Web Application Penetration Testing Services

Complete Web Application Penetration Testing services against your front-end, back-end (API), and mobile applications.

We thought our web application was secure until Blue Goat tested it. They discovered a major issue that our last pen test company missed. We're glad we found Blue Goat when we did.
Blue Goat Cyber Web Application Penetration Test Review
Stacy Whitehouse
Compliance Lead

Steps to Schedule Your Web Application Penetration Test:

web application security testing

Are your web applications secure? We validate this for you with a Web Application Penetration Test (includes both Black and Gray Box Testing). Web applications are the most frequently attacked systems on the Internet and are often the most insecure.

We emulate an attacker by utilizing similar techniques to perform reconnaissance, identify vulnerabilities, and break into your systems. Unlike an attacker, however, we stop our test before exposing sensitive data or doing harm to your environment. We start our web application penetration testing with a Black Box (Unauthenticated) Penetration Test –  this means we have unauthenticated access and little prior knowledge about the systems in scope, except the URLs. 

We then move to a Gray Box (Authenticated) Penetration Test of each system in scope. With a Gray Box Penetration Test, we have “user” knowledge and system access. A Gray Box Penetration Test tests an application that supports multiple users by testing authenticated user access to ensure one user cannot access another user’s data or escalate privileges. 

Our Web Application Penetration Testing Service is expertly crafted to target critical technical vulnerabilities within web applications, leveraging insights from the OWASP Top 10 and SANS Top 25 most dangerous software errors. This specialized service is ideal for organizations aiming to shield their web applications from advanced cyber threats and bolster their security posture in line with best practices and industry benchmarks.

Technical Focus Areas

Web Application Security: We conduct rigorous examinations of your web applications, pinpointing vulnerabilities that align with the OWASP Top 10 security risks. Our analysis covers various issues, from injection flaws and broken authentication to cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, ensuring comprehensive protection against prevalent web application threats.

Network and Systems Security: Our service extends to testing your network infrastructure for vulnerabilities, such as misconfigurations, outdated systems, and insecure network services, which cyber attackers could exploit. This includes performing both internal and external penetration tests to mimic potential attacks from various perspectives.

Data Protection: A critical aspect of our testing focuses on data storage and transmission security. We evaluate your implementation of encryption, data storage practices, and secure transmission protocols to safeguard sensitive information against unauthorized access and breaches, ensuring your web applications’ integrity and confidentiality.

Authentication and Access Control: We meticulously assess your access control and authentication mechanisms, identifying vulnerabilities such as weak passwords, inadequate access restrictions, and the use of default credentials. We aim to prevent unauthorized access and ensure that only legitimate users can interact with your web applications and data.

Security Systems and Processes Evaluation: The effectiveness of your security infrastructure, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and intrusion prevention systems (IPS), is thoroughly evaluated. We check their configuration and operational efficacy in detecting and mitigating attacks to reinforce the security perimeter around your web applications.

Adherence to Best Practices: Beyond the OWASP Top 10, our testing encompasses vulnerabilities listed in the SANS Top 25, providing a broad perspective on potential security weaknesses in software development and deployment. This approach ensures a well-rounded evaluation of your web applications’ security, aligning with industry standards and best practices.

Our Web Application Penetration Testing Service is designed to offer organizations a detailed and proactive approach to identifying and rectifying security vulnerabilities, ensuring robust protection for their web applications against a landscape of evolving cyber threats.

Our Web Application Penetration Testing Service is an all-encompassing solution aimed at bolstering the security framework of organizations involved in the operation of web applications. This service transcends the conventional boundaries of penetration testing by identifying exploitable vulnerabilities and confirming the effectiveness of corrective actions through our Remediation Validation Testing (RVT) process.

Methodology

Our methodology for Web Application Penetration Testing is a structured, phase-driven approach designed to ensure a comprehensive and in-depth evaluation:

Scoping and Planning: The initial phase focuses on understanding the scope of your web applications, including their functionality, underlying technologies, and the data they handle. Collaboration with your team is key to identifying critical assets and establishing the penetration test parameters tailored to your specific needs.

Threat Modeling and Intelligence Gathering: Before testing, we conduct a thorough investigation to uncover potential threats and vulnerabilities unique to your web application environment. This involves an analysis of public vulnerabilities, sector-specific risks, and insights from past engagements to refine our testing strategy.

Vulnerability Identification: Employing a combination of automated tools and manual inspection, we rigorously search for vulnerabilities within your web applications. Our focus includes but is not limited to, the OWASP Top 10 and SANS Top 25 vulnerabilities, especially those with significant implications for web application security.

Exploitation: Identified vulnerabilities are then subjected to controlled exploitation attempts to gauge their impact. This phase is crucial for ranking vulnerabilities based on the tangible threat they pose to your web applications.

Post-Exploitation and Analysis: Successful exploitation leads to further analysis to understand the level of access gained and the potential for further exploitation within your systems. This step uncovers additional vulnerabilities and insecure practices, providing a deeper insight into security lapses.

Reporting and Prioritization: We deliver an exhaustive report detailing our findings, complete with an executive summary, in-depth technical descriptions of vulnerabilities, proof of exploitation, and a prioritized list of remediation recommendations based on their risk to your web applications.

Remediation Validation Testing (RVT)

A distinctive feature of our service is the Remediation Validation Testing (RVT), ensuring that vulnerabilities are not only identified but effectively resolved:

Remediation Guidance and Support: Post-testing, we offer detailed remediation advice and stand by to assist your team in addressing the vulnerabilities found. Our experts are ready to provide further clarification and support on implementing the recommended security improvements.

RVT Planning: After executing remediation efforts, we coordinate with you to outline the RVT. This includes pinpointing the resolved vulnerabilities and scheduling validation tests to confirm the effectiveness of the remediations.

Conducting RVT: We conduct focused penetration tests on the previously identified vulnerabilities to assess the success of the remediation measures. This step is crucial to verify that all vulnerabilities have been properly addressed and that the remediation efforts have not introduced new vulnerabilities.

RVT Reporting: The final step provides a detailed report of the RVT outcomes, highlighting the confirmed remediations and pointing out any areas that still need attention.

Our Web Application Penetration Testing service concludes with a detailed deliverable package tailored to offer actionable insights, drive enhancements in your cybersecurity defenses, and guide your web application security strategy. This package encompasses a comprehensive report and a personalized report review session, ensuring clarity on the findings and a well-defined path to robust security and potential regulatory compliance.

Comprehensive Report

At the heart of our deliverable is the exhaustive penetration testing report, designed to delve into the intricacies of your web application security. The report is structured to be accessible to both technical teams and decision-makers, promoting understanding and actionable steps for all parties involved.

Report Components:

  • Executive Summary: Tailored for leadership and key stakeholders, this section provides a concise summary of the testing scope, principal findings, and their implications for business. It offers a strategic view of your web application security posture, emphasizing critical vulnerabilities and their prioritization.

  • Methodology Overview: This part elucidates the testing process, including the methodologies, tools, and techniques employed during the vulnerability identification and exploitation phases. It aims to give you a clear picture of our testing approach’s comprehensive and rigorous nature.

  • Findings and Vulnerabilities: Detailed documentation of each discovered vulnerability, encompassing:

    • Description: An in-depth explanation of each vulnerability, its context, and discovery method.
    • Evidence: Proof of concept, including screenshots, logs, etc., to validate each finding.
    • Risk Rating: An evaluation of each vulnerability’s severity, considering its potential impact and exploitation likelihood.
    • Recommendations: Specific, actionable steps are recommended for addressing each identified issue, facilitating swift and effective mitigation.
  • Compliance Overview: For organizations concerned with regulatory standards, this section maps findings to relevant compliance requirements, identifying non-compliance areas and offering advice on achieving compliance, where applicable.

  • Appendices: Supplementary information that supports technical teams in remediation, including technical details, exploitation techniques, and references to industry best practices and guidelines.

Report Review Session

A report review session follows the report delivery, providing an opportunity for comprehensive discussion and clarification. This session aims to ensure a thorough understanding of the report findings and the implications for your web applications.

Session Highlights:

  • Findings Walkthrough: A detailed review of each finding with our experts, focusing on the technical aspects, business impacts, and any queries you may have.

  • Remediation Strategy Discussion: An in-depth conversation about the remediation recommendations, including prioritization based on risk and potential business impacts. This also allows for exploring alternative remediation approaches as necessary.

  • Compliance Guidance: Where relevant, detailed advice on bridging compliance gaps highlighted by the testing, with practical steps toward meeting regulatory standards.

  • Next Steps and RVT Planning: Guidance on proceeding post-testing, including the organization of Remediation Validation Testing (RVT) to confirm the effective resolution of vulnerabilities.

Why Our Deliverable Stands Out

Our Web Application Penetration Testing deliverable package is meticulously crafted to give your organization the insights, direction, and support necessary to fortify your web application security. The detailed report and personalized review session ensure your team is well-prepared to undertake decisive actions to secure your web applications against potential threats.

By choosing our Web Application Penetration Testing service, you secure an evaluation of your current security posture and a comprehensive roadmap towards a fortified, resilient future for your web applications.

Investing in our Web Application Penetration Testing Service transcends mere compliance or security checks; it’s a strategic move to shield your business from the dire consequences of data breaches and cyber-attacks. This service offers a significant return on investment (ROI) by delivering comprehensive risk management, bolstering your security posture, and nurturing sustained trust in your brand.

How Our Web Application Penetration Testing Service Delivers ROI

Prevention of Data Breach Costs: The foremost ROI benefit is avoiding costs associated with data breaches. Expenses from regulatory fines, legal fees, settlement costs, and the less tangible but equally impactful consequences like brand deterioration and loss of customer trust can be substantial. Our service proactively identifies and addresses vulnerabilities, drastically reducing the likelihood of expensive security incidents.

Enhanced Security Posture and Compliance: While specific compliance standards like PCI DSS or SOC 2 may not directly apply to all web applications, adhering to recognized security best practices is crucial. Our testing service ensures that your web applications are secure and resilient against attacks, indirectly supporting compliance with various regulations and reducing the risk of fines and penalties associated with data protection failures.

Boost in Customer Trust and Loyalty: Trust is a critical asset in today’s digital marketplace. Demonstrating a dedication to securing your web applications through comprehensive penetration testing communicates to your customers that their data is safe. This commitment can significantly enhance customer loyalty and retention, directly benefiting your revenue.

Optimization of Security Investments: Our service provides detailed insights into the security health of your web applications, allowing for strategic allocation of security resources. By pinpointing critical vulnerabilities and offering specific remediation guidance, we help you optimize your security budget, ensuring effective enhancement of your cyber defenses.

Competitive Advantage: Showcasing a proactive approach to web application security can set you apart in a market where consumers are increasingly conscious of cybersecurity risks. This advantage can elevate your brand, attract security-minded customers, and increase market share.

Long-Term Savings with Remediation Validation Testing (RVT): Including RVT in our service ensures that identified vulnerabilities are not just patched but are effectively resolved. This process helps avoid repetitive costs associated with reoccurring security issues, leading to considerable savings over time.

ROI Beyond Numbers: Securing a Resilient Future

The ROI from our Web Application Penetration Testing Service extends beyond immediate financial benefits, laying a foundation for a secure and resilient business future. By proactively addressing vulnerabilities, improving security practices, and fostering trust among customers, we support not only the safeguarding of your present operations but also your long-term growth and success in an increasingly digital world.

Leverage our Web Application Penetration Testing Service to meet essential security benchmarks and achieve a robust security posture that enhances business value, bolsters customer confidence, and solidifies your brand’s reputation in a competitive digital landscape.

Wen Application Penetration Testing FAQs

Please schedule a 30-minute Discovery Session with us so we can best understand your objectives.

Penetration testing, also known as security testing, should be conducted on a regular basis to ensure the protection of organizations' digital assets. It is generally recommended that all organizations schedule security testing at least once a year. However, it is essential to conduct additional assessments in the event of significant infrastructure changes, prior to important events such as product launches, mergers, or acquisitions.

For organizations with large IT estates, high volumes of personal and financial data processing, or strict compliance requirements, more frequent pen tests are strongly encouraged. Such organizations should consider conducting penetration testing with a higher frequency to continually assess and strengthen their security measures.

To further enhance security practices, organizations can adopt agile pen testing or continuous pen testing. Unlike traditional pen testing, which occurs at specific intervals, agile pen testing integrates regular testing into the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This approach ensures that security assessments are conducted consistently throughout the development process, aligning with the release schedule of new features. By doing so, organizations can proactively address any vulnerabilities and mitigate risks to customers, without significantly impacting product release cycles.

When choosing a pen test provider, you'll want to consider several important factors to ensure your organization's highest level of cybersecurity.

Selecting the right pen test provider is crucial for your organization's security. It's about identifying vulnerabilities and having a partner who can help you remediate them effectively. To make an informed decision, here's what you should look for:

Expertise and Certifications: One of the key factors to consider is the expertise of the pen testers. Look for providers with a team of experts holding certifications such as CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), CSSLP (Certified Secure Software Life Cycle Professional), OSWE (Offensive Security Web Expert), OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional), CRTE (Certified Red Team Expert), CBBH (Certified Bug Bounty Hunter), CRTL (Certified Red Team Lead), and CARTP (Certified Azure Red Team Professional). These certifications demonstrate a high level of knowledge and competence in the field.

Comprehensive Testing Services: The cybersecurity landscape constantly evolves, and threats are becoming more sophisticated. To stay ahead, you need a provider with expertise and resources to test your systems comprehensively. Look for a pen test provider like Blue Goat Cyber that offers testing across various areas, including internal and external infrastructure, wireless networks, web applications, mobile applications, network builds, and configurations. This ensures a holistic evaluation of your organization's security posture.

Post-Test Care and Guidance: Identifying vulnerabilities is not enough; you need a partner who can help you address them effectively. Consider what happens after the testing phase. A reputable pen test provider should offer comprehensive post-test care, including actionable outputs, prioritized remediation guidance, and strategic security advice. This support is crucial for making long-term improvements to your cybersecurity posture.

Tangible Benefits: By choosing a pen test provider like Blue Goat Cyber, you ensure that you receive a comprehensive evaluation of your security posture. This extends to various areas, including internal and external infrastructure, wireless networks, web and mobile applications, network configurations, and more. The expertise and certifications of their team guarantee a thorough assessment.

Cloud penetration testing is a specialized and crucial process involving comprehensive security assessments on cloud and hybrid environments. It is crucial to address organizations' shared responsibility challenges while using cloud services. Identifying and addressing vulnerabilities ensures that critical assets are protected and not left exposed to potential threats.

Cloud penetration testing involves simulating real-world attacks to identify and exploit vulnerabilities within the cloud infrastructure, applications, or configurations. It goes beyond traditional security measures by specifically targeting cloud-specific risks and assessing the effectiveness of an organization's security controls in a cloud environment.

The importance of cloud penetration testing lies in its ability to uncover security weaknesses that might be overlooked during regular security audits. As organizations increasingly adopt cloud services, they share the responsibility of ensuring the security of their data and assets with the cloud service provider. This shared responsibility model often poses challenges regarding who is accountable for various security aspects.

Cloud penetration testing not only helps in understanding the level of security provided by the cloud service provider but also provides insights into potential weaknesses within an organization's configurations or applications. By proactively identifying these vulnerabilities, organizations can take necessary steps to mitigate risks and strengthen their security posture.

To ensure secure coding practices, development teams should undertake the following measures:

1. Promote Awareness: Development teams should be sensitized and educated about the importance of following secure coding practices. This can be achieved through training programs, workshops, and regular communication emphasizing the necessity of security in app development.

2. Mandatory Adoption: While creating organizational policies, it is crucial to mandate the use of secure coding practices. By making these practices a requirement, development teams will be encouraged to prioritize security throughout development.

3. Utilize Secure Libraries and Frameworks: Development teams should incorporate reliable and up-to-date secure libraries and frameworks during the app development process. These tools often have built-in security features and can help mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

4. Implement Secure Authentication: Robust and secure authentication mechanisms should be implemented to protect user accounts and sensitive information. This includes utilizing multi-factor authentication, strong password policies, and secure session management practices.

5. User Input Validation: Validate and sanitize user input thoroughly, both on the client-side and server-side, to prevent common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection and Cross-site Scripting (XSS). Implement appropriate input validation techniques to ensure user input does not lead to malicious actions or security breaches.

6. Robust Encryption Techniques: Data stored in the application's database should be encrypted using strong algorithms. Encryption helps prevent unauthorized access and protects sensitive data even during a breach.

7. Strict Access Controls: Implement stringent access controls to restrict unauthorized access to stored data. Employ user roles and permissions to ensure that only authorized individuals or entities can access sensitive information within the application.

8. Regular Testing and Security Audits: Regularly conduct security testing and audits to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the codebase. This includes performing penetration testing, code reviews, and vulnerability assessments to address any potential security flaws proactively.

9. Stay Updated and Patch Vulnerabilities: Development teams should stay informed about the latest security practices, frameworks, and libraries. They should promptly address any reported security vulnerabilities by applying patches and updates to keep the application secure and up-to-date.

By adhering to these measures, development teams can significantly enhance the security of their codebase and protect the sensitive data within their applications.

Nikto is a powerful, freely available, open-source vulnerability scanning tool used to conduct comprehensive application tests. It employs over 6000 tests to identify potential security vulnerabilities and server misconfigurations. By thoroughly scanning the application, Nikto can pinpoint forgotten scripts, installed software, and any other weak points that may leave the application susceptible to attacks.

One of the key features of Nikto is its ability to perform more than 2000 HTTP GET requests. This serves the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). This testing allows for a deeper understanding of whether the current security measures can detect and prevent unauthorized access or malicious activities.

It is important to note that Nikto operates primarily through a command line interface, offering advanced users the flexibility to customize and fine-tune the scanning process. However, as a command line tool, it lacks a graphical user interface (GUI), so it may require some technical expertise to navigate and interpret the scan results effectively.

Although Nikto itself is freely available, it should be noted that there may be associated costs with acquiring the data files containing information about specific exploits. These files are essential for identifying and examining potential vulnerabilities in the tested application.

Zed Attack Proxy, also known as ZAP, is an open-source vulnerability scanning application widely supported by a global community of volunteers. It serves as an intermediary between a web browser and an application, acting as a firewall. This allows ZAP to detect and analyze potential vulnerabilities. ZAP offers automated and manual scanning tools to identify vulnerabilities, whether used as a standalone application or a daemon process.

To perform a vulnerability scan, ZAP can operate in active or passive mode. In active mode, ZAP sends proof-of-concept (PoC) malicious requests to the target application and examines the responses to identify potential vulnerabilities. On the other hand, passive mode analyzes every response during the regular scanning process to uncover the same vulnerabilities as active scanning but without sending PoC requests.

For individuals new to vulnerability testing, ZAP is an excellent starting point. It provides extensive documentation and benefits from a supportive community to assist users in understanding how to utilize the tool effectively. With ZAP, users can gain deep insights into the security of their applications and identify potential weaknesses that attackers could exploit.

Burp Suite is a comprehensive application vulnerability scanning platform that is highly regarded by testers. Developed by the company that pioneered Automated OAST (out-of-band application security testing), Burp Suite replicates the actions of a skilled manual tester and excels at crawling even JavaScript-heavy applications.

One of the key strengths of Burp Suite is its ability to expose a wide range of existing application vulnerabilities. By extensively scanning an application, it efficiently identifies potential weaknesses, ensuring comprehensive coverage and reducing the likelihood of false positives.

In particular, Burp Suite safeguards against zero-day vulnerabilities, threats that exploit previously unknown software vulnerabilities. It achieves this by utilizing sophisticated location fingerprinting techniques during the crawling process. These techniques enable the platform to identify potential entry points for zero-day attacks, minimizing the risk of successful exploitation.

User input validation is crucial for web application security as it helps prevent common vulnerabilities. By validating user input, we can ensure that the data entered into the application meets the expected format and criteria. This is vital in mitigating risks associated with common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, OS command injection, and cross-site scripting (XSS).

For instance, proper validation helps prevent SQL injection attacks where malicious actors attempt to manipulate the input to execute harmful SQL queries. By validating and sanitizing user input, we can ensure that special characters or SQL commands are not executed as intended, safeguarding the application's database from unauthorized access and data breaches.

Similarly, user input validation is effective in preventing OS command injection attacks. By carefully validating and sanitizing the user input, we can thwart attackers from injecting malicious commands into the system and executing arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system. This helps maintain the integrity and security of the application and the host environment.

Moreover, user input validation is crucial in preventing cross-site scripting attacks. By validating and sanitizing user input, we can prevent the injection of malicious scripts into web pages. This is a strong defense against unauthorized access, data theft, and other malicious activities arising from XSS attacks.

The investment for a comprehensive web application penetration test at Blue Goat Cyber starts at a minimum of $6000. This pricing reflects our commitment to delivering both automated and manual analysis, ensuring a thorough examination of your web application for vulnerabilities. Our process is not merely a one-time scan but a detailed assessment that includes:

  • Automated Analysis: Initial automated scans to quickly identify common vulnerabilities across the application.
  • Manual Analysis: Deep-dive manual testing conducted by our cybersecurity experts to uncover more complex security issues that automated tools can miss.
  • Retest Included: After vulnerabilities have been identified and you've had the opportunity to address them, we include a retest as part of our service. This ensures that the remediation efforts were effective and that your web application's security posture has been significantly enhanced.

We tailor our testing approach to the unique needs of your application, considering its architecture, technology stack, and the specific risks associated with your industry. This ensures a more accurate and effective testing process, providing you with valuable insights and actionable recommendations.

Choosing Blue Goat Cyber for your web application penetration testing means investing in a partnership dedicated to your long-term security. Our goal is to identify vulnerabilities and help you understand and mitigate them, ensuring your web application remains resilient against emerging cyber threats.

Our purpose is simple – to secure your product and business from cybercriminals.

The number of cybersecurity incidents continues to climb. The variety of attacks continues to grow. It is no longer a question of if you will have a cyber event.