Guest Post: Web Pen-test Checklist…What to Check and How

by Ankit Pahuja

A web pen-test, also known as a penetration test, is an attempt to find vulnerabilities on your website. A web pen-test checklist is a list of items that should be tested on the target site. Web pen-tests are used for many reasons, including compliance audits and security audits. This post will guide you through the steps involved in conducting a successful web pen-test, as well as how to utilize a few useful tools.

What Is a Web Pen Test Checklist?

A web pen-test is an attempt to find vulnerabilities on your website. A penetration test, or pen-test for short, looks at the security of a system by simulating real-life attacks against it. As corporations expand their digital presence in business processes, they are increasingly concerned with website security.

Why Use a Web Pen Test Checklist?

A web pen-test checklist is a list of items that should be tested on the target site. This can aid in the detection and mitigation of any prospective threats. Having a checklist also helps to ensure that all aspects of the website are covered, including both the front-end and back-end. It also helps to ensure that all items are tested.

Web Pen Test Checklist

A web pen-test is a method for testing your website’s security. A penetration test, also known as a pen test, is an attempt to identify flaws in a system using real-world assaults. As businesses take over digital territory in their business processes, many organizations are placing more emphasis on the security of their websites. This is the checklist to keep track of when planning a web pen-test-

• Identify the target website.
• Determine the goals of the pen test.
• Gather information about the target website and its users.
• Select the right tools to use in the pen test.
• Conduct reconnaissance of the target website.
• Find and exploit vulnerabilities on the target website.
• Conduct pentesting.
• Attack the target website using the selected tools.
• Report on findings and conclusions from the pen test.

Tools Available For a Web Pen Test

There are a variety of tools for performing a web pen test. Some of the most popular ones include:

• Astra Pentest
• Metasploit Framework
• Nmap
• Burp Suite
• WebInspect
• OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)
• Acunetix WVS
• Nikto

These are just a few examples, and there are many more tools available. Each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it is important to choose the right one for the job.

Outline for A Web Pen Test

Now that you know what a web pen test is and some of the benefits of using one, let’s walk through the basics parts for conducting one. The following phases will outline how to plan and execute a successful web pen test:

• Planning Phase – In this phase, you should start by choosing the right tools for your pen test. It is also critical that you identify the correct items to target during testing and determine what type of access testers will require throughout this phase.
• Executing Phase – In this step, it’s important that you carefully execute both manual and automated techniques as part of a comprehensive test. Testers should also be aware of the legal implications of their activities during this phase.
• Reporting Phase – The final stage is to compile all findings and present them in a detailed report. This will help organizations understand the risks associated with their website and determine what steps need to be taken to improve security.

By following these simple steps, you can conduct a successful pen-test to identify vulnerabilities in your website.

Steps To Conduct a Web Pen Test

Now that you know what a web pen-test is and why you should use a checklist, let’s walk through the steps of how to conduct one.

• Get a list of relevant URIs

When starting your web pen test, this is the first step you should take. You will need to collect all potential target sites and group them together by relevance. This step can be done automatically using tools such as Burp Suite’s Site Map function or manually with Google Dorks. Make sure to include all potential subdomains and parameters in your list.

• Scan the target site for vulnerabilities

Once you have your list of URIs, it is time to start scanning them for vulnerabilities. This can be done with a variety of tools, including Burp Suite, Astra Security, OWASP ZAP, and Acunetix WVS.

• Analyze the vulnerabilities discovered

Now that you have found all of the vulnerabilities, it is time to analyze them and see which ones are actually exploitable. This step will also include determining what aspects of your site can be exploited using each vulnerability (e.g., cross-site scripting (XSS) vs redirects). This information can be used to prioritize the vulnerabilities and create a remediation plan.

• Fix the vulnerabilities

Once you have determined which vulnerabilities are most important, it is time to start fixing them. This process can be difficult and time-consuming, but it is necessary for ensuring the security of your website. Make sure to test your fixes before putting them into production to ensure that they work properly.

Conclusion

A web pen-test checklist is an important tool for identifying website vulnerabilities. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create your own checklist and use it to find and fix security flaws in your website.

Ankit Pahuja

Author Bio: Ankit Pahuja is the Marketing Lead & Evangelist at Astra Security. Ever since his adulthood (literally, he was 20 years old), he began finding vulnerabilities in websites & network infrastructures. Starting his professional career as a software engineer at one of the unicorns enables him in bringing “engineering in marketing” to reality. Working actively in the cybersecurity space for more than 2 years makes him the perfect T-shaped marketing professional. Ankit is an avid speaker in the security space and has delivered various talks in top companies, early-age startups, and online events. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankit-pahuja/