Web Application Penetration Testing

A Web application (Web app) is an application program that is stored on a remote server and delivered over the Internet through a browser interface. Web apps process sensitive data such as user and financial information, making them frequent targets for cybercriminals. As web apps grow more complex, the range of exploitable vulnerabilities increases.

Why Perform Web Application Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing is performed manually or using automated tools to identify vulnerabilities, flaws, or threats in a web application. It simulates known malicious attacks to uncover security weaknesses across the entire application stack, including the source code, database, web application firewall (WAF), and front-/back-end networks.

Web Application Penetration Testing Process

Scanning: Crawls the website to identify vulnerabilities. Tools called web application scanners or vulnerability scanners perform this task by testing inputs, parameters, and surface routes.
Vulnerability Assessment: Scans look for vulnerabilities like Cross-site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection, Command Injection, Path Traversal, and insecure configurations.
Exploitation: Validates findings by attempting safe exploits on misconfigurations or vulnerable code to understand potential attacker impact.
Reporting: Scan results are analyzed and presented through dashboards and exportable reports for frameworks like PCI DSS, OWASP Top 10, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and more.

Types of Penetration Testing

Black Box Testing

Tester has no knowledge of the internal structure, design, or implementation of the application. This simulates an external attack from a user without credentials or access.

White Box Testing

Tester has full access to the application's internal logic, source code, and architecture. This approach is useful for validating internal logic, flow control, and source-level vulnerabilities.

Grey Box Testing

Combines both approaches — the tester has partial knowledge of internal systems. It simulates insider threats or users with limited access attempting to escalate privileges.