What are the most effective ways to use a web application scanner?

To effectively manage vulnerabilities in web applications, it is essential to carefully consider the factors that influence the choice of a web application scanner. It is necessary to consider various factors, such as scalability, technology support, authentication, compliance, integration, and usability. Once a scanner is chosen, it is essential to customize policies regularly and prioritize vulnerabilities to ensure that remediation efforts are focused on the most severe issues. Collaboration with development teams, staying up-to-date with updates, and supplementing automated scans with manual testing help provide a more comprehensive view of the vulnerabilities present.

The right scanner will depend on multiple criteria. The scanner should have the capability on evaluating the tech stack your application is built upon. It should easily integrate with your current build and dev environments (CI/CD). It should offer flexibility in terms of CLI, SDK, APIs, etc The rulesets should be comprehensive and should be updated by vendor regularly. Floating licenses is important and license should not be tied down to a specific server. Tool should be able to generate custom and template-based reports to satisfy various business needs. Vendor should be flexible to accept feature enhancement requests to meet your org needs.

Execute varreduras regularmente. As vulnerabilidades de aplicativos Web são descobertas constantemente. É importante executar varreduras regularmente para identificar e corrigir as vulnerabilidades mais recentes. Use um scanner de aplicativos Web em conjunto com outras medidas de segurança. Os scanners de aplicativos Web são uma ferramenta importante para a segurança de aplicativos Web, mas não são uma solução única. Use um scanner de aplicativos Web em conjunto com outras medidas de segurança, como autenticação multifator e criptografia, para obter a melhor proteção possível.

1. Choose the right scanner for your needs: Look for a scanner that supports the technologies you use, such as your web application framework and programming language. 2. Configure the scanner properly: Before scan, you need to configure the scanner to match your web application. includes setting the scan depth,scan targets, and excluding any files or directories 3. Run the scan safely and ethically: only scan web applications that you own or have permission to scan 4. Analyze the results: once the scan is complete, you need to analyze the results to identify vulnerabilities. 5. Integrate with other security tools: scanners can be integrated with other security tools 6. Use the scanner to test your web application after making changes

There are several web application security scanner available in the market. Most important requirement when selecting a scanner is not to just focused on what are the security requirements, but assess the current state and understand what is the issue you are trying to solve and what is the best approach to successfully implement a security scanner that fits well with the current workflow and business process.

Configuring the scanner is an important step before actually running the scan. The scope of the scan should be clearly defined to what is permissible and exclusions should be configured explicitly. The list of test cases to be run should be configured to meet the desired requirements (ex: if there is a requirement to check for PCI compliance, then the PCI ruleset must be chosen). The correct environment details must be configured and running scans on PROD must be avoided. Relevant credentials and other settings that the application is dependent on must be configured to ensure comprehensive coverage.

A scanner should be specifically be configured to test web apps - setting the correct host headers, and parameters is important to make sure the web app is tickled the right way to expose vulnerabilities.

Properly configuring the scanner is paramount in ensuring an effective and accurate web application scan. Defining the target URL and scan scope, setting authentication parameters, adjusting scan speed, and customizing scan profiles are key steps to enhance the scanner's precision and optimize results. A well-configured scanner not only identifies vulnerabilities effectively but also minimizes unnecessary disruptions to the web application.

To configure the web scanner effectively, you will need to thoroughly understand the application and set the scan scope accordingly. Authentication with the appropriate roles is non-negotiable to ensure proper access. You must manage sessions effectively, handle rewrites, and set the crawl depth to the optimal level. Sometimes, custom input vectors may be required, and false positives must be excluded ruthlessly to ensure accurate results. You must also test various HTTP methods to handle AJAX and SPAs confidently. Making sure to avoid rate limiting and customizing reports to comply with standards is essential. Regular updates, log monitoring, and developer collaboration are necessary to ensure the scanner works optimally.

Correct scanner configuration is key for precise security checks and efficient vulnerability detection. Start by identifying the target URL and setting the scan scope to focus on key areas and avoid irrelevant ones. Essential next steps include setting up authentication and authorization to allow scanner access to secure app areas. Balance scan speed and intensity with your app's performance to avoid disruptions. Customize the scan profile, enabling or disabling scan types and adjusting parameters like payloads and "attack types" to fit your app's specifics (e.g. no XXE attacks when your app doesn't use any XML). This approach reduces false results, enhancing overall security efficacy.

Always run the security tool ethically without using harmful payloads which can lead to server failure or application functionality issues. Also it should not make application hampered.

My perspective on this is as a member of an information security office directly under a CISO, and previously as a software quality assurance engineer. 1. Know your SBOM (software bill of materials), and known what is licensed and scannable by your WAS technology. This should include a directory of current versions deployed in your enterprise. 2. For the software or components that you aren't able to scan, document and if needed, articulate any service level agreements with the vendor/suppliers. 3. Coordinate with your dev teams, server teams, DBAs, and network teams to ensure that your scans do not degrade production systems during heavy usage times. The last thing your CISO needs is a system outage caused by an ill-planned scan!

Web application scanning can be done ethically and responsibly. To achieve this, it is essential to obtain explicit authorization and comply with any legal requirements. It is critical to limit the scope of the scan and use non-intrusive techniques while configuring the scan carefully and avoiding exploitation. Robust monitoring should occur throughout the scan, and comprehensive reports should be generated. It is also essential to have access to the necessary resources to protect your data and systems. Maintaining continuous communication and staying up-to-date on the latest security best practices is crucial.

You don’t want to run scans on proprietary software without proper approvals. At least have a signed documentation somewhere agreed by the vendor to regular scans. It is a part of your organisations security process and will regularly be done. I previously worked in an organisation where this document was part of each and every software onboarding and vendors will choose to sign or not. Also, always have a plan for any scheduled scan. Even though the tool will do the heavy lifting etc. you’ll want a backup plan in case something goes awry! This can include mandatory database backups before a scheduled scan, appropriate notification to stakeholders and contingency plans in case of a total failure.

Another important aspect is to avoid testing it directly in production or live environment. Application stress testing may cause abnormal terminations of sessions or users who are connected to applicatiom in live enviornment causing furtger damage.

Validating the results of web application scans is a crucial security measure that must be executed with a high level of confidence. To accomplish this, it is important to have a clear understanding of the scan scope, prioritize findings according to their severity, accurately identify false positives, and retest fixes. It is highly recommended to combine automated tools with manual testing to ensure a comprehensive analysis of the application. Also, focus on critical areas such as authentication and authorization, data validation, secure file uploads, session management, and API security. Conducting code reviews, documenting findings, and generating comprehensive reports are essential steps for the validation process.

Once the vulnerability report generated a security engineer should test each and every vulnerability manually with multiple payloads to ensure its true or not (false positive check).

Keep a close connect with the web application owner teams and share with them the critical alerts identified post every scan and keep updating the SoP’s with proper justification for every false positive they request to be resolved. Maintain a risk register which should be presented monthly/quarterly/as per scan windows. Web application owner team should co-own the risk register.

Any automated tool will throw out a lot of noise and false positives. The tool merely reports it from a technical point of view and with limited information it has. It is upto the security engineer/analyst to review the tool report and put the findings into context. It would require performing a revalidation to ensure the finding is valid, re-evaluating the severity of the issue (a high could become a medium if there are compensating controls in place or if its an internal facing app) and finally coming up with a list of final valid findings prioritized by severity, along with recommendations for remediation. This gives a clear picture to the development teams on what they should fix first and how they can fix it.

It’s important to verify the vulnerabilities identified by the scanner. This will help you to avoid false positives and ensure that you are addressing real vulnerabilities. It also helps if you have an up to date inventory of web applications and ip addresses before you get started. You can’t patch what you don’t exist.

Fixing a vulnerability is second half of the journey and it comes to the developer. Having a well defined process and some automation for fixing/ blocking the trend identified by the scanner could fast track this process. At the end of the day, if the vulnerability is not fixed then it doesn't matter how good the scanner is, so a good scanner + good policy will give the best results.

Prioritize critical vulnerabilities. Patch and update all components regularly. Promote secure coding practices. Tighten firewall configurations and follow the principle of least privilege. Validate and sanitize user inputs to prevent SQL injection and XSS. Enhance session management and implement security headers. Use automated security testing tools and conduct manual code reviews. Develop an incident response plan and conduct penetration testing: document vulnerabilities and remediation steps. Retest thoroughly and monitor continuously—Foster collaboration among development, operations, and security teams to enhance web application security proactively.

In the whole field of IT security, fixing and retesting vulnerabilities is crucial. After a scan reveals flaws, apply suggested remedies from security best practices or standards, involving software patching, code or configuration adjustments, and bolstering security controls. It is crucial to educate developers and users too! Retesting is vital. Retest with the same or updated settings to confirm fixes and avoid new issues. Check that vulnerabilities are resolved or less severe, and that application functionality and performance are unaffected. Document and report all findings and actions for transparency and continuous security enhancement. Remember, ongoing updates and training are key to maintaining robust security.

Una vez establecidos los controles, soluciones, o el plan de remediación a seguir después de la detección y clasificación de los hallazgos, es importante realizar pruebas continuas / periódicas en pos de asegurar que las acciones correctivas fueron implementadas correctamente y son suficientes para contrarrestar cualquier posible evento o incidente de seguridad detectado en las pruebas realizadas. Documentar todo lo realizado es muy importante para guardar las experiencias y respaldar cada acción dada, eso permitirá medir el nivel de madurez de la seguridad de la información (SGSI), ciberseguridad en la organización.

A security engineer should make a detailed report after manual vulnerability false positive check which should include mitigation strategies, recommendations and POC. Security engineer should help development team to fix those mitigation and retest those after it get updated in application.

List out your web resources first. Even with the best scanners, unscanned resources make the resource, application and network as vulnerable as without any scanner. In the perimeter-less world, inventory of resources is all the more important.

In the realm of cybersecurity, it is not so wise to place undue reliance on a single testing phase or a sole service provider for application scanning and vulnerability assessment. Diverse tools and perspectives, which can be brought in by engaging different teams or external companies, often uncover unique vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Remember, every expert brings a distinct lens to the evaluation of IT security landscapes. This multiplicity of viewpoints is crucial for a comprehensive security assessment. It could also be wise to test all of your applications, as hackers often use 'windows' to gain entry instead of the 'door'.

Si ces tests sont essentiels, ils représentent des solutions adhoc de vérification. Il vous faudra également "accompagner" vos applications une fois déployées avec des solutions AppSec: elles vont se charger d'apprendre l'utilisation normale de l'application et ainsi comprendre les déviances afin de les empêcher. L'utilisation de l'intelligence artificielle est plus que nécessaire. Ainsi, la seule solution AppSec ayant été capable d'empêcher l'exploitation de la vulnérabilité Log4j l'a fait sur la base d'un ensemble de décisions ayant mené aux blocages des requêtes puis au partage de cette décision avec tous les autres clients. Le tout: avant que la vulnérabilité n'ai été rendue publique.

Prior to remediation requests going out, engage in discussions with developers to reduce false positives and gain insights into the application. If applicable, align scanner findings with SAST results and urge developers to prioritize these code issues. Incorporate iterative scans at various development stages and conduct full authenticated(where applicable) scans as close to production as possible for comprehensive coverage. When testing is automated on the CI/CD pipeline become familiar with your dev team(s) release cycle as there should be recorded results the closer your teams are to a new release. Virtually patch items that can not be immediately resolved before release if your WAF allows for it

A mí me ha resultado bastante útil,lanzar escaneos firmados sobre todo cuando se trata de tareas relacionadas con gestión de vulnerabilidades