Effective Security Testing

Most security testing finds the same old vulnerabilities. Here’s how to find the bugs that actually matter.

Start with threat modeling

What are you trying to protect? Who might attack it? How? Threat modeling helps you focus your testing on the risks that actually matter.

Test the authentication flow

Login, logout, session management, password reset. These are where most security issues happen. Test every path through your authentication system.

Input validation is everywhere

SQL injection, XSS, command injection. Test every input field. Use automated tools, but also test manually. Automated tools miss context.

Test for business logic flaws

Can users access data they shouldn’t? Can they escalate privileges? Can they bypass rate limits? These bugs are harder to find but more valuable.

Test the integration points

APIs, file uploads, third-party services. These are where security boundaries break down. Test how your system interacts with external systems.

Document your findings

Security testing is useless if you don’t fix the bugs. Prioritize by risk, document clearly, and follow up. The goal is to make your system more secure, not to find the most bugs.

Need help with security testing? Contact us for a security assessment of your systems.