How do you perform security testing on code written in different languages?

5 essential types of security testing: 1. SAST 2. Secret Scanning 3. IaC scanning 4. Dependencies scanning 5. DAST/ IAST/ API Security Scanning

In my option, I cannot stress enough how crucial security testing is in identifying and fixing vulnerabilities and flaws in software applications and systems. It is the cornerstone of ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and resources from malicious attacks and unauthorized access. Security testing is not just important for compliance with legal and ethical standards, but also for maintaining the quality and reliability of software products and services.

Security testing across different languages is challenging due to the complexity and heterogeneity of applications. Each language has unique vulnerabilities and requires specific tools and techniques. At White Internet Consulting, we faced issues with false positives and false negatives when testing a multi-language project. Our solution was to use a combination of static and dynamic analysis tools tailored to each language. Documentation and clear communication among teams were crucial. My advice: embrace a diverse toolset and maintain rigorous documentation. Regularly update your approach to accommodate new languages and evolving threats for effective security testing.

One of the most significant challenges in security testing is keeping up with the constantly evolving threat landscape. As attackers become more sophisticated and use more advanced techniques, security testing needs to adapt and evolve to stay ahead of the game. This requires continuous learning and keeping up with the latest trends, tools, and techniques in the field of cybersecurity. Another challenge is the lack of resources and budget for security testing. Security testing can be a time-consuming and expensive process that requires specialized skills, tools, and infrastructure. Often, organizations do not have the resources or budget to conduct comprehensive security testing, leaving their applications vulnerable to cyber attacks.

Perhaps one of the toughest challenge of security testing is to actually understand the business workflow and custom logic that are baked into the application. Depending on the business needs of the application, the implementation of these logic can be complex and difficult to comprehend. This in turn, makes effective security testing harder.

Security testing should always consider two things as part of a risk-based approach: 1) likelihood of exploitation and 2) business or mission impact. On the first point, it is important to understand that different vulnerabilities have wildly different probabilities of exploitation in the real world. Consider attack complexity, vector, exploit code availability, and other factors. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System provides scores capturing these inputs for every published CVE. When evaluating impact, you must thoroughly understand the context of the vulnerability. Does it lead to leakage of insignificant telemetry? Or can an attacker access PII as a result? Careful consideration of both of these factors is vital.

Performing security testing on code written in different languages involves following certain steps and using specific techniques tailored to the characteristics and vulnerabilities associated with each programming language. Here is a general approach to security testing for code written in different languages: 1. Understand the Programming Language 2. Identify Security Requirements 3. Static Code Analysis 4. Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) 5. Penetration Testing 6. Security Code Reviews 7. Secure Coding Practices It is essential to monitor and update your security testing approach as new vulnerabilities and techniques emerge for each programming language.

I fully agree that security testing is an essential process for identifying and fixing vulnerabilities and flaws in software applications and systems. Security testing is critical for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and resources from malicious attacks and unauthorized access. The reason is following best practices and guidelines for security testing is essential for effectively and efficiently performing security tests on code written in different languages. Planning, selecting wisely, testing completely, and reporting clearly are all crucial components of successful security testing.

One of the good practices of security testing is to ensure that you have standard testing methodology so that you establish a comprehensive coverage of security test cases. One good way to start is to adopt industry-recognized testing methodology that is specific to the type of application which you are testing. For example, you can reference OWASP Web Security Testing Guide for web application security testing. Overtime, you add on to these methodologies with your tips and tricks!