Everything You Need to Know About Dynamic Security Testing: Importance, Categories, Who Needs It, and Tools

25 April 2022

Security testing is the practice of locating and eliminating security flaws in a system. It’s also known as penetration testing, black-box testing, and white-box testing. Dynamic security testing is important because it helps organizations identify and fix the vulnerabilities before they are exploited by the attackers. The different categories of dynamic security testing are network security, web application security, infrastructure security, and end-point security. The organizations that need to do dynamic security testing most are banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, and healthcare organizations. However, all organizations should perform this type of testing on a periodic basis to protect their data from being compromised.

Today this article will explain everything about dynamic security testing in detail, so keep reading!

What Is Dynamic Security Testing?

A security testing technique that looks for and fixes existing flaws in systems. It is critical to have effective security testing in place, since it allows businesses to identify and repair any flaws before they are utilized by attackers.

Categories Of Dynamic Security Testing

The different categories of dynamic security testing are network security, web application security, infrastructure security, and end-point security.

Network Security:

A private network is a group of computers that are linked together via their own dedicated connection and that can exchange information with other networks. It enables data, voice, video, and other types of communications between systems. The primary objective behind network security is to prevent unauthorized access or interference on the network. It includes firewall configuration, router configuration, intrusion detection/prevention system (IDS/IPS), and Virtual Private Networking (VPN).

Web Application Security:

Web application security is the process of protecting web applications from being compromised. It includes testing for SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and session hijacking.

Infrastructure Security:

Infrastructure security is the process of protecting the infrastructure from being compromised. It includes testing for weak passwords, vulnerable servers, and unpatched software.

End-Point Security:

End-point security is the process of protecting endpoints from being compromised. It includes testing for malware, viruses, and Trojans.

Tools For Dynamic Security Testing

There are numerous utilities for dynamic security testing, however, the most well-known ones are listed below:

• Nessus:

Nessus is a free and commercial vulnerability scanner that can be used to check for system flaws. It’s available for both home and business use.

• Astra’s Pentest Suite:

Penetration Testing tool that is offered by Astra Security. They also provide cloud pentesting services, dynamic security testing and more according to the needs and budgets of the organizations.

• QualysGuard:

QualysGuard is a vulnerability management system that helps organizations manage and mitigate vulnerabilities. There are two different versions of the program: a free one and a paid one.

• Kismet:

Kismet is a network sniffer and intrusion detection system that also functions as a wireless network detector. It can be used to detect wireless networks and devices, as well as to monitor traffic on them.

• Aircrack-ng:

Aircrack-ng is a wireless network security tool that can be used to crack WEP and WPA-PSK keys.

• John the Ripper:

Password cracking software John the Ripper is capable of breaking passwords. It’s available for both personal and commercial usage, and it’s free.

Who Needs To Do Dynamic Security Testing The Most And The Least?

As mentioned before, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, and healthcare organizations need to do dynamic security testing the most because they are handling sensitive information that needs to be protected. However, all organizations should perform this type of testing on a periodic basis to protect their data from being compromised.

On the other hand, small businesses with fewer resources and less sensitive data may not need to do dynamic security testing as often. However, it is usually a good idea to have some sort of security testing in place to minimize risks.

Pros And Cons Of Doing Dynamic Security Testing

Let’s check out the pros and cons of doing dynamic security testing on your systems.

Pros:

-It is helpful in finding and fixing potential breaches before they are exploited.

-It’s capable of detecting numerous kinds of flaws, including those associated with buffer overflows and SQL injections.

-It may be customized to fit the company’s needs.

Cons:

-Can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

-May require specialized skills and knowledge.

-It may be difficult to carry out on a large scale.

Final Thoughts

Security testing that is dynamic is critical for any company, particularly those that handle sensitive information. There are several tools available for dynamic security testing; some of the most popular include Astra’s PENTEST Suite, Nessus, QualysGuard, Kismet, Aircrack-ng, and John the Ripper. All organizations should perform this type of testing on a periodic basis to protect their data from being compromised. Thanks for reading!