Selenium provides a framework through which APIs and other tools may automate user interaction in JavaScript and HTML apps such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc. It is to be noted that, Selenium does not support applications like JavaFX, Flash, or Silverlight. It has proven to be one of the greatest test automation tools for testing web applications and is extensively utilized by enterprises all over the world. This post will explain what selenium is and how testing with selenium can be used to elevate the process of web app security examination.
“The adept course of Selenium testing is making web application testing faultless, and apparently relishing popularity in the tech market.”
A Brief Introduction to Testing with Selenium
Selenium can be defined as automation equipment, primarily open-source, and is exclusively used to test web applications. Selenium scripts may be designed in a variety of computer speeches, like Python, Java, PHP, Perl, C#, Ruby, and others. It possesses the power of compatibility with an assortment of web browsers and operating systems.
Scaling up the Process of Web App Security Testing Employing Selenium
There are several excellent approaches for detecting more security flaws with fewer false positives while utilizing the existing test infrastructure for your online apps. It doesn’t primarily have to be complicated or expensive to carry out.
HR breach has nothing to do with human resources. Testing is done with the modest horizontal rule tag, hr>.
A manual tester had a large number of “usability” defects that were frequently regarded as low priority. These were basic issues that occurred when it used the hr> tag in a user’s name, causing him to see a line break rather than the user’s name. This was not a major problem from a QA standpoint, but in the security team, and you need an indication that could have cross-site scripting (XSS) here.
Basic Principles to Understand
Security testing with selenium is frequently regarded as a complicated process, owing to the large number of items that must be examined. There are various versions, settings, use cases, user stories, and so on for each feature. Just a few changes will aggravate the test issues.
For example, 210 different combinations of switches may be developed for testing purposes. This suggests that 1,024 tests are required to get perfect coverage. Most testers agree that having so many tests is not a desirable situation. There are a few strategies and suggestions that testers employ to ensure adequate coverage. One method to employ code coverage tools is to ensure that each function passes through the unit testing process.
Some hacking payloads may be added to your current security tests to provide more comprehensive security test coverage. As a result, in-depth and comprehensive coverage will be provided.
The Strategic Application of Unified Security Testing to Catch XSS Events Employing Selenium
XSS is a widespread security vulnerability in online applications. It is a situation in which one person executes a script on the website of another user. This action can be used by an attacker to conduct specified actions on the victims’ browsers or steal cookies from the victims.
A slew of script tags may be utilized to observe the outcome in black-box testing. Manual testers employ the
tags because they are familiar with the program being tested. As a result, they may uncover issues more easily than scanning tools and penetration testers.
Presence of Two Calculated Actions
QA teams can employ two methods. The first method is to supply them with an OWASP list of payloads. The second approach for testing with Selenium is to incorporate a comprehensive and scalable security mechanism into the test automation suite.
In the case of XSS, a string generator that results in a diversified common payload can be fixed to the Selenium automation code. The issue caused while operating this method is that, testing is divided into “alert” boxes. To address this issue, use the console. error to transmit a unique number to the client logs. The browser logs may then be retrieved via Selenium to see if the unique number is appearing, which aids in determining whether an XSS vulnerability exists.
More information may be supplied via detection and assertion, allowing the QA team to communicate with the appropriate team or individual in order to comprehend and know about the problem.
Ultimate Checklist for App Security Testing
It is straightforward and effective to include security testing in your existing functional tests. All you need is a list of typical payloads and some additional assertions in the tests. Because your tests comprehend business logic, you can go further into a web application for app security than scanning tools can.
If you are interested in the application and method of testing with Selenium for your unique project, it is best to start by learning the foundation. There is no point in proceeding with half-read knowledge. The method of testing can be quite confusing, and in order to amplify your security testing method with the help of Selenium, go through the aforementioned details as well.
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