What is Fuzz Testing

The Online Web Application Security Project (OWASP) identifies the top 10 most critical web application security risks and provides guidance for their mitigation. These security lists are ranked based on the frequency, severity, and magnitude of impact, helping organizations use the guidelines and recommendations as part of their overall security strategy. Out of all those security risks, Sensitive Data Exposure is a potential vulnerability when teams fail to sufficiently protect databases, exposing personal and critical information.

This article delves into sensitive data exposure risks, how attackers use Random Fuzzing/Fuzzer programs to exploit such risks, and various best practices and tools to mitigate such risks in modern application delivery. 

How is Fuzz Testing Related to Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

Fuzzing is considered a type of dynamic application security testing or “black box testing” in which an application is tested from the outside as if a hacker were attempting to break in without accessing the source code.

Fuzz testing is the automated technique of detecting software security flaws by sending permuted inputs into a program and examining the output until one of the inputs discloses a vulnerability. It’s a close-box testing and quality assurance (QA) approach that involves flooding a target software with enormous volumes of data termed fuzz to crash it.
 

Why Should I Find Hidden Files on my Website

It is crucial to determine and classify sensitive data with extra security controls. This data should then be filtered by its sensitivity level and appended with the appropriate security control and settings. If you scan your website directory using a tool as a URL fuzzer, you will:

• Prevent attacks that could let someone read and write files.
• Fix weaknesses that could compromise your entire web app.
• SQLi, XSS, or CRSF vulnerabilities could let hackers extract, change and remove information from the database.

You may also obtain a security certificate from us, which will demonstrate to your clients and users that you continue security testing.

A frequent black-box testing also safeguards your company’s reputation, as it demonstrates your dedication to guaranteeing business continuity and maintaining an effective partnership with corporate security.
 

How Does the URL Fuzzer Work

A URL fuzzer uses a list of sensitive file names and looks if it can find it somewhere on the server.

To give you a perspective, let’s say an administrator creates a backup of the web application and forgets to remove it from the server. If an attacker finds this backup archive, they could download it and gain access to the source code of the entire web application. Our fuzzer looks for files like this and reports them to you.

Veracode Dynamic Analysis (DAST) includes a URL fuzzer that helps you find files, routes, and directories in web apps that are hidden, sensitive, or vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This helps you prevent sensitive data exposure and the loss of passwords, cryptographic keys, tokens, and other information that can compromise your whole system. Sign up for a 14-day free trial of Veracode DAST Essentials today.