Guide to Current Web Application Penetration Testing Practices

Web application penetration testing (WAPT) practices vary with region, industry, organization size, and other factors. WAPT is an important aspect of cybersecurity, given that many data breaches are attributable to weak web security configurations. Potential web application security threats include unsecure coding practices, use of vulnerable open-source components, web server misconfigurations, and a lack of periodic vulnerability assessments. If a website goes live in production before it is thoroughly tested for security flaws, flaws may be exposed and exploited by threat actors, potentially leading to substantial data breaches. This white paper provides an overview of key WAPT practices and tools, recent data on web application security risks, common critical web application vulnerabilities, and guidance for organizations on how to address their web application security challenges.