Web application penetration testing 

Safely discover security flaws in your applications.

Applications can unintentionally expose data through technical flaws and business logic abuse. Ensure your sensitive data is secure by having us identify and validate these vulnerabilities first.

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Address application vulnerabilities before hackers do

Data needs to be protected like the valuable asset it is. Web application penetration testing reduces the risk of a data breach by detecting vulnerabilities before they are exploited by attackers. We help you by providing recommendations to:

  • Protect your end users, employees, and reputation from unnecessary risk. Penetration testing provides peace of mind that your web application is protected.
  • Follow compliance best practices. Many security programs and frameworks, like HIPAA and PCI, require regular penetration tests of web applications. We specialize in compliance assessments and can meet your testing requirements at any frequency.
  • Classify and prioritize risk. Our engineers are developers first, and they understand the time you put into your applications. We prioritize next steps by urgency and amount of work, so you can easily decide where fixes should happen in your development lifecycle.
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Cybersecurity services trusted by 500+ organizations and growing!

NuHarbor doesn’t just identify the problem; they help you solve it... [Their] reports are the best we have ever received—more thorough and insightful than those we previously received from a Fortune 50 Pen Test company... They didn’t offer a ‘cookie cutter’ service; instead, they tailored their approach to what mattered most to us and provided deep insights.
David Hostetter, Principal Information Security Engineer Strategic Link Consulting
NuHarbor conducted a web application penetration test on a few of our edge applications. They discovered many configuration weaknesses including insecure direct object reference (IDOR). They notified us immediately and offered advice on how to fix it. Their skilled engineers provided step-by-step assistance and retested to ensure that this critical vulnerability was fixed.
Director State Government
NuHarbor met us where we were at for timeline and budget. They adjusted the Pen Test scope to meet our specific need and budget.
Brad Davis, CISO Strategic Link Consulting
Wifi. Yeah, that’s an unfamiliar animal to deal with. We hired NuHarbor to test the wireless networks we provide for our employees and customers to access store services. NuHarbor came onsite and set up their “toolkit” with antennas sticking out all around. They were able to set up a rogue access point, mimicking our access points, and users unknowingly logged on. NuHarbor initiated an evil twin attack to capture and inject packages into the network stream between user computers and other systems and then delivered findings so we could educate and curve our user behavior.
Director Retail Business
NuHarbor performed an external penetration test on our networks and alerted us to critical vulnerabilities. They let us know what the affected response might be from the host before they tried to exploit it. We were updated twice a day which was super helpful to me and my staff. They also provided great remedial guidance that helped us quickly correct vulnerabilities.
IT Director Hospitality Company
NuHarbor performed an internal penetration test of our organization utilizing one of our legacy network protocols. They were able to gain administrative access and push malicious code to our network. Had this been a real attack, we could have lost everything.
IT Manager Financial Service Company

Penetration testing checklist

To ensure your application is thoroughly tested for vulnerabilities, we use a comprehensive penetration testing checklist. This checklist covers various critical areas to identify and address potential security risks effectively. Here's what we typically look for:

Authentication and authorization

Is authentication implemented properly? Do authorization controls apply to users’ actions? 

Session management

Are user sessions managed securely and do they follow security best practices?

Sensitive data exposure

Does the application disclose confidential information? Is the environment providing information that could aid an attacker?

Input validation

Are user inputs validated and sanitized? Does the application behave independently of input?

Output encoding

Does the application enforce output encoding? Is there a consistent interpretation of the output?

Filtering layers

Are there filtering mechanisms? Do they proactively defend against common web application attacks?

Parameter passing

Is parameter handling secure? Could the application mishandle authorization information? Could server-side information mistakenly be sent to the user?

Application logic flow

Does the application enforce logic flow? Could an attacker control the application flow at will and bypass server-side logic steps?

Cross-Site scripting

Are there cross-site scripting vulnerabilities? Is there proper encoding of user-supplied input?

Injections

Does user input construct database queries, server-side requests, or template rendering in an insecure way? Can an attacker craft an input to exploit vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI), Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), or XML External Entity (XXE) attacks?

Path traversals

Do user inputs construct file paths? Can an attacker craft an input to escape the directory structure of the application?

Known vulnerable components

Are server-side and client-side 3rd-party components up-to-date and secure?

Our Approach

We make it easy to improve and manage your security

We believe great cybersecurity exists at the intersection of exceptional service delivery and purposeful deployment of security solutions.

Learn more about making cybersecurity easier

  • Easy to understand

    Our security experts are trained to support and communicate in ways you can understand. Cybersecurity solutions are created to answer your questions on your terms.

  • Easy to choose

    We have an established reputation as security and technology leaders. With a clear definition of cybersecurity outcomes for your business, you can make the best decisions to secure your organization.

  • Easy to trust

    We deliver clear and consistent communication. Paired with our trusted operations and reporting, your stakeholders can have peace of mind in their cybersecurity decisions.

Verified penetration testing experience you can trust

Discover why over 500 organizations trust NuHarbor Security with their cybersecurity needs. With NuHarbor, you're not just hiring a penetration testing service provider—you're gaining a trusted and strategic partner in security.

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Frequently asked questions

Web application penetration testing is a simulated attack on a web application conducted by security experts to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. The goal is to assess the security of the application, uncover weaknesses, and provide recommendations for remediation.

Web application penetration testing is crucial because web applications are often exposed to the internet and can be targeted by attackers. Identifying and fixing vulnerabilities helps protect sensitive data, maintain the integrity of the application, and prevent security breaches.

Testing identifies a range of vulnerabilities, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), insecure direct object references, security misconfigurations, and authentication and authorization weaknesses.

Yes, web application penetration testing can be conducted on both internal applications (accessible within your network) and external applications (accessible over the internet). Testing both types of applications helps ensure comprehensive security coverage.

Testing should be performed at least annually or after significant changes to the application, such as new feature releases, major updates, or changes in the underlying infrastructure. Regular testing helps increase your application’s security posture by identifying any newly introduced vulnerabilities. We also recommend more frequent testing for applications leveraged in highly regulated industries such as financial services and healthcare.

Yes, many compliance standards, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR, require regular web application penetration testing to ensure the security of sensitive data and adherence to regulatory requirements. Conducting these tests helps you maintain compliance and avoid penalties.

Automated testing uses tools to quickly scan and identify common vulnerabilities, offering a fast and efficient approach. However, it has its limitations. Manual testing, performed by skilled security experts, goes far beyond the reach of automated tools. Through in-depth analysis and real-world exploitation techniques, manual testing often uncovers vulnerabilities that scanners simply cannot detect. This meticulous approach delivers a deeper and more accurate evaluation of your application's true security posture.

A qualified penetration tester should have a strong background in cybersecurity, knowledge of web application security principles, and experience with various testing methodologies and tools. Certifications such as Offensive Security Web Expert (OSWE) or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) are also beneficial.

The key phases include planning and scoping, reconnaissance and information gathering, vulnerability identification, exploitation, and reporting. Each phase is essential for a comprehensive assessment of the application's security posture.

Testing is designed to have minimal impact on business operations. Our experienced team carefully plans and coordinates with you to avoid disruptions, often scheduling tests in non-production environments to ensure seamless continuity.

The duration varies depending on the complexity and size of the web application, as well as the scope of the test. Typically, a web application penetration test can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks to complete.

Your organization is involved in the initial planning and scoping phase, providing necessary access and information. During the test, your organization may need to address any questions or issues that arise. Finally, you are involved in reviewing the findings and implementing remediation measures.

Our solutions make it easy to progress in your cybersecurity journey.

No matter where you are in your cybersecurity journey, we can help. Whether you're just beginning, looking to improve, or not sure where to go next, our trusted experts are committed to your success and can help you every step of the way.

Strategic partners

We make it easy to tackle whatever comes next. We deliver the most comprehensive set of integrated security services in the market by harnessing the best technology available.

View all of our strategic partners

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CrowdStrike Endpoint
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Microsoft Security Analytics & SIEM
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Splunk Security Analytics & SIEM
Tenable logo
Tenable Vulnerability Management
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Zscaler Cloud Security

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