Beyond Functional Testing: Role of Security Testing in SDLC

Why Security Testing Matters

While functional testing ensures that an application meets its intended requirements, security testing validates its resilience against cyber threats. Neglecting security testing can lead to:

 ✔️ Data breaches compromising user privacy

✔️ Financial and reputational damage

 ✔️ Regulatory penalties due to non-compliance

 ✔️ Intellectual property theft

🚨 Case Study: Equifax Data Breach (2017)

What happened?

❌ Equifax failed to patch a known vulnerability in its web application framework

❌ Hackers exploited this flaw and accessed the personal data of 147 million individuals

❌ The breach resulted in massive financial losses and reputational damage

 Lesson: A well-structured security testing framework within SDLC could have prevented this attack.

Security Testing in SDLC: A Shift-Left Approach

Security testing must be integrated early and continuously in the SDLC, a practice known as Shift-Left Security. Unlike traditional approaches that test security at the final stages, embedding security early ensures faster issue resolution, cost efficiency, and better compliance.

Security testing must be embedded at every phase of SDLC, ensuring vulnerabilities are identified and mitigated early. Below is a structured security testing methodology mapped to each SDLC phase:

1.  Requirements Phase: Security Planning

     ✔️ Identify security requirements alongside functional requirements

     ✔️ Define regulatory compliance needs (e.g., GDPR, PCI DSS, ISO 27001)

     ✔️ Perform threat modeling to identify potential security risks early

🔹 Industry Standard: NIST SP 800-160 for secure system engineering practices

🔹 Frameworks: STRIDE, DREAD, PASTA

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP Threat Dragon for visualizing threat models

2.  Design Phase: Secure Architecture Review

     ✔️ Conduct architectural risk analysis to identify design flaws

     ✔️ Implement security design principles such as least privilege & defence-in-depth

     ✔️ Define secure authentication, authorization, and encryption mechanisms

🔹 Frameworks:

✔️ OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model

✔️ OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS)

🔹 Industry Standard: ISO/IEC 27034 for application security techniques

3.  Development Phase: Secure Coding & SAST

     ✔️ Enforce secure coding guidelines (e.g., OWASP Top 10, CWE)

     ✔️ Perform Static Application Security Testing (SAST) on source code

     ✔️ Conduct peer code reviews with a security focus

🔹 Industry Standard: OWASP Secure Coding Guidelines

4.  Testing Phase: Dynamic & Interactive Security Testing

     ✔️ Perform Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) to simulate real-world attacks

     ✔️ Conduct Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) for deeper runtime vulnerabilities

     ✔️ Implement penetration testing to validate security posture

🔹 Industry Standard: NIST SP 800-115 for penetration testing methodologies

5.  Deployment Phase: Security Hardening & Configuration Audits

     ✔️ Implement security hardening of servers, networks, applications and databases

     ✔️ Run Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to detect vulnerabilities in third-party libraries

     ✔️ Ensure secure DevOps (DevSecOps) practices in CI/CD pipelines

🔹 Industry Standard: CIS Benchmarks for security hardening guidelines

6.  Maintenance & Monitoring Phase: Continuous Security Testing

     ✔️ Conduct regular security audits and compliance checks

     ✔️ Monitor logs and real-time security alerts for anomalies

     ✔️ Implement automated security updates & patches

🔹 Industry Standard: NIST Cybersecurity Framework for continuous security monitoring

Key Security Testing Techniques in SDLC

Below are the core security testing methodologies, their benefits, and recommended OWASP tools to enhance security across the development lifecycle.

Threat Modeling

✔️ Proactively identifies potential threats

 ✔️ Helps architect secure applications

 ✔️ Reduces risks at the design stage

🔹 Frameworks: STRIDE, DREAD, PASTA

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP Threat Dragon

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

✔️ Conducted during the coding phase

 ✔️ Identifies vulnerabilities before execution

 ✔️ Ensures secure coding practices

🔹 Tools: SonarQube, Checkmarx, Veracode

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP Dependency-Check for detecting vulnerabilities

 Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

✔️ Conducted during runtime

 ✔️ Simulates real-world cyberattacks

 ✔️ Identifies exploitable vulnerabilities in a running application

🔹 Tools: Burp Suite, AppScan, OWASP ZAP

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP ZAP for automated and manual vulnerability scanning

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

✔️ Monitors real-time application behaviour

 ✔️ Combines SAST and DAST for greater accuracy

 ✔️ Helps developers detect vulnerabilities earlier

🔹 Tools: Contrast Security, Seeker by Synopsys

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP Security Shepherd for security awareness and interactive testing

Software Composition Analysis (SCA)

✔️ Scans open-source components for vulnerabilities

 ✔️ Detects outdated or insecure dependencies

 ✔️ Ensures third-party security compliance

🔹 Tools: Snyk, Black Duck, WhiteSource

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP Dependency-Check

Penetration Testing

✔️ Simulates real-world hacking scenarios

 ✔️ Identifies security weaknesses before attackers do

 ✔️ Validates application security posture

🔹 Tools: Metasploit, Cobalt Strike

🔹 OWASP Tool: OWASP Web Security Testing Guide for penetration testing best practices

Industry Best Practices for Security Testing

Adopt a DevSecOps Culture

✔️ Integrate security into CI/CD pipelines

✔️ Automate security testing with every code commit

✔️ Enforce security policies across all teams

Leverage OWASP Frameworks & Guidelines

✔️ Follow OWASP Top 10 for web security best practices

✔️ Use OWASP Application Security Verification Standard for secure application development

✔️ Implement OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM) for security governance

Perform Continuous Security Testing

✔️ Automate static and dynamic security testing

✔️ Conduct regular penetration tests on production environments

✔️ Perform Bug Bounty Programs to uncover unknown vulnerabilities

Regular Security Training & Awareness

✔️ Train developers on secure coding practices

✔️ Conduct phishing and social engineering simulations

✔️ Promote security-first culture within teams

🚀 Call to Action: Secure Your SDLC Now

🔹 Is security testing a priority in your SDLC?

🔹 Are you leveraging OWASP tools effectively?

🔹 Share your experiences and challenges in the comments

📢 Stay tuned for an Enterprise Grade DevSecOps CI/CD Implementation Pipeline