How to Conduct Extensive Web App Penetration Testing

Web application penetration testing involves simulating real-world cyberattacks to identify and fix vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. Here’s a concise guide to conducting thorough testing:

1. Planning and Reconnaissance

• Define scope, goals, and permissions.
• Perform passive and active reconnaissance (e.g., WHOIS, subdomain enumeration, tech stack identification).

2. Threat Modeling

• Identify potential attack vectors based on app architecture.
• Prioritize targets using risk-based analysis.

3. Vulnerability Scanning

• Use automated tools (e.g., OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite) to detect common issues.
• Check for outdated libraries, misconfigurations, and insecure headers.

4. Manual Testing

• Test for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities:
  • SQL Injection
  • XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)
  • CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery)
  • Authentication and session flaws
• Validate input handling, business logic flaws, and access controls.

5. Exploitation

• Attempt to exploit identified vulnerabilities to verify impact.
• Maintain detailed logs of payloads, tools, and outcomes.

6. Post-Exploitation

• Assess lateral movement potential.
• Test privilege escalation and data exfiltration risks.

7. Reporting

• Document findings with severity levels, evidence, and remediation advice.
• Prioritize fixes and provide actionable steps for developers.

8. Retesting

• After fixes are applied, retest vulnerabilities to confirm resolution.

Tools to Consider

• Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Nikto, Nmap, Metasploit, sqlmap, Dirb/Gobuster.

Best Practices

• Follow ethical guidelines and get proper authorization.
• Continuously update skills and tools.
• Integrate testing into the SDLC (DevSecOps).