Are you afraid that hackers will get into the systems at your company? Pentesting with a white box can help you find weak spots before the bad guys do. When security experts do this kind of checking, they can see your whole network and code.
They use what they know to find and fix holes in protection. Want to know how the white box test can keep your business safe? Keep reading.
How do you do White Box Penetration Testing?
A full security check of how a system works on the inside is called white box penetration testing. Testers can see the source code, network layouts, and all the other details of the system. This in-depth look helps find bugs that other tests might miss.
It’s the same as giving a security expert your home’s keys and telling them to find all the weak places.
White box testing lets testers look more closely at internal systems, design, and code, which helps them find security holes more quickly.
Compared to black box and gray box tests, this method is better. It gives you a full picture of the target system. This helps testers find and fix security holes quickly. To look into every part of the system, they often use tools like fuzzers and static code analyzers.
What Makes White Box, Black Box, and Grey Box Testing Different
The way white box, black box, and grey box testing work and what they test are different. With different amounts of access to internal structures, each way gives you different information about how secure a system is.
Testing scopes side by side
The types of testing—white box, black box, and grey box—are not all the same. For white box testing, you really look into the code and layout of a system. Testers can see the source code and design documents, which show how the system works.
In black box testing, things are done the other way around. Testers work from the outside and don’t know how the system works on the inside. They only look at sources and results. The grey box test is in the middle.
It uses both personal information and testing methods from outside the company.
Each type of testing is used to find security holes in its own way. When bugs are found early on, white box tests find them more often. Attacks in the real world are better modeled in black box tests. Grey box tests are a good mix of depth and reality.
Based on their goals and the tools they have, pen testers pick the best way. In order to get the best results, some jobs may need all three.
How much information is needed
White box security testing lets testers see how a system works from the inside. Source code, network models, and system design are all part of this. Testers need this level of access to find flaws and weak spots that are hidden.
To look for bugs in the code itself, they use things like static code analyzers.
If you want to know how safe your system is, white box testing is like having X-ray vision.
Gray box testing gives you more access than black box testing but not as much as white box testing. Testers don’t learn everything about the system, but they do learn some things. Speed and depth in security checks can be found in this middle ground.
It lets users focus on the most important parts without wasting time on the less important ones.
Pros of White Box Penetration Testing
Security teams can get a lot out of white box attack testing. You can find secret bugs and weak spots in a system’s code and layout with this tool.
A lot of information about core systems
White box security testing looks very closely at how a system works from the inside. It is possible for testers to see the source code, design documents, and system architecture. This helps them find flaws that are hidden and that other ways might miss.
They can look into every part of the program and find any problems.
Pentesters look for bugs in code using static code analyzers and other tools. Path coverage testing is also used to make sure that all possible ways to get through the program are tried.
This thorough method helps find and fix security holes as soon as possible during development. It’s an important part of making software systems that are strong and safe.
Finding weaknesses early on is important
White box security testing is great because it can find problems early on. This is because it covers a lot of internal structures. Testers can see all of a system’s code and design with this way.
They can find weak spots before they become big problems because they know so much about them. To look into how a system works on the inside, testers use tools like static code analysis. To see how the system works in real life, they also use dynamic research.
Getting caught early saves time and money in the long run. It lets workers fix bugs before they get to the live environment. The general security of the system is improved by this preventative method.
Testers and coders work on this project together a lot. When they work together, they understand each other better and make more accurate assessments of possible risks. Companies can better protect themselves from online threats if they find weaknesses early on.
Allows automatic testing tools to work
The use of automatic tools goes up when white box security testing is done. These tools make it faster to find places where systems are weak. They make it faster for testers to do checks like path coverage and statement coverage.
Also, automated tools help you find bugs and security holes more quickly.
People who do pen tests can use tools for static application security testing (SAST) during white box testing. These tools look at code without running it, which helps find problems early on. Tools for dynamic application security testing (DAST) are also very important.
By simulating attacks that happen in the real world, they test apps while they’re working. White box testing is better and faster when both types of tools are used.
White Box Penetration Testing’s Bad Points
There are some bad things about white box security testing. You need to know a lot about the method, and it might take longer. Because testers are used to the code, they might miss bugs. Do not stop now! Read on to find out what the main steps are in this testing method.
Needs in-depth understanding of the system
To do white box security testing, you need to know a lot about the system you’re testing. Testers need to know about running systems, IP addresses, and possible passwords. This much information lets testers do a thorough job, but they need to be skilled ethical hackers.
These experts use their deep knowledge to find weaknesses that are hidden.
Testers can use new tools well if they know a lot about the system they are testing. For example, Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools need to know a lot about the code to find bugs.
Fuzzing methods also depend on knowing how the system works to make good test cases. With this kind of knowledge, you can find complicated security problems that you might miss otherwise.
Potentially taking more time
It takes longer to do white box security testing than other ways. Testers need to fully understand the system and its code. It takes a lot of work and care to do this. It’s important for pen testers to look over a lot of data and understand how complicated systems work.
Most of the time, taking more time makes things better. Testers can find bugs that quick checks might miss. To check the whole system, they use tools such as fuzzing and static code analysis.
This thorough method helps find tricky bugs early on. The next thing we’ll do is go over the main steps of white box security testing.
Tests that aren’t fair because of familiarity
Another problem that can come up with tests that take a lot of time is skewed testing because of familiarity. When testers have full access to a system, they might focus on known weak spots. This could make them miss new or hidden security holes.
Full information about a system can make it harder for testers to see possible threats.
Pen testers need to be careful not to fall for this trick. To keep things interesting, they should use a variety of testing tools and methods. Fuzzing and static code analysis can help find bugs that you might miss when checking by hand.
Testers can avoid bias and find more security holes if they change the way they do things.
Important Steps for White Box Penetration Testing
Key steps are used in white box security testing to find weak spots. Testers can get into the code and layout of a system more deeply by following these steps.
Making plans and getting ready
White box security testing is based on planning and getting ready. First, testers meet with developers to get a sense of how the app’s logic works. They list the most important things to try, set goals, and make a schedule.
This step is very important for a complete and useful test.
A white box test that goes well depends on how well it was planned. Testers get information about the system, such as source code and entry rights. They also choose the right tools, like software for static analysis, for the job.
In the long run, doing the right work before testing helps find more bugs and security holes.
Looking for and Scanning
A very important part of white box security testing is scanning and finding. Testers get a lot of information about a system by using tools like Nmap. They look for OS versions, types of software that are working, and versions of software that are weak.
This process helps you figure out how the target system is put together and where its weak spots might be.
One important method in this step is full port screening. It shows which network ports and services are open. Fuzzing is also used by testers to find bugs in the way the system handles input. These techniques give a full picture of how secure the system is.
Once the check is done, risk research comes next.
Analysis of Vulnerabilities
An important part of white box malware testing is vulnerability research. Testers look closely at the code and layout of a system to find places where it could be weak. To look for bugs in the original code, they use static application security testing (SAST) tools.
Bugs like SQL attacks and cross-site scripting risks can be found with this method.
Then, pen testers put these flaws in order of how bad they are. They look at each flaw and think about how easy it is to use it to do harm. Teams can use this list to focus on fixing the most important problems first.
It is important to make the system safer from possible threats.
Using people and showing that ideas work
Once testers find weak spots, they move on to taking advantage of them. This step checks to see if a flaw can be used in real attacks. To break in and show how bad guys might do it, testers use tools like Metasploit.
They make proof of ideas to show how each flaw will affect things. Bosse can see why changes are important with these demos.
To take advantage of bugs, ethical hackers often write their own code. To get into systems, they might use SQL injection or command injection. The point is to show how far an attacker could go. It’s easy to see why each flaw needs to be fixed right away in good proofs of ideas.
They make risks that aren’t real into real threats that can’t be ignored.
How White Box Penetration Testing Is Usually Done
There are a few main ways that white box security testing finds weak spots. Some of these are looking at the code, trying all the possible lines, and giving random inputs. Do you want to know more about these methods? Read on to find out how they help keep computers safe.
Analysis of Static Code
To do white box security testing, you need to look at static code. This way looks at the program’s source code without running it. It helps find bugs and weak places in the code early on.
To look for common bugs in the code, testers use special tools. Bugs like buffer leaks, SQL attack risks, and other security holes can be found by these tools.
Static analysis is what pen testers use to get really inside a system. They can see where data is at risk and how it moves through the app. This method finds more bugs than just checking the program while it’s working.
It saves time and money by catching problems early, before they get worse. A lot of programming languages can be used with static analysis tools, which makes them useful for many projects.
Testing the Path Coverage
One of the most important parts of white box attack testing is path coverage testing. The goal of this method is to check all the possible ways to get through a program’s code. It is the job of testers to make sure that each line of code is used at least once.
They try to find bugs and security holes that are secret and might not be obvious when the software is being used normally.
NUnit and other tools help users keep track of which parts of the code have been checked out. Reports made by these tools show which paths were explored and which ones weren’t. This helps pen testers find places in the code where it is weak.
After that, they can work on places that need more tests or repairs. Path coverage testing is a way to find bugs early on in the process of making software.
Fuzzing
Testing for path coverage brings us to fuzzing, which is another important method. Software is put through its paces with this method, which sends it random data. Fuzzing is a way for testers to find places in programs where they are weak.
They give the software strange information to see what it does.
This idea goes even further with automated whitebox fuzz testing. It changes the info you give it at random on purpose. This helps find bugs in the code that are hard to see. Fuzz testing is a good way to find security holes that other methods might miss.
It can make software safer and more stable in a big way.
Things that are often used in white box penetration testing
To find security holes, white box penetration testing uses certain tools. These tools help testers look through code and make fake attacks on systems.
Tools for Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
The code is checked by Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools without starting it. These tools find general problems like SQL attack risks and code that doesn’t do anything. Klocwork, SpectralOps, Checkmarx, and Veracode are some of the best SAST tools in 2023.
It can handle projects of any size and works with a lot of different programming languages. AI is used by SpectralOps to cut down on fake alarms and search code for secrets.
Another important SAST tool is HCL AppScan. Machine learning is used to cut down on fake results. This tool makes good test cases for web apps too. SAST tools help find bugs as soon as they appear in code.
These tools help writers solve problems faster, before they get worse.
Tools for Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
It is very important to use DAST tools to find and fix security holes in web apps. These tools check apps that are already running for holes that hackers could use. DAST tools don’t need to be able to see the source code like SAST tools do.
They use the outside to test the app, just like a live person would. This way of testing helps find problems that other methods might miss.
As part of a full testing plan, security experts use DAST tools. Problems like SQL hacking and cross-site scripting can be found with these tools. Aside from that, they help teams find problems early on in the work.
Fixing problems before they get worse saves time and money by finding them more quickly. The shift-left security method works with DAST tools. Its goal is to make apps safe from the start.
In conclusion
With white box penetration testing, system security is looked at in great detail. It finds weaknesses that are hidden and that other methods might miss. With this method, testers can see all of the code and system information.
With this kind of access, all possible flaws can be checked out in detail. To build strong protection against online risks, white box testing is a must.