Manual:  The Ultimate Security Audit List for Full-Stack Safety

October 21, 2024The Hacker NewsEthical Hacking / API Defense

Security Audit Lists hold Greater Importance Than Ever

Considering the broadening attack territory combined with the rising complexity of assailant strategies and tactics, security audit checklists have turned into a vital component for ensuring thorough evaluations across an organization’s attack surface, both internal and external. By furnishing a methodical approach, these lists aid auditors in methodically revealing vulnerabilities in various assets such as networks, applications, APIs, and systems. They promise that no critical area is disregarded and direct the audit process, rendering it more effectual and proficient at recognizing security weaknesses that could be exploited by adversaries. A security audit checklist essentially investigates every plausible vulnerability type in order to replicate an attack on them.

Nevertheless, every asset under examination requires a distinct security audit checklist personalized to its distinct attributes and dangers. For instance, an audit for examining web applications – which are still one of the prime targets for malicious actors – will be considerably lengthy but will encompass vulnerabilities that are exclusive to outward-facing applications. These specialized checklists act as benchmarks to ensure that security measures are appraised, test for effectiveness, depending on the asset, and streamline testing to be more pinpointed and pertinent to each environment.

BreachLock recently unveiled an exhaustive manual that comprises exhaustive security audit checklists of the core stages entailed in auditing using varied frameworks like OWASP Top 10 and OWAS ASVS across all assets and their associated vulnerabilities for the following:

• Network – A security audit list for a Black Box external network auditing encompassing information gathering, vulnerability scanning, and enumeration, generic security discoveries, and service-based auditing.
• Web Applications. A security audit list for Gray Box auditing comprises user authentication, authorization auditing, input auditing, file-based attacks, error handling, business logic auditing, and discovery and reconnaissance.
• APIs – A security audit list for Gray Box auditing involves user authentication, authorization auditing, input auditing, file-based attacks, error handling, business logic auditing, and discovery and reconnaissance.
• Mobile – A security audit list for Gray Box auditing covers static analysis, dynamic analysis, and network analysis.
• Wireless – A concise security audit list incorporating identification of wireless network (SSID), unauthorized access to wireless networks, access security controls, and rogue access point detection
• Social Engineering– A brief security audit list containing phishing attacks, pretexting and impersonation, USB drops, and physical penetration.

This summarizes the significance of security audit checklists including an outline of a generic security audit list. A comprehensive manual for full-stack safety, encompassing BreachLock’s compilation of all-encompassing security audit checklists across all assets, can be accessed here.

Perception of Security Testing Delivery Methods

Security auditing has emerged as one of the most efficacious offensive security measures to discern and evaluate vulnerabilities across both internal and external attack surfaces. Traditional auditing methodologies have unquestionably transformed and security auditing services are now broadly utilized to fortify an organization’s security posture.

Auditing is performed by licensed security specialists who emulate real-world assaults to recognize vulnerabilities for evaluation and mitigation within a specific domain. These audits are founded on detailed security audit lists that are personalized by asset (e.g., web applications, network, APIs, etc.) and serve as a manual for the security audit process, ensuring standardized frameworks are utilized and testing complies with pertinent compliance prerequisites.

To better comprehend security testing, below are the varied methods employed for security auditing that fall under the delivery model, scalability, and frequency of testing, followed by security audit lists by asset type.

Delivery Models

1. Conventional Security Audit: Oftentimes executed manually by a group of licensed auditing specialists over a fixed duration (often a few days or weeks). The interaction is project-oriented with a final report provided upon completion of auditing.
   • Frequency: Typically carried out periodically, such as yearly or bi-yearly, as part of compliance requisites or security evaluations.
   • Scalability: Restricted in scalability due to the manual labor necessitated by human auditors and the one-time nature of the engagement.
   • Advantage: Vigorous analysis, thorough auditing tailored to precise security requisites, and direct interaction with audit experts.
   • Challenges: Fixed time frame and limited scope of assessment, which may create gaps between audits.
2. Security Auditing as a Service (SAaaS): SAaaS is a cloud-based model that offers ongoing security auditing services, commonly integrated with platforms that offer real-time reporting and collaboration. It amalgamates automated tools with human-led expertise.
   • Frequency: A more proactive approach that allows for continuous or more frequent approach to detecting and updating vulnerabilities as they emerge.
   • Scalability: Highly scalable, leveraging automation, cloud infrastructure, and collaborative tools for seamless auditing operations.

   and combined approaches (automated testing with human review), facilitating fast assessment of numerous assets across various settings.

   • Benefit: Scalable, accessible on-demand, hybrid effectiveness, convenience, offers real-time insights, and permits continuous security testing.
3. Automated or Continuous Pentest: Employs automation to consistently monitor and evaluate systems for weaknesses and is commonly integrated with tools that execute periodic scans.
   • Frequency: Provides continuous or ongoing evaluations rather than sporadic assessments. Can be utilized for continual pentesting for verifying security measures and/or discovering emerging vulnerabilities.
   • Scalability: Remarkably scalable, leveraging automation for prompt assessment of various assets across diverse settings.
   • Benefit: Effective for regular evaluations of recurring tasks or corporations in high computational environments, cost-efficient, and ideal for encompassing extensive attack surfaces and intricate IT structures.
   • Challenges: Restricted in detecting intricate vulnerabilities and unique attack routes necessitating human insight.
4. Human-driven Penetration Testing: An organic and well-outlined process where certified pentest professionals simulate authentic attack scenarios and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), concentrating on complex vulnerabilities that automated tools might overlook.
   • Frequency: Relies on a human-centered approach where certified pentest specialists explore potential attack paths. Frequency is usually project-specific and periodical.
   • Scalability: Highly personalized to the organization’s distinctive environment and resources. However, limited scalability due to the manual involvement demanded by human testers.
   • Benefit: In-depth analysis, greater adaptability, and a high success rate in discovering sophisticated vulnerabilities.
   • Challenges: Can be more time-intensive and expensive than automated methodologies.

Pentest Checklists Throughout Your Attack Perimeters

Comprehensive Pentest Checklist

Crafting a comprehensive pentest checklist is vital for executing exhaustive and efficient security assessments. This initial checklist is a general but expanded list that presents a structured approach ensuring both corporations and CREST-certified pentest specialists encompass all pivotal areas when evaluating cybersecurity defenses.

1. Establish Clear Goals and Outline Scope
   • Define Objectives: Establish clear goals for the pentest engagement, including identifying vulnerabilities for specific assets, compliance or security audit, or post-incident reconnaissance.
   • Delineate Scope: Specify the systems, networks, and applications to be assessed, encompassing the testing type (e.g., black box, white box, gray box) for each asset.
   • Set Boundaries: Establish parameters to prevent operational disruptions, like omitting testing specific assets or restricting tests to non-business hours.
2. Construct Penetration Testing Team
   • Form a Skilled Team: Include experienced professionals with diverse skill sets, such as network, application security, or social engineering experts.
   • Validate Credentials: Ensure pentest specialists hold pertinent certifications like CREST, OSCP, OSWE, CEH, or CISSP, along with practical experience.
3. Acquire Essential Approvals
   • Secure Formal Authorization: Obtain written consent from stakeholders detailing and agreeing upon scope, objectives, and limitations of the test to ensure legal adherence.
   • Document Process: Record all phases of the approval process, including discussions and any mutually agreed-upon conditions. If utilizing a third-party pentesting provider, the scope and process should be documented and endorsed.
4. Information Collection
   • Assess Targets: Collect comprehensive information regarding the infrastructure, encompassing hardware, software, network architecture, and configurations.
   • Utilize OSINT: Apply open-source intelligence strategies to gather additional insights into the corporation’s online presence and potential vulnerabilities.
5. Creating a Pentest Blueprint
   • Managing Attack Surfaces: Execute automated scans using tools like Nessus or OpenVAS to detect vulnerabilities, concentrating on identifying issues without manual intervention to create an initial roadmap for penetration testing.
   • Validate Findings: Validate results from these scans to eliminate false positives, comprehend the actual context and consequences of each potential vulnerability, and categorize by severity to lay out a precise roadmap for penetration testing.
6. Developing a Threat Model
   • Identify Potential Threats: Review recent attacks and TTPs, analyze possible attackers – from random hackers to more targeted threats – potential attack routes, sophisticated adversaries, and their motivations.
   • Chart Attack Paths: Prioritize feasible methods an attacker could exploit to breach an organization based on its environment and the existing threat landscape.
7. Simulating Offensives
   • Implement a Methodical Approach: Systematically execute attacks, endeavoring to exploit weaknesses, circumvent controls, and attain elevated privileges wherever feasible.
   • Adhere to Ethical Guidelines: Ensure testing is performed by certified professionals, conforming to standard frameworks and compliance protocols, to mitigate risks to systems and data.
8. Collect Data and Analyze Outcomes
   • Documenting Evidence: Gather concrete evidence for each attack, like proof of concepts (POCs) through snapshots, potential attack routes for each domain and related subdomains and IPs.
   • Evaluate Impact: Assess the repercussions or effects of each vulnerability, encompassing potential data breaches, system breach, and operational interruptions, and prioritize findings based on risk severity and potential effects.
9. Prepare and Issue Reports
   • Enumerating Discoveries: Furnish a comprehensive report on each vulnerability with technical descriptions, POCs, risk severity, potential impact, and mitigation recommendations.
   • Priority Listing: Penetration testing or PTaaS providers will collaborate with organizations to rank vulnerabilities considering risk and compose a remediation plan aligning with available resources.
10. Aid in Remediation Efforts
    • Operational Mitigation: Present lucid recommendations on remedying each issue based on severity and impact.
    • Follow-Up Testing: Verify the efficacy of remediation by executing follow-up pentesting to confirm issue resolution.
11. Engage with Stakeholders
    • Present Results: Communicate findings by narrating impact stories if no action is taken. This approach is considerably more effective than listing vulnerabilities exhaustively. Summarize principal risks and actions for non-technical stakeholders.
    • Cultivate Dialogue: Engage in discussions to address any queries or concerns regarding reporting and remediation endeavors.

Conclusion

Pentest checklists serve pentest professionals and their entities by ensuring a consistent, extensive, and methodical approach to uncovering security vulnerabilities. A pentest checklist leaves no facet unexamined and enhances communication between pentesters and stakeholders. They present a transparent outline of the evaluation scope, criteria, and assessment methodology. This transparency aids organizations in comprehending their security stance and making informed decisions about enhancements.

Pentest checklists not only excel in identifying vulnerabilities but also guarantee a systematic approach, incorporating best practices, tools, and frameworks for penetration testing. They bolster pentesters by providing assurance to their entities and stakeholders that meaningful steps are taken to safeguard their assets. Pentest checklists furnish a safety net for any organization conducting penetration testing as a Service.

For detailed pentest checklists, click here for the complete guide for full-stack security, including BreachLock’s compilation of comprehensive pentest checklists across various assets.