesses develop mobile apps, unlike websites. Still, it doesn’t mean mobile app security testing can be omitted. Users tend to register in mobile apps more often than through the website forms, and by entering valuable personal data, they automatically sign up for a potential data breach. Potential is the key word here because it can be prevented. It’s crucial to make sure network and platform APIs of Android and iOS apps are settled. Data encryption and code quality have to be performed as well to overcome mobile security challenges.

Desktop Security Testing

Numerous businesses want to have their apps in all possible forms, including the desktop. Because desktop application security testing is the least demanded type these days — companies neglect this important step in product development and suffer from distressing consequences. Desktop security testing has to eliminate the risks of data loss from XSS and SQL injections that hackers can embed through the malicious scripts.

What to protect with security testing?

Business industries that usually suffer from poor security and malicious attacks include banking, healthcare, government, telecom, and web. They are proven to keep the most valuable user data. For the last 5 years, we witnessed data breaches in such big companies like Yahoo, Facebook, Apple, Evernote, Uber, Gmail, eBay, Slack, and many more still keep losing valuable clients, resources, money, and time to fix the damage. To prevent future hacks companies need to take serious measures and stop neglecting such ways of protection as data encryption, migration to microservices architecture, and obviously software security testing.

Abovementioned breaches have not only resulted in distressful data loss but also in the General Data Protection Regulation. It takes place in the EU and promises to fine companies by 4% of annual turnover if they don’t follow the requirements. The main idea of the GDPR is to make all data operations transparent, regulate information through the communication and accordance of each user, and respect the right to be forgotten. This is a very big step in the direction of a more secure future. On the other hand, it is very challenging for numerous European companies to change their working policies to comply with new rules.

Small software security testing how-to

TestFort experts in QA and testing are ready to protect your business from distressing consequences of cyber-attacks and share a piece of advice.

Increase end-user security awareness. State in your policy what data you are able to protect and what not. Now, according to the GDPR it’s even required to be honest with your customers.
Monitor data leakage more often. Update and upgrade your cybersecurity software regularly, and make sure to reduce data transferring to prevent possible leaks and losses.
Even if you still need to transfer some information from one physical device to the other, ensure the files or leftovers that are no longer in use are deleted forever.
Demand users to create good passwords when they create accounts on your website or an application. Also, make sure to encrypt their credit cards numbers in case your service supports online-shopping functionality.
Pay attention to employees of your company as well. Increase their security awareness, control the use of third-party services you are not sure of, and restrict downloads without previous scanning or testing the files.

Lots of companies from all over the world already take advantage of outsourced QA and testing because it cuts down the expenses on in-house resources. Our globally-recognized team not only knows the tangible benefits of security testing tools but also provides our clients the best-in-class testing services. If you want to be sure your software and applications are ready to confront all possible challenges in the face of data breaches and hacking attacks — contact us.

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