Good Practices for Testing Applications in a Production Environment
Ensuring the security of applications is crucial. Penetration testing involves simulating real-world cyber-attacks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them. Occasionally, test environments are not available or are so contaminated that they do not provide an accurate representation of the live version. Although conducting these tests in a live production environment provides a realistic assessment of the application’s security posture, early detection of vulnerabilities, and helps meet compliance requirements, it can be a cause of concern, particularly regarding application availability or integrity. By adhering to good practices, organizations can enhance security, build stakeholder confidence, reduce risk, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain operational resilience. This document outlines essential guidelines for conducting effective and safe penetration testing in production environments.
Define Scope and Objectives
Clear Definition: Clearly define the scope and objectives of the penetration test. Ensure all stakeholders understand what will be tested and the expected outcomes.
Stakeholder Alignment: Align objectives with business goals and security requirements to maximize the value and safety of the test.
Schedule During Low-Traffic Periods
Off-Peak Hours: Conduct testing during off-peak hours to minimize the impact on users.
Business Coordination: Coordinate with business units to find the best times for testing, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.
Implement Safety Measures
Rate Limiting: Apply rate limiting to avoid overwhelming the system with traffic during the test.
Monitoring and Alerts: Set up real-time monitoring and alerts to quickly identify and respond to any issues caused by the testing.
Backup and Restore: Ensure there are recent backups and a clear restore plan in place in case any issues arise during testing.
Escalation Points: Define clearly who should be kept informed of unexpected outcomes or system impacts. Have multiple points of contact.
Use Non-Destructive Techniques
Passive Reconnaissance: Collect information without interacting with the systems, such as open-source intelligence (OSINT) and public data analysis.
Authenticated Scanning: Use authenticated scans to access more detailed information with minimal impact, reducing the risk of disruption.
Communicate with Stakeholders
Pre-Test Meeting: Hold a meeting with key stakeholders to review the testing plan, discuss potential risks, and ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities.
Tools and Techniques: Communicate the tools and techniques that will be used during the penetration test to ensure transparency and understanding among stakeholders.
Regular Updates: Maintain clear communication with all stakeholders, including application owners, IT, and the Security Operation Center (SOC). Provide regular updates and establish a protocol for incident response.
Post-Test Review: After testing, conduct a thorough review to assess the findings, address any issues that arose, and discuss remediation steps. Provide a detailed report with actionable recommendations.
Maintain Detailed Logs
Logging: Maintain detailed logs from testing tools, such as web proxy servers, to retrace actions and understand the sequence of events during the test. This helps in analyzing the test results and identifying any issues that may arise.
Additional Good Practices
Authorization: Obtain formal written approval from relevant stakeholders, including legal and management teams, before starting the test.
Compliance: Ensure the penetration test complies with all relevant regulations and industry standards (e.g., GDPR, PCI-DSS).
Real-Time Monitoring: Monitor systems in real-time during the penetration test to quickly identify and respond to any issues that arise.
Incident Response Plan: Have a detailed incident response plan ready in case the penetration test triggers an actual security incident.
Analysis and Reporting: Analyze the results of the penetration test and generate a detailed report that includes findings, risk ratings, and remediation recommendations.
Remediation Plan: Work with development and IT teams to address identified vulnerabilities. Prioritize remediation based on severity and potential impact.
Retesting: Conduct follow-up testing to ensure vulnerabilities have been effectively addressed and that no new issues have been introduced.
Continuous Improvement: Conduct a postmortem review to identify lessons learned and improve future penetration testing processes. Update security policies, procedures, and training programs based on the findings and experiences from the penetration test.
Third-Party Providers: Consider using a reputable third-party provider for penetration testing to gain an objective assessment and leverage their expertise. Experienced testers will have done this before and will know what to do.
