What is Security Testing ?

Definition - Security Testing :
The Process to determine that an Information System protects data and maintains functionality as intended.

What are the different types of Security Testing?
Following are the main types of security testing:

Security Auditing:
Security Auditing includes direct inspection of the application developed and Operating Systems & any system on which it is being developed. This also involves code walk-through.

Security Scanning:
It is all about scanning and verification of the system and applications. During security scanning, auditors inspect and try to find out the weaknesses in the OS, applications and network(s).

Vulnerability Scanning:
Vulnerability scanning involves scanning of the application for all known vulnerabilities. This scanning is generally done through various vulnerability scanning software.

Risk Assessment:
Risk assessment is a method of analyzing and deciding the risk that depends upon the type of loss and the possibility or probability of loss occurrence. Risk assessment is carried out in the form of various interviews, discussions and analysis of the same. It helps in finding out and preparing possible backup-plan for any type of potential risk, hence contributing towards the security conformance.

Posture Assessment & Security Testing:
This is a combination of Security Scanning, Risk Assessment and Ethical Hacking in order to reach a conclusive point and help your organization know its stand in context with Security.

Penetration Testing:
In this type of testing, a tester tries to forcibly access and enter the application under test. In the penetration testing, a tester may try to enter into the application or system with the help of some other application or with the help of combinations of loopholes that the application has kept open unknowingly. Penetration test is highly important as it is the most effective way to practically find out potential loopholes in the application.

Ethical Hacking:
It's a forced intrusion of an external element into the system & applications that are under Security Testing. Ethical hacking involves number of penetration tests over the wide network on the system under test.
Note: The best way to ensure security is to involve the security related assessments, audits and various types of testing right from the first phase of system development. The level and form of processes used in security testing of any system varies depending upon the phase, condition and type of system under testing.