Month: January 2020

What is a Data Breach? Types of data breach? How to stop one?

Posted on by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

People, hold on to your hats! We’re entering the tumultuous world of data breaches, where businesses quake like alarmed squirrels and chaos erupts at every turn.

This is not something to take lightly, I assure you. Imagine sensitive information about your company being made public, resulting in chaos and mayhem beyond anything you could have imagined. Yikes!

So, you ask, what precisely is a data breach? It resembles a cunning cat burglar breaking into the digital fortress of your company, stealing priceless information, and causing havoc in its wake.

There is more to this story, so hold on tight. We’ll examine the different types of breaches, including hacking, insider threats, and even actual physical intrusions on the order of a Hollywood heist. Wondering how these cunning attacks take place?

Here is all about data breaches in detail.

What is a Data Breach?

In simple terms, a data breach means the personal and confidential data of a person or an organization is made available in an untrusted environment by unauthorized people without the consent of the person or organization concerned. This is sometimes also called a data or information leak.
Data Breach Stats 2021
Data breaches can have legal consequences and hence closing the loopholes is becoming a big priority for all organizations.

It is important to understand that it is not external elements that are trying to access your data but there can be several other intentional and unintentional things happening within your company that can lead to a data breach.

Some of the major data breach stats for 2023

  • 84% of code bases had at least one open source vulnerability, according to Synopsys researchers.
  • Over six million data records were exposed globally during the first quarter of 2023 due to data breaches. Since the first quarter of 2020, the fourth quarter of 2020 saw the highest number of exposed data records, or nearly 125 million data sets.
  • Cybercrime peaked up to 600% than the previous years in the covid pandemic time
  • Small businesses are the target of 43% of cyberattacks, but only 14% of them are equipped to defend themselves, according to Accenture’s Cost of Cybercrime Study.
  • Malware attack is the most common type and 92% of the attack is delivered through email
  • By 2023, it is expected that the average cost of a ransomware attack will be $1.85 million per incident.
  • The company Lookout claims that in 2022, when half of all mobile phone owners worldwide were exposed to phishing attacks every three months, the highest rate of mobile phishing ever recorded was seen.
  • Concerningly, 45% of respondents admit that their security measures fall short of effectively containing attacks, and a startling 66% of respondents say they have recently been the victim of a cyberattack. Furthermore, a sizeable majority of 69% think that the nature of cyberattacks is changing and becoming more targeted. These figures demonstrate the urgent need for improved security protocols and preventative measures to deal with the growing danger of cyberattacks.
  • 43% of  c-suite business leaders reported data breaches on 2020
  • So far, in 2021 phishing attacks climbed to 36% compared to  22% in 2020

Types of Data Breach

Based on how and where the data breach happens it can be classified into several types. Let us investigate these types now.

  1. Unintentional or internal errors by the Employees

Data breach owing to Human error
Employees are the biggest asset of any company. This asset can be the strongest and weakest link in the security chain. Sometimes they tend intentionally or unintendedly help in data breaches. Incidents like sending a bulk email with all the people in CC instead of BCC, or responding to phishing emails and compromising sensitive information, exposing sensitive information during screen sharing sessions with the people inside or outside the organization contribute to the data leakage to authorized people or environment.
Sometimes employees can be indirectly contributing to the data breach by not following the right security standards. Like not installing the proper system updates, using weak passwords or not securing the database with a password could make it easy for people from outside to access the company data.

  1. Cyber Attack

Cyber Attacks have become common these days. We frequently hear the militant groups defaced the govt websites. A more common word for it would be hacking. To put it in words a cyber attack means attacking a computer, network, or server with the intention of stealing information, alter and delete data causing intentional damage to the other organization.

The most common form of cyberattacks is using malware which captures the user’s sensitive information and uses this information to cause damage to him or his assets. Like at an individual level it can be used to gather a person’s bank login credentials and then used from transferring his money to other accounts. Some malware can help you get complete control over the other system, such that it can perform tasks under your command.

  1. Social Engineering

Social Engineering Attack
This is one of the most common forms of attack. Here the criminals and hackers pose as legitimate and authorized personnel and try to gather sensitive information from the company employees. One of the common methods used is phishing. This includes emails that look very real and people are tempted to open them or click links in them that will compromise the security.
This includes emails like password expiry with reset link or mandatory training list with a link to the training, courier received, and many more. The employees need to be vigilant and should report these kinds of emails to their security team to avoid further damage to the company and its data.

  1. Unauthorize Access

Unauthorized Entry attack
Inside the office premises, there are likely to be several important documents containing sensitive information. It is important thus for the organization to implement proper access controls. The rooms should be made accessible only to people who are authorized. The same goes for internal applications.

Read also: How to Secure Your Website From Hackers

For e.g. the personal data of the employee which would include his salary. This needs to be accessible only to HR, his manager, and himself. If another person can access this data, then that will also be called a data breach even though the information may not be transmitted outside the organization.

  1. Ransomware

This is one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity threats across the globe. This type of malware will encrypt all the files in your system. Without the decryption key, you could end up losing all your data. At this point, the attacker can blackmail the organizations for huge amounts for sharing the decryption key.
This is a very serious threat for almost all organizations because even with all the network security in place this malware can easily make its way into your systems through phishing emails, attachments, etc.
The only way out is to take a frequent backup of your system and as soon the malware is detected you should clean your system and restore it with the last backup data.

  1. Intentional Damage

Employees can cause maximum damage to the organization since they have access to the data and information. In several cases, the employees would intentionally leak the data to unauthorized people outside the organization for monetary gains or take revenge.
There is no way no control these kinds of data breaches apart from educating the employees against doing it and setting up a structure where other employees can anonymously report any suspicious activity by the others.

  1. Theft

The systems in an organization contain a lot of information. Physical theft is another contributor to a data breach. This includes the computers, hard disks, and even the hard copy of documents that are not shredded after use.
Theft not necessarily means someone breaking into the office it could also occur outside the organization. Like an employee in a coffee shop with his laptop unattended, or an important document left in the dustbin without shredding can make its way to landfills and fall into unscrupulous hands while disposing of laptops and other digital media if data is not completely erased it can also lead to a data breach.

Read also: What is a DDoS attack? How to Stop DDoS Attacks?

These data breaches are prevalent across all sectors. Banking and Healthcare are the most critical among them. When it comes to healthcare the picture is sad. The medical data, reports, and billing details are sold in black.
This data is then used to manipulate the patients into buying more costly medicines, higher premiums for insurance, and many other shady activities. It is a big business. Make sure when you visit a hospital or medical center, they have proper data protection measures in place to avoid such situations.

How does Data Breach Occur?

A data breach is so easy to carry out at this juncture of time. But what are the reasons that make data breach too easy to carry out or how does data breach occur?

  • Weak and stolen credentials
  • Applications that are built based on poorly written code
  • Poorly designed network
  • Malicious link and software
  • Over permissions
  • Companies inside the companies
  • Improper configuration

How does data breach occur?

How to Prevent a Data Breach?

Now that we have seen how a data breach can happen and what can be the consequences, let us try to fix the damage. While it may not be possible to make the system 100% foolproof, below are some of the ways in which each organization can try to minimize the occurrences of these data breaches.

#1) Keep only what you need

Extra data and information storage can become cumbersome to manage and maintain. The best way is to store only the necessary information both as hard copy and soft copy. Another way is to educate the employees about the retention period of different categories of documents as per the business needs. It is also important where you keep your data. Always make sure not to store important data in multiple places. 1 backup should be enough.

#2) Secure Your Data

As simple as it may sound, having proper safety controls in place is very important for Data Loss Prevention (DLP). Ensure the rooms have limited and restricted access. Ensure not to provide temporary access to anyone for these rooms. Also, regularly revisit the access controls to ensure that only required people have access and ensure to remove access for people who no longer need it

#3) Educate the employees

Employees are your best bet against a data breach. It is advisable to create extensive security policies to avoid data breaches and educate them about it as well. They should be told to follow the policies and security standards mentioned. The onus is on the company to make sure the employees are aware of these policies and standards to be followed.

#4) Destroy before disposing

Companies tend to dispose of unused and expired electronic data, including laptops and pen drives. It is important that the data in these electronic devices is destroyed before it is disposed of. This would help avoid the threat of data getting into the wrong hands after disposal.

#6) Update your policies

With new means of a data breach and information leak being identified, one must make sure that the security policy of the company is updated regularly to counter such attacks. The employees should be notified and made to understand the policy updates made from time to time to make sure they are vigilant against phishing attacks and potential data breaches.

#7) Enhance digital security

Digital security needs to be enhanced with the use of strong passwords containing mixed alphabets and numerals, the encryption and decryption keys need to be changed regularly, and the digital data transfers need to be monitored especially the information shared outside the intranet.

#8) Keep software and system updated

Keeping the system and software updated is always your best bet against malicious malware attacks. While hackers are trying new ways to break through into your system, the security and anti-virus companies are always trying to block these attempts. It is thus important to make sure that all systems install these important updates.

#9) Password Guessing

Password Guessing is one of the most common ways to get unauthorized access into any system. Announcing your password in public and writing it randomly on a slip or a whiteboard can reveal your password to a large number of people apart from the people you want to get access to it. Hence leading unwanted people to get access to your system.

Another very common flaw is keeping the password weak or guessable. Many people keep their passwords on their birthdays, street names, pet names, etc. that are easily guessable by other people. This can also lead to hackers getting access to your system and exploiting it.

Your password is like a key to your home, if it reaches the wrong hands, your valuables can be stolen. Similarly, if you lose your password to the wrong people, you have a chance of getting your sensitive information stolen.

Always keep a strong password and ensure it’s secrecy.

#10)  Recording Key Strokes

Recording Key Strokes can be done easily through malware called keyloggers. These keyloggers can record everything that is typed on your system. Everything including your emails, passwords, messages, credit card information, etc. This information can be then used by hackers to exploit your security.

#11) Insider threat

Sometimes your own employees can be a threat to you. They have your insider information, which they can reveal to your opponents. This again can be a blow to your data security.

Always be sure which information is to be passed to which employee and train them properly and get the proper documents signed to keep your security information safe.

#12)  Eavesdrop Attack
An eavesdropping attack as a name suggests is like eavesdropping into someone’s private conversation. In digital words, in eavesdropping attacks, the hacker mimics themselves as a trusted server. This attack can be either

  • An active attack
  • A passive attack

In an active attack, the hacker who is mimicking as trusted serves sends queries to the victim and gets all the details from the victim, faking himself as a trusted source.
In a passive attack, the hacker listens or eavesdrops on the information being transferred on the network.

#13)  Data Backup and Recovery

Data recovery and backup are essential for reducing the effects of a data breach. Having reliable data backup and recovery mechanisms in place can help organizations recover their compromised data and minimize the damage in the event of a breach, where unauthorized access or data loss occurs.

Organizations can guarantee that they have a secure copy of their data stored apart from the production environment by routinely backing up important data and systems.

This enables them to fix the underlying security problems before restoring the data to its pre-breach state or a known clean state. Additionally, data backup makes it easier for forensic investigations to determine the reason for and scope of the breach, supporting incident response efforts.

Data recovery from backups also lessens the chance that ransomware attacks will be successful because businesses can restore data without having to pay the ransom. A company’s resilience is increased by the implementation of effective data backup and recovery procedures, which guarantee that crucial data is accessible even in the event of a data breach.

Risk Mitigation Strategy

  • Create an incident response plan that is clearly defined and frequently updated to serve as a roadmap for action when a breach occurs.
  • Conduct frequent risk assessments to find any potential holes or flaws in your systems, networks, and data handling procedures.
  •  Assign data a level of sensitivity and put the right security measures in place to protect high-risk data first.
  • Apply the least privilege principle to make sure that people only have access to the information and systems they need to carry out their specific roles.
  • Put in place reliable monitoring techniques to spot irregular behavior or potential security breaches and act quickly.
  • Evaluate the security procedures followed by partners and third-party vendors who handle sensitive data, and establish strong legal contracts to guard against data breaches.
  • Educate staff members on security best practices and how to spot and report security threats by conducting regular security awareness training sessions.
  • Use encryption methods to protect sensitive data while it is in storage or being transferred, lowering the possibility of unauthorized access in the event of a breach.
  • Applying security patches on a regular basis will address known flaws in software, systems, and equipment.
  • Network segmentation limits an attacker’s ability to move laterally in the event of a breach, potentially reducing damage.
  • Implement thorough logging and monitoring systems to record and examine security events, assisting with breach detection and investigation.
  • Conduct periodic security audits to evaluate the efficacy of security controls, spot any gaps, and make the necessary corrections.
  • Consider purchasing cyber insurance coverage to lessen financial losses and legal obligations brought on by data breaches.

Some of the Biggest Data Breach Incidents

Even with the policies and procedures in place, companies do fail to protect their data and personal information. These data breaches can have far-reaching consequences if not found and plugged at the right time. In this section, let us see some major and most talked about data breach instances across the globe.

  1. Facebook

facebook data breach
In September 2018, the hackers were able to manipulate the code for “view as” to get access to the user security token. With this token, it was possible to hack into the person’s Facebook profile. This exposed the personal data of 50 million users. To counter this Facebook had to forcefully log out 90 million users and had to reset the access tokens as well.

  1. British Airways

In a major data breach that happened in 2018, the hackers were able to access the British Airways customer database and get the personal and financial details of more than 3,80,000 customers who made or changed any of their bookings over a 2-week period. The compromised data included name, address, email ID, credit card details including the expiry, and some security codes as well. Even before they could fix the damage, another 1,85,000 customers’ data were compromised through the reward bookings vulnerability.

  1. American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA)

American Medical Collection Agency
AMCA is a billing service agency in the US. Their medical data was breached for about 8 months from Aug 2018 to Mar 2019 before coming to light. Though the investigations are still, a rough estimate indicates that personal, medical and financial data of more than 25 million people was compromised. The extent of the impact is still under investigation and the company has recently filed for bankruptcy.

  1. Equifax

Equifax data breach
One of the US’ biggest credit reporting companies faced the wrath of hackers in 2017 jeopardizing the data of more than 143 million users who had used their services for generating a credit report. The breach took about 2 months to find and fix and the hackers were able to get the SSN, DOB, names, address, and even driving license details. As a precautionary measure, the clients were asked to freeze their credit cards or at least enable a fraud alert. The exact extent of the impact is still unknown.

  1. Oregon Department of Human Services


This was a result of a massive phishing email campaign to which around 9 employees responded by providing their user IDs and password. With this information, the hackers were able to gain full access to the medical data and records of about 6,45,000 patients. This included their personal record, financial data, medical history, and SSN details as well. The officials were detected the data breach 3 weeks later when most of the damage was already done.

  1. eBay

ebay data breach
In one of the biggest corporate data breaches in history, the hackers were able to access and compromise around 145 million customer data including the username and password. The company for initially reluctant to believe a data breach in its high-security system. But later, they found that the hackers had used the corporate accounts of three employees to access the customer data. The customers were then asked to reset and update their passwords to avoid any unforeseen issues.

  1. Community Health Systems

Community Health Systems
Around 206 hospitals in the US come under the umbrella of the Community Health System. In a major data breach in 2014, the hackers were able to access to more than 4.5 million patient records belonging to these 206 hospitals.

Read also: Top 10 Most Common Types of Cyber Attacks

This indicated a very high risk of identity theft of the patients belonging to Texas, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi where they have most centers. They were later able to find out that the data breach was carried out through sophisticated malware by hackers from China.

Ways to improve Data Breach Mitigation

  1. Companies have deployed an incident response team to respond timely when there is an attack so that days required data breach cycle can be reduced.
  2. The incident response team should be tested using a mock drill to ensure its reliability.
  3. The latest technologies must be implemented to detect the breach at an early stage.
  4. For better insights and to stabilize the security seek the help of threat intelligence
  5. Have an effective business continuity plan and proper backup
    Seek expert advice rather than listening to half-witted one

How Much Does Data Breach Mitigation Cost

The average cost of data breaches globally according to a study in 2019 is $3.92 million. What makes such attacks devastating is that the time is taken to find the attack and stop it.
One data breach cycle is 279 days and often companies find it hard to contain the attack before it. However, there are companies that have managed to put an end to the cycle before 200 days managed to reduce to the loss of $1.2 million less than the usual.
The most devastating attacks were caused by malicious attackers and it took longer than the usual average to detect such attacks. For example, you have the case of Wiper Ransomware attacks in front of you.

Conclusion

While data breaches have become common and even the biggest companies are not spared by them, we must make sure we take all precautions to keep our data safe and secure.

It is important to understand that with greater connectivity all data is at stake both for individuals and for companies. This means that even as an individual you need to understand the importance and of your personal information and you need to safeguard it against misuse.

 

 

code coverage vs test coverage. How do they differ?

Posted on by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Code Coverage vs test coverage, how do they differ? Code coverage and test coverage are very important when it comes to checking the effectiveness of code. Before explaining in detail about the cruciality of Code Coverage and  Test Coverage in software testing. let’s find out how do they differ.  Even though code coverage and test coverage are misunderstood they lot their meaning and usage differ a lot.

So, Code Coverage vs Test Coverage how do they differ? Let’s have a look

What is Code Coverage in the unit testing?
Code coverage is the degree to which any application code of any software has been executed. A huge number of test cases are applied to the application code, and the software is then checked. This is a case of white box testing.
White-box testing of this type sends the report of the application codes that are left unassessed by the test case that has been applied to the application code. In some specific situations, several test cases are further included to have better code coverage.
Usually, the term code coverage is used when an application is in its current running state. While the application is running, code coverage lets the developers know about the number of codes that have been unit tested/covered. In other words, it gives a quantitative measure of how much code has been executed and how much code has been left untouched. This report can further be used for better software testing purposes.
After learning what code coverage is, a question pops up about why someone would need the concept of code coverage. This is a confusion in the minds of many. Here is a brief description of why we need code coverage during software testing.
Wish to know the difference between smoke testing and sanity testing?

Wish to know the difference between smoke testing and sanity testing?

Why is Code Coverage Required?

  • Developing a good quality software test and applying it to the application code is not enough. While the software code is running, the developers also need to assess the fact of whether the software test is being carried out efficiently or not. For this purpose, code coverage is required. Without code coverage, no one would ever know if the software test that was carried out was efficient or not.
  • Code coverage gives an exact measure of the code that has been tested. It makes it easier for developers to look for the code that remained untested. As testing the code is very important, the accidental leaving out of any code from testing can turn out very disadvantageous. This is why an exact quantitative measure of the tested code becomes extremely important when testing any software’s source code.
  • The developers get to know what amount of codes have been tested, and hence, they can assess those codes carefully. This makes it very easier for the developers to make their software free of any potential errors and glitches. It gives out the degree of the software code that has been tested.


After the reason for the necessity of the code coverage is discussed, next comes the methods to carry out software testing. Here are the five broadly classified methods or coverages that come under code coverage.
Methods of Carrying out the Code Coverage

  • Statement Coverage: Statement coverage is the type of white box testing where the statement coverage makes sure that the executable portions in the application code are executed at least once if not more. It tells about the statements that can be executed at least once through the given requirements.

Statement coverage covers the entire source code and gives out what is not executed. This turns out to be very advantageous to the developers as they can remove all the drawbacks of the application codes.
Statement coverage helps to remove the possible drawbacks of the application code which includes all the dead codes which are the piece of code that calculates the results, but the results are never utilized. These codes are a wastage of space and hence are supposed to be removed.

Statement coverage also helps to identify the unused statements and branches. There are certain statements and branches in the application code that are never used. These statements and branches should be removed. Any missing statement is also reported, and the developers can deal with it as they please.

  • Decision Coverage: Decision coverage is based on Boolean concepts. The true or false value of Boolean expressions is reported through this coverage.
  • Branch Coverage: In branch coverage, the modules of codes are tested and reported. The main motive of branch coverage is to ensure that each branch of the application is executed at least once if not more. It also helps to measure how many independent statements exist in the application code.
  • Condition Coverage: Condition coverage reveals the way using which the variables in the conditional statements are evaluated. It is a better way to provide proper coverage to the control flow, which was not the case with decision coverage.
  • Finite State Machine Coverage: It works based on the frequency of visits of static states and other transactions like these. Finite state machine coverage turns out to be the most complicated method of coverage as the basics of this type of coverage work on the design of the structure of the software.

Now, one might be confused as to which method should be chosen for the task that would prove the most efficient one. This decision is made on many criteria. Some of the criteria include the number of defects permissible or the probability of errors arising. Another one would be the cost that is involved in the software testing type.
Though the main decision of choosing the method is dependent on the number of defects or loss of sale that can occur. The higher is the number of defects probable, the lower would be the chances of using that specific coverage for the software testing.
What are the Advantages of Using Code Coverage?
After reading the information above, it is normal to have confusion regarding why anyone should choose code coverage over any other coverage. Here, the advantages provided by the code coverage is mentioned below:

  • Quantitative in Nature: Code coverage is one such unique coverage that gives out the results in a quantitative measure. This quantitative measure can be very useful to the developers.
  • Can introduce Own Test Cases: In case the already available test cases do not provide the proper testing of the software, one can introduce their own test cases to make the coverage more efficient. This probably is the best advantage of code coverage as it can help you to make your coverage more and more effective.
  • Easy Removal of dead Codes and Errors: Some areas of the program are left unattended in the execution time. Or maybe there is an existence of dead codes or useless codes. In such cases, code coverage provides the best way to figure out and remove the errors easily. This increases the efficiency of the coverage performed.

But just like every coin, even code coverage comes with its own set of limitations and disadvantages.
How to get 100% code coverage?

  • it’s possible but will be very expensive to attain 100% code coverage
  • Even with 100% code coverage, your code has no guarantee of being perfect
  • 100% test coverage does not mean that the suite is perfect.  What you need is 100% path coverage
  • it will depend on the language and framework you use. For instance, Ruby has a very mockable framework through which you can stub or mock out a large portion of the code and will save you from building complicated class composition and construction designs
  • TDD is the best way to attain 100% line coverage
  • Unit tests can be used as a regression prevention method

What is path coverage in software testing?
Test cases that can be put to use to test linearly independent paths in a software system.  in the short, the control flow of an application will be tested in the path coverage process.  Testers have to look into each individual line of code that plays its part in a particular module to make sure that there is no issues.
What are the Disadvantages of Code Coverage?

  • Unable to Report Special Features: Code coverage lacks the ability to report the absence of any special features that should have been implemented in the application code. This absence can harm the software significantly, but while using code coverage, this section of coding limitations is left untouched and hence proves to be very disadvantageous to the developers and their software.
  • Impossible to Check all Possible Values: If a new feature is added, it is almost impossible to check all the possible values of the feature using the concept of code coverage. This is a drawback as some of those values can turn out to be useless.
  • Unable to Detect improper Usage of Logic: Code coverage fails to detect the improper usage of logic in the code. The improper logic can make the whole software go in vain. This is probably the biggest drawback of using code coverage for software testing.

This was code coverage in Code Coverage vs Test Coverage. Test coverage is another software testing metric with a little bit of difference.
What is code coverage in unit testing?
Test coverage can often be confused with code coverage, but the truth is that it is quite different. Test coverage provides the amount of test that has been executed. It reports about the parts of the application that are running when the coverage is being implemented. It gives the report of the tests that have been carried out on the application. We can say it is more about the test instead of application codes.
Why do We use Test Coverage?
When there are so many coverages out there, what was the need for test coverage in such a situation? The answer to this question is given below:

  • One thing about test coverage is that it reports the area of requirement which has not been covered by the test cases.
  • It also helps to detect the areas of the test cases that are useless to software testing. These cases are reported to the developers.
  • It can also help the developers to create additional test cases whenever and wherever required. These additional test cases help ensure that the coverage is maximum.

What are the Advantages of Test Coverage?
Test coverage provides some special features that prove advantageous for the developers.

  • Test coverage enhances the quality of the coverage over the software testing and thereby improves software testing.
  • It marks the portions of the application codes that were touched or may be fixed.
  • The paths that remained untested are also reported to the developers.
  • Any defect that could generate potential threats for the software in the future is detected early in the course of execution and thereby fixed. This improves the efficiency of software testing.
  • Any gaps or scopes in the test requirements are noted and brought to the notice of the developer as soon as possible.
  • Test coverage can prevent any defect leakage.

What are the Disadvantages of Test Coverage?
The test coverage also has its own set of drawbacks, which can make any developer hesitate from using the test coverage.
The disadvantages are listed below:

  • Manual in Nature: The biggest and most disadvantageous defect of the test coverage is that it doesn’t have any tools available. Yes, that’s right that test coverage is very efficient, but the setback is that everything is manual. One needs a proper professional to sit down and do the testing work, which is hectic and causes some inefficiency on its own. There are almost no automated tools available that help the manual work become even a tad bit easier.
  • Scope of Judgmental Errors: There can always be a huge number of judgmental errors even after carrying out the whole test coverage very efficiently and properly.
  • Scope for Careless Errors: The introduction of manual work always introduces a scope of careless errors. Any slight carelessness on the part of the professional carrying out the software testing can prove to be very disadvantageous for the software. This could be a huge setback.

Cost of testing your app
Code Coverage vs Test Coverage

S.No.

Property

Code Coverage

Test Coverage
1.

Definition

It refers to the execution of the application code while the application is running. It is not a specific plan or result but the overall test plan issued for the codes.
2. Aim of the coverage The automated tests that are running can be monitored by the developers using code coverage. It gives a measure of the amount of code that has been processed and run by the tests.
3. Subtypes of the coverage Code coverage has a number of subtypes which include statement coverage, condition coverage, Branch coverage, Toggle coverage, FSM coverage. Test coverage has no subtypes. It is all just complete in itself.

Tools used of Code Coverage
There are several tools available in the market to check code coverage. These include both open-source and paid tools. Most of these tools can also be integrated with the build and project management tools for better results. While selecting a code coverage is important to check the features it offers along with its integration with other tools used by your team.
Some of the popular code coverage tools are:

  1. py

It is an open-source code coverage tool for python. It records the codes that are executed as part of the testing and gives the result in percentage. It can be used to measure how much of the code is tested per test cycle. It also reports out the part of the code that could have been executed but was not. This helps to plan the testing activities better for the next cycle.

  1. Serenity BDD

It is mainly a UAT (User Acceptance Testing) tool that also provides code coverage options. It allows you to write epics, sub-epics, and stories for each code path and user behavior. The results generate from Serenity BDD contain much more details than just code coverage. Another advantage is that it can easily integrate with several other popular tools like Appium, Sauce Labs, Jenkins, Jira, and more.

  1. JaCoCo

JaCoCo, Java Code Coverage, is an actively maintained code coverage tool that became popular after EMMA and Cobertura were retired. It can be easily integrated with Maven, Gradle, Jenkins, Visual Studio among others to get an understanding of the java code coverage during the testing.

  1. PITest

It boasts itself as the gold standard in test and code coverage. While most code coverage tools only tell you what lines of codes were executed and the ones that were missed, PITest also uses mutation testing and helps your code to find more bugs also. PITestt modifies the actual code to run unit tests on it and thus helps in finding issues as well.

  1. NoUnit

It was developed by FirstPartners.net and is used the check the code coverage for Junit tests. It gives you a clear understanding of the part of the code that was executed and the part that was missed. It generates a color code report which is very easy to interpret even by non-technical people.
Tools used for Test Coverage
Unlike code coverage, test coverage can not be quantified. Test coverage mostly refers to the coverage with respect to the functionality or module and not the code. Many times you may need to write some code to analyze your code coverage. There are some code frameworks that can help you with your test coverage.

  1. Junit: It is the unit testing framework for Java. It is open an open-source tool have can very well be used for Test Driven Development (TDD) as well as for finding the test coverage. This framework is very popular among both developers and testers.
  2. PyUnit: PyUnit is another very popular framework that is used in TDD and helps with the test coverage calculations as well. It can be used for writing test cases, unit test cases, test cases, and even test fixtures. As the name suggests, it is used for Python developers and testers as well.

Conclusion
Both code coverage and test coverage are the measurements of assessing the quality of the software testing that is being carried out. Both are extremely essential when it comes to software testing and checking the internal coding and structure of the system. So there is no point in carrying out code coverage vs test coverage
In layman terms, the code coverage metric tells about the application code that is being executed. While the test coverage is mainly focused on the overall test plan. Everything is done only to focus on the well-functioning of the software that is supposed to be launched.

Major Cyber Attacks on India (Exclusive News) (Updated)

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Cyber Attacks on India or any other part of this world are an attempt to destroy or infect computer networks in order to extract or extort money or for other malicious intentions such as procuring necessary information.
Cyber attacks alter computer code, data, or logic via malicious code resulting in troublesome consequences that can compromise the information or data of the organizations to make it available to cybercriminals.
A serious threat lurking around, Cyber attacks on India
Around 1.6 million attacks were reported in the year 2020. The world was moving to remote corners of the world and security was under serious threat owing to work from home.
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has alerted over 700 organizations to be alert about cyber attacks and suggested improving their cyber security measures to keep risks at a minimum.
Wish to know which are the Cyber Attacks in India? Read below

Major and Minor cyber attacks on India { Till 2021]

SIM Swap Fraud

In August 2018, two men from Navi Mumbai were arrested for cybercrime. They were involved in fraudulent activities concerning money transfers from the bank accounts of numerous individuals by getting their SIM card information through illegal means.
cyber attacks
These fraudsters were getting the details of people and were later blocking their SIM Cards with the help of fake documents post which they were carrying out transactions through online banking.
They were accused of transferring 4 crore Indian Rupees effectively from various accounts. They even dared to hack the accounts of a couple of companies.
Prevention: The information required for such a scheme is gathered via various public domains and is misused later. Sharing personal information with unknown applications and domains can help in minimizing the risk of having your personal information reaching people with malicious content.
Fraudsters use the victim’s information in various scams and trick them into fraudulent activities. It is advisable therefore that the site where n individual is entering his banking or other details should be verified for authenticity, as scammer uses the fake site to get the information directly from prospective victims

Cyber Attack on Cosmos Bank

 A daring cyber attack was carried in August 2018 on Cosmos Bank’s Pune branch which saw nearly 94 Crores rupees being siphoned off.
Hackers wiped out money and transferred it to a Hong Kong-situated bank by hacking the server of Cosmos Bank. A case was filed by Cosmos bank with Pune cyber cell for the cyber attack. Hackers hacked into the ATM server of the bank and stole the details of many visa and rupee debit card owners.
The attack was not on a centralized banking solution of Cosmos bank. The balances and total accounts statistics remained unchanged and there was no effect on the bank account of holders. The switching system which acts as an interacting module between the payment gateways and the bank’s centralized banking solution was attacked.
cyber attacks
The Malware attack on the switching system raised numerous wrong messages confirming various demands of payment of visa and rupee debit card internationally. The total transactions were 14,000 in numbers with over 450 cards across 28 countries.

Also Know: Cyber Security New Year’s Resolutions For 2020

On the national level, it has been done through 400 cards and the transactions involved were 2,800. This was the first malware attack in India against the switching system which broke the communication between the payment gateway and the bank.
Prevention: Hardening of the security systems by limiting their functions and performance only to authorized people can be the way forward.
Any unauthorized access to the network should immediately set an alarm to block all access to the bank’s network. Also, to minimize risk, enabling a two-factor authentication might help.
Through testing, potential vulnerabilities can be fished out and can make the entire digital part of the banking system safe.

ATM System Hacked in Kolkata

In July 2018 fraudsters hacked into Canara bank ATM servers and wiped off almost 20 lakh rupees from different bank accounts. The number of victims was over 50 and it was believed that they were holding the account details of more than 300 ATM users across India.
The hackers used skimming devices on ATMs to steal the information of debit cardholders and made a minimum transaction of INR 10,000 and a maximum of INR 40,000 per account.

Also Know: What is a DDoS attack? How to Stop DDoS Attacks?

On 5 August 2018, two men were arrested in New Delhi who were working with an international gang that uses skimming activities to extract the details of the bank account.
Prevention: Enhancement of the security features in ATM and ATM monitoring systems can prevent any misuse of data.
Another way to prevent fraudulent activity is to minimize the risk of skimming by using lockbox services to receive and transfer money safely.
This uses an encrypted code that is safer than any other payment.
Websites Hacked: Over 22,000 websites were hacked between the months of April 2017 and January 2018. As per the information presented by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, over 493 websites were affected by malware propagation including 114 websites run by the government. The attacks were intended to gather information about the services and details of the users in their network.
Prevention: Using a more secure firewall for networks and servers which can block any unauthorized access from outside the network is perhaps the best idea.
Personal information of individuals is critical for users and cannot be allowed to be taped into by criminals. Thus, monitoring and introducing a proper network including a firewall and security system may help in minimizing the risk of getting hacked.

Phishing Attack on Wipro

cyber attacks
There were reports about an attack on the Wipro system by major online news portals.  Attack as per reported was a phishing attack and was done by a group through gift card fraud.
Even though the attack was not a massive one, many employees and client accounts were compromised. And the attack became notorious for one of the major Cyber Attacks on India
How to avoid Phishing attacks?

  • Always think before you click. Phishing links can impersonate as authentic links with some minor changes that might not be visible at a single glance. Make sure that you have read the complete link before clicking it
  • Install measures that can effectively prevent such attacks
  • Make sure that the websites you are accessing are secure. Usually, a secure website will have a security certificate to safeguard all the customer information. Make sure that that website begins with HTTPS and has a lock symbol on the extreme left of the address bar.
  • Check your online account on a regular basis and make sure that there are no suspicious activities. Change the password frequently.
  • Update your browsers regularly as updates often will have security patches for existing loopholes.
  • Keep your personal details secret
Bib B Amitabh Bachchan ‘s Twitter Account Hacked!


There can be a question that social media profiles are subjected to hacking all the time. But with Amitabh Bachan’s statitude the hack became controversial and was announced as one  of the Cyber Attacks on India
Lately, Amitabh Bachchan’s Twitter handle got hacked and the perpetrators posted hateful messages putting everybody in shock.
This can happen to big companies also. However, if the news gets out this can be a huge blow to the credibility of any company.
How to prevent Social Media Profile Hacking?

  • Social media is infested with third-party applications. Make sure that you are using legitimate authorized applications
  • Use strong credentials and change them often
  • Install proper antivirus
  • Enable two-factor authentication

Exposed Health Care Data
Be it any government-related data; it has to be kept in utmost secrecy. What if it’s exposed? That’s what happened lately when healthcare data of India was left exposed without enough security measures.
This mistake was found out by Bob Diachenko during a regular security audit. He found out that India based IP contained a data pack that’s been left exposed without any security measures.
How to Prevent Database Hacking?

  • Make sure that proper web application firewall is installed
  • Strengthen network security by login expiration, changing passwords,
  • Make sure that the admin level of your website is not exposed with a simple password
  • Change the database prefix from wp6 to something random which can’t be guessed
  • Stay updated regarding the latest hacking threats

How to prevent Database Hacking?

  • Make sure that a proper web application firewall is installed
  • Strengthen network security by login expiration, changing passwords,
  • Make sure that the admin level of your website is not exposed with a simple password
  • Change the database prefix from wp6 to something random which can’t be guessed
  • Stay updated regarding the latest hacking threats
Personal Data Exposed from JustDial Database


An unprotected API end was the issue in this incident. Justdial one of India’s leading local search platforms let a loose end that exposed all of their user data who accessed their services through the web, mobile, and their phone number.
Leaked data includes name, email, number, address gender, etc. the shocking part according to reports is that since 2015 the API has been exposed like this.
How to make your API secure?

  • Validate all the incoming data
  • Use the essential method for authentication verification
  • Monitor and manage using automated scripts
  • Encrypt data

UIDAIAdhaar Hacked!
Everyone knows that the Adhaar card is the most important and powerful identification document in India. More than a billion of information stored in the government database is ready to be processed under high security and regulations.
However,  in 2018 there was a major flaw that risked the huge data pool. According to reports published by major news portals, a small software patch has actually compromised the data security. There was a threat to national security since Adhaar was emerging to be the most powerful.
Talking about the patch it was an inexpensive one but was capable enough to jeopardize the system security. What made the whole situation frightening was that the Adhaar card was linked to the bank account, pan card, mobile number, and much personal information of an Indian citizen.
However, The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) who is in charge of the data has denied such allegations. But series of news and proofs that came out might beg to differ.
Adhaar hack news
How to keep sensitive data secure?

  • Periodical cybersecurity posture assessment
  • Educate the employees on secure network practices
  • Adopt a strict BYOD (Bring your own device) policy
  • Do heavy encryption on the data that needs to be protected
  • Deploy a system that can monitor frequently

SIM Swap Scam 
Another big cyber campaign took place in August 2018, when two Hackers from Navi Mumbai transferred 4 crore rupees from multiple bank accounts. They used the SIM Swap system, illegally gaining access to various individuals’ SIM cards and illegally stealing their bank details. They used this private information to get into their bank accounts and transfer their money to their bank account. Hackers blocked individuals’ SIM cards and transacted money through online banking. Not even the individuals tried to hack the details of some of their targeted customers.
Cyberattack on Union Bank of India
Another shocking cyberattack that made everyone alert was done in July 2017. The attack was on one of India’s biggest banks; the Union Bank of India. The attack was initiated when an employee opened an email attachment. This email attachment had a malware code. It allowed the hackers to get inside the bank’s system and steal the bank’s data. The email attachment forged a central bank email. The employee overlooked the details and trusted the email, which initiated a malware attack and allowed the hackers to get inside the bank’s data and steal Union Bank’s access codes for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT). SWIFT is used for international transactions. The hacker used these codes and transferred  $170 million to a Union Bank account at Citigroup Inc in New York.
Malware attack on Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)
Authorities on October 20, 2019, confirmed that the nuclear power station in Kudankulam faced a cyber attack.  The attack was initiated by the North Korean hacker group- Lazarus. This attack was done to get information on thorium-based reactors, an alternative to uranium. Initially, National Power Corporation of India (NPCI) denied the hacking attack news but later they accepted that the hackers had hacked one of their systems. They used a malware named ‘Dtrack’ to get inside the company’s system through a couple of loopholes that persisted in their security systems. 
Indian journalists, activists spied on by Israeli spyware Pegasus
2019 saw another big cyber attack when Israeli spyware Pegasus was used to spy on academicians, lawyers, activists, and journalists in India.
WhatsApp confirmed that NSO Group used Israeli spyware, called Pegasus to get access to the passwords, text messages on messaging apps like WhatsApp.  Pegasus took advantage of loopholes in the servers. It allowed the government spies to hack the details of about 1,400 users. Pegasus allowed to hack and get access to everything on the phones of the user (victims) remotely. Even, WhatsApp announced renovating its security features.
Facebook database leak data of 419 million users
Another very prominent attack was on Facebook and Twitter user data. The personal information of around 419 million users was broken to third parties. The Insecure database allowed the hackers to access the phone numbers, user’s name, gender, and location of around 419 million users that were linked to their Facebook accounts. Though the attack took place around the geographies, it also included the data of many Indian users. 
Cyber-attack on Air India
One of the biggest cyber-attacks India has seen in 2021 is on India’s biggest airline Air India. The Security of Indian Airlines data was compromised when the confidential information of its passengers like ticket information, passport details, and credit card information of more than 4.5 million customers was stolen by the hackers. Though the airlines tried to convince their passengers that their credit card information was safe, they insisted they change their password.
LinkedIn Phishing Scam
Another big attack of 2021 was a phishing scam attack on the social networking site LinkedIn. LinkedIn is one of the biggest social networks where people connect with people of their related job profiles. This networking site accounts for 756 million members across 200 countries worldwide. The company was perturbed when the data of 500 million LinkedIn users were under a security breach. The data of these account holders were sold online. The attackers had sent these users fake job offering mail which forced them to click the link and instilling malicious software on their systems.
Attacks on India’s CoWIN app
Amidst the pandemic, CoWIN app emerged as a ray of light for the people of India, by helping them and streamlining the complete vaccination process of the huge country. But this app appeared to be an enticing bait to hackers to lure their victims. Hackers used the CoWin app to misguided users into downloading fake apps. In January many incidents came up in light of fake Aarogya Setu apps created by hackers. It was used to implant malware into end user’s systems. The fake CoWIN app lured many users to download this fake app in an urge to get vaccinated.
Security Testing and its Significance
Hackers and criminals are getting smarter every day. The countermeasure is to predict their attack and block it in the most effective way possible before any unfortunate events.
In Testing, mostly 4 major types of testing ate performed

  • Network security
  • System software security
  • Client-side application security
  • Server-side application security

For these tests to happen in the most efficient way possible it’s better to have a dedicated testing wing along with software development or hire services from an agency. 
Stopping cyberattacks on India to a full extent might not be possible. But measures can be taken to avoid imminent ones and save a lot of money.

Top 10 Software Testing Training Institutes in India

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Before you browse through the best software testing institutes in India, first it’s important to know why testing is an integral part of any organization. Software testing process intended to execute and find bugs, verifying that the software is ready for use.

Despite the fact that the importance of software testing may seem insignificant, the testing process is always an equally integral part of development and planning. Software testing is all about checking the product’s quality with various test cases implemented automatically or manually as a bug-free application or software is the main reason to perform testing.

Finding the best institute which would bring out the best tester in you is a difficult task, as there are many institutes that give a fake promise of offering employment and 100% commitment. Therefore, before you enrol to institutes, make sure you study them well to avoid any frauds. Nevertheless, it is you who should try to convert your knowledge into an opportunity after certification in testing.

So to make your search hassle-free, we have brought 10 top institutes for your software testing training needs.

1. ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board)

ISTQB is a non-profit, software testing certifications board that has a global presence. It is headquartered in Belgium and conducts online software testing exams within centres across the world. In the United States, it is one of the certifications you ought to take to work in any company.
To qualify for this test, the ISTQB has a set of pre-defined standards and syllabus. Since long, it has been one of the favourite certifications for those looking for an IT job overseas. It’s also seen that professionals with ISTQB get good promotions, incentives and raises.

2. CMC Limited

A TATA enterprise that offers you a range of certifications in various niches of software development and is a leading IT consulting and BPO organization in India with a CMMI Level V accreditation. One of the main courses there includes ‘Diploma in software testing’ which offer manual techniques, as well as automation techniques in software testing.
CMC offers 3 months course of software testing and helps students to learn without an IT background.

3. CETPA

Well, if you want to get huge exposure to a number of advanced technologies in software testing techniques and concepts in real-time projects, this is the place for you. The institute offers hands-on experience on various tools like Load Runner, Selenium, HP Quality Control etc.

Know: How To Write an Impressive Software Tester Resume

CETPA basically operated in the northern regions of India viz. Lucknow, Noida, Roorkee and Meerut. It encompasses more than 13 years of experience in teaching and bringing up talents and they cover testing domains in manual, automation and database.

4. Seed Infotech Ltd

If you are looking for a training institute in and around Maharashtra state, come to this destination. Seed Infotech has made its name around and is considered one of the best testing institutes for manual and automation testing training with its headquarters in Pune, Maharashtra. They even offer ISTQB training that we just discussed above.
Seed InfoTech makes sure you are not only trained for the course but also get you ready for mock-up interviews and placements. They now have more than 50 centres around India and are associated with 300+ companies.

5. Qspiders Software Testing Training Institute

Based at Bengaluru-India, Qspiders is a reputed name among people students and professionals seeking a testing training. They provide you with hard copy study materials along with training to improve your communication skills. And now it has centres in many other major metro cities in India.
Qspiders also claims to place its students in top MNC’s and help build a successful career.

6. STC Technologies

STC Technologies was established in the year 2000 at Chennai with a vision to provide world-class software testing training with its professional curriculum. All the study materials are based on the latest trends in the industry and by expert professionals.

Related: Top 10 Software Testing Certifications 2020

The institute also provides e-learning facility and has a perfect balance between theory and practical sessions. The course, Diploma in Software Testing, contains 3 modules with extensive practical experience.

7. QA Campus

Based at Delhi, QA Campus is a leading institute that provides certification courses in various IT Niches. With end-to-end SQA and software testing training solutions, we understand the requirements of the software industry that strive to impart the SQA skills required to succeed in an evolving market scenario.

Check: Best Software Testing YouTube Channels to follow in 2020

8. SQUAD Infotech

Established in Mumbai, SQUAD Infotech is known for its top-quality software testing courses and solid support with regard to placements. SQUAD Infotech provides a niche approach to the field of manual testing and automated testing with tools such as Selenium and JIRA so that students acquire practical skills relevant in real-life test cases.

The commitment of the institute in offering extensive assistance with regard to interview preparation and job placements makes it a reputable source for those looking forward to penetrating into the software testing realm.

9. MindScripts Technologies

Pune-based MindScripts Technologies has a reputation for its hands-on approach to software testing education. Mindscripts focus on hands-on training by offering courses that include manual testing, automation testing, and performance testing. The institutes emphasis on real- time projects provides students with great practical knowledge, by which the students become capable of facing challenges in the software testing industry.

10. TechnoScripts

TechnoScripts, based in Pune, is a leading institute to provide full-fledged software testing courses. TechnoScripts offers a curriculum that includes manual testing, automation testing using Selenium, and performance testing via JMeter which enables students to learn competencies required in the real world.

The emphasis on practical exposure through liveprojects helps build a comprehensive learning environment. TechnoScripts serves to equip students with a diverse array of roles within the software testing domain and thus, it is a good option.

Key points to consider when choosing a software testing institute:

1. Reputation and Accreditation:
● Investigate the institute’s standing in the industry.
● Determine accreditation by recognized bodies or affiliations with reputable organizations.

2. Course Content and Curriculum:
● Assess the adequacy and thoroughness of software testing courses.
● Make sure your curriculum includes both theoretical concepts and practical applications.

3. Faculty Expertise:
● Evaluate the faculty qualifications and experience.
● Find out whether the instructors have hands-on experience from industry in software testing.

4. Industry-Relevant Skills:
● Ensure that the institute provides skills which conform to modern market needs.
● Seek exposure to the newest testing tools and approaches.

5. Placement Assistance:
● Ask about the institute’s placement support and success percentages.
● Ensure that they render services such as resume writing, interview preparation and job placement.

6. Real-Time Project Exposure:
● Make certain the institute provides practical exposure through live projects.
● Learning software testing without practical knowledge is impossible.

7. Infrastructure and Facilities:
● Analyze the institute’s infrastructure with respect to computer laboratories and testing instruments.
● Good facilities create a favourable learning environment.

8. Reviews and Testimonials:
● Check out reviews and testimonials from previous students.
● Consider the comments on training effectiveness and post-course support.

9. Certification Recognition:
● Verify the recognition of certificates issued by the institute.
● Certifications should be accepted in the industry.

10. Cost and Value for Money:
● Assess the total cost of the training program.
● Evaluate the return on investment as regards to the quality of education and post- training services.

11. Flexible Learning Options:
● Make sure that the institute offers flexible studying conditions, such as distance education or evening classes.
● Flexibility can be crucial for people with other responsibilities.

12. Continuous Learning Support:
● Ask about follow-up support and resources for ongoing learning.
● A great institute should provide alumni with information on current trends in the industry.

By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision when choosing a software testing institute that aligns with your career goals and ensures a valuable learning experience.

Recently, they brought forward the concept of Career Start Program (CSP) which was specially designed for fresher’s and IT aspirants. With more than 13 years of experience, this institute has achieved many milestones in the software testing industry and has helped several students to get placed at companies like Test Origen Pvt Ltd, Crystal Hues Pvt Ltd etc.

Conclusion
Certainly, after reading this blog, you are now familiar with the best software institutes in India. For more details, you can visit their websites to get a piece of detailed information about their courses and fees. Those who want to make a career in IT, but not into the development line, can look around for testing courses.

Read also: Software Testing Tutorial For Beginners

But always keep in mind whatever certification you do, it should map to your experience. Even if you have an expert/advanced level certification at an initial stage of the career, but merely doing a course would not just guarantee better growth, both in terms of personal learning and professional aspirations.

What is Structural Testing in Software Testing?

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Whenever new software is developed, it needs to be tested from all possible aspects before finally launching it or applying it to some existent application. Structural testing is a part of it, but before explaining what structural testing is, a brief explanation of software testing is provided.
Structural Testing
What is Structural Testing?
It’s a kind of testing used to test the structure of coding of software. The process is a combination of white-box testing and glass box testing mostly performed by developers.
The intention behind the testing process is finding out how the system works not the functionality of it. To be more specific, if an error message is popping up in an application there will be a reason behind it. Structural testing can be used to find that issue and fix it
What are the Characteristics of Structural Testing?
Structural testing, white box testing or glass box testing has the following characteristics:

  • Structural testing requires the knowledge of internal coding of the software and the basics. Thus, the testing can only be carried out by a member of the developer team who knows how the software was designed.
  • The structural testing is based on how the system carries out the operations instead of how it is perceived by the users or how functions are carried out.
  • The structural testing provides better coverage than many of the testing approaches as it tests the whole code in detail, and the errors involved can easily be removed. The chances of missing out on any error become very low.
  • Structural testing can be carried out at various levels, from high to low, which involves the whole detailed testing of the system. It can complement the functional testing.

It is also carried out after keeping certain criteria in mind.

  • The first criteria would be the control flow graph. The control flow graph is just a graphical representation of the codes of the program that may coincide during the execution. It is based on the paths contained in the program.
  • The control flow graph consists of a basic block and edge. The basic block also called the node is the set of statements that are to be executed.
  • The control has one entry point, and when the execution of all the statements is carried out, then only the control gets to exit. The edge of the control flow graph shows the flow of control throughout.
  • The testing also keeps in mind the adequacy criterion, which checks the total coverage that is done by any test suit.

What are the Techniques used to Carry out Structural Testing?
The structural testing or glass box testing can be carried out by various techniques. Each technique varies from the other one by some approaches and applications. Here are the three basic techniques of carrying out structural testing.
Statement coverage:
Statement coverage
There are a lot of statements involved in the programming of the software. The statements can have errors too. Hence, the statement coverage is aimed at examining all the statements by calling out them in practice. This way, all the errors in the statements are canceled out. The statement coverage also aims at carrying out as few tests as possible. It aims at minimizing the number of tests to be carried out during structural testing.
Branch coverage:
Branch coverage
Branch coverage is slightly different from the statement coverage. It does not specifically minimize the tests but takes care that each required test is carried out at least once if not more than once. Branch coverage aims at testing all the branches in the programming for any error or potential glitches. Every branch is tested, and in case any error is raised, developers need to fix it as soon as possible.
Path coverage:
Path coverage
Path coverage is just what its name suggests. Path coverage focuses on all the paths that can be involved in the codes. Path coverage has the maximum number of tests to be carried out, out of the three techniques. It covers both the above, branch coverage and statement coverage. When every path is tested, it is automatic that every statement is also checked. The same is the case with the checking of the braches.
Condition Coverage:
Condition Coverage
Individual conditions can be put to test with Boolean inputs. The process offers better coverage and problems that were discussed under branch coverage can be rectified in this process.
What are the Different Types of Structural Testing in Software Testing?
types of structural testing
There are further many types of structural testing that can take place. The structural testing is based on different types of approaches. The approaches vary for each and are listed below:

  1. Control flow testing: The basic model of the testing is the flow of control. The whole test is based on how the control is carried out throughout the program. This method requires detailed knowledge of all aspects of the software and the logic of the software. It tests out the whole code thoroughly.
  2. Data flow testing: This implements the use of a control flow graph and checks the points where the codes can lead to an alteration in the data. In this way, the data is kept safe and unaltered throughout the execution of the program. Any alteration of the data can result in adverse consequences.
  3. Slice based testing: It was originally created and developed for maintaining the software. The basic idea is to divide the whole program into small slices and then checking on to each slice carefully. This method is very useful for the maintenance of the software as well as debugging the software too.
  4. Mutation testing: This is the type of software testing that requires the development of new tests to be carried out on the software for its testing. The developers make small alterations to the already available software tests and create a mutant of the old software test. This is how the name mutation testing arises. The developer then carries out the mutation tests on the program as he wishes to.

The four types of testing can be used by the developers according to what suits them the best.
Now, structural testing is not for every developer and software. There are certain advantages of the structural testing, but just like every coin has two sides, structural testing has disadvantages of its own.
What are the Advantages of Structural Testing?
Below, the advantages of following the structural testing approach are listed, and one can go through them to know what benefits they will get if they choose to follow structural testing for their software.
Enables thorough checkups:

  • Just because structural testing is based on the structures that are involved in the programs of the software, it depends on how the software is coded to carry out its operations.
  • This enables the structural testing to carry out a very thorough check-up of the program code.
  • Whenever a program or software undergoes a detailed and extreme thorough testing, the probability of facing any difficulty in the functioning of the program is almost decreased to zero.
  • This allows the program to be free of errors and glitches.

Smooth execution from an early stage:

  • In case a structural test is not carried out, the program can face a lot of errors and difficulties during its application.
  • A huge number of errors may also arise while the execution of the software takes place.
  • By practicing the structural testing, these errors are removed at the beginning itself and the programs become free of errors at the early stage.
  • This enables the software to have a smooth execution in the future. This makes the whole process more convenient for developers.

Dead codes are removed easily:

  • With the help of structural testing, dead codes are also removed in the course of action.
  • Now, one may wonder about what dead code is. Dead code is basically a piece of code that is embedded in the programming of the software.
  • The dead code calculates some results in the software, but the catch is that it never ever utilizes the result.
  • The dead code just wastes the space of the coding and is useless. Hence, the dead code needs to be removed from the software coding.
  • While carrying out structural testing, the dead code is easily recognized and hence can be removed easily at the beginning itself.

Automated processes:

  • The best part of structural testing is that it does not require a lot of manual work.
  • The manual work is reduced to a minimum while most of the testing work is carried out by automated tools that can be found online for the help of the developers.
  • Developers can use these tools and easily carry out all the operations required for structural testing.
  • The automated tools examine the entire code and come up with the result.
  • The results are then reported to the developers, and they can fix the errors as they like.

Easy coding and implementation:

  • This is something through which a developer is forced to think about the structure and the way of implementation of the program code.
  • This is a good thing as it requires paying more attention to the coding and the internal implementation of it.
  • The concentration on the structure can make a program turn out much better than it was aimed for.
  • Thus, the developers are forced to investigate the structure of the software and take care of it.

What are the Disadvantages of Structural Testing in Software Testing?
Everything comes with its own sets of challenges and disadvantages. Structural testing is no different. There are plenty of demerits of structural testing, and they are listed below:
In-depth knowledge of programming languages is required:

  • It is not easy work. Not anyone can perform the task of structural testing.
  • It requires detailed and in-depth knowledge of the programming language, software development and the codes that are used to develop the software.
  • This makes it very clear that a trained professional is required when structural testing is carried out.
  • A person with medium training might also seem unsuitable for the job.
  • This is probably a difficult challenge because the developers either need themselves to be educated enough and trained to carry out the structural testing or they require an outsider who is very professional at his work.

Complicated testing tools:

  • Although the process of testing is automatic, yet it might turn out very troublesome.
  • The structural testing tools that are available to carry out the glass box or white box tests are some complicated ones.
  • It is not a cakewalk to get accustomed to the usage of the tools.
  • Again, the developers need some extra professional who knows their way around the usage of the tool and can carry out the whole process of testing on his own.
  • It seems like everything involved with structural testing requires some overly trained and professional people for the testing to be successful.

Some portions may be missed:

  • There is also a slight chance that some lines or statements or branches could be missed accidentally.
  • The missing lines and codes can turn out to be huge trouble after in the long run and might create a huge issue while the execution of software takes place.
  • This carelessness might turn out to be very disadvantageous to the developers of the software and the program code.

Consumes a lot of time and energy:

  • The most basic idea of structural testing requires a lot of time and a lot of money.
  • This testing might not be suitable for the small-scale developers as they cannot afford to spend such amount of money in just testing the program and the software.
  • Along with this, the time required to carry out the structural tests is quite large and troublesome for the developers.
  • This involves cost overheads which might not be a good option for everyone.

Structural Testing Tools
JBehave: It’s a BDD (behavior-driven development) tool intended to make the BDD process easy and smooth.
Cucumber: Another BDD testing tool  used to check whether an application has met its requirement
JUnit: Used to create a good foundation for developer based testing
Cfix: A robust unit testing framework used to make a developer based test suite easy.
Conclusion:
This was a detailed explanation of what is software testing and its subtype- testing. Obviously, the same types of testing are not suitable for everyone and each software that is developed.

In case someone is looking to use the structural testing methods, they need to weigh both the merits and demerits of the structural testing. Additionally, they need to take care of the fact that structural testing is carried out successfully.

11 Best Vulnerability Assessment Scanning Tools

Posted on by tbsupadminnxtbackendacc

Computer systems, applications, software, and other network interfaces are vulnerable to a lot of threats. These threats need to be identified by experts as potential risks. Further, these threats are classified into different types. Then these vulnerabilities are prioritized, and the issue is resolved for the safety of the system. There are tools in existence that can fish out the issues impeccably. They are called Vulnerability assessment tools.
Before we get to that let’s have a look at the term vulnerability assessment and how it’s classified.
Table of Contents

What is Vulnerability Assessment?
The term vulnerability assessment is self-descriptive. Assessing the vulnerabilities in a system or application is called vulnerability assessment. These vulnerabilities are very risky for big IT techs or huge enterprises. These entities need to undertake proper vulnerability assessment and act on the recommendations immediately to cancel out any potential threats to the system.
Vulnerability Assessment
These threats can give access to hackers to enter the security system of any giant company and exploit it to their advantage cause huge losses to the company. Hence, it becomes necessary to address these issues through a vulnerability assessment.
To carry out this assessment efficiently, one needs to use some already available tools like the task cannot be done manually with complete perfection. These tools include some scanners which scan the whole system for any possible threat and generate an assessment report for the user to go through and act upon it accordingly.
There are a lot of types of vulnerability assessment that can be carried out in a system, such as: –

  1. Network-based: Detects possible threats and vulnerabilities on wired and wireless networks.
  2. Host-based: This scans ports and networks related to hosting like servers and workstations. It is like a network-based scan but provides a better and detailed scan of hosts.
  3. Application scans: This scans the websites in order to figure out possible threats and vulnerabilities in software.
  4. Database scans Scans databases to find out possible vulnerabilities in them.
  5. Wireless network scans: Scans the company’s Wi-Fi networks to find out possible leaks and threats.

The whole process of identifying threats, scanning systems, and applications, prioritizing threats, creating patches and applying them is a long process and doing it manually is not a very efficient choice. For the purpose of identification and prioritizing, vulnerability assessment tools are available which are basically software and applications that scan your system and create an assessment report. Some vulnerability assessment scanning tools go to the extent of fixing some potential threats and patching for you.
These vulnerability scanning tools reduce your work to a great extent, and you are mostly left with the job of fixing or checking the reports. These scans can be either carried out internally after logging in as an authorized user or externally to look for threats from the point of view of a hacker. The sole cause of vulnerability scanners is to keep the system secure and safe while resolving any leaks or security vulnerabilities in the system.

Top Vulnerability Assessment Tools
There are many paid tools available for the purpose, but if you do not want to spend money on vulnerability assessment tools, there are some tools that are available as open-source and you can use them for the required task without paying anything. Here are some of the best vulnerability assessment tools that are available for you:
1. Qualys Vulnerability Management
This tool can seem a little expensive to many, but the truth is that great things come at a cost. Although Qualys Vulnerability Management is expensive than most other vulnerability management tools, it provides extensive protection from possible malicious attacks.

  • Qualys has the capability of working under extreme internal complex networks and works behind the firewall to look for vulnerabilities.
  • It can also scan the cloud storage system for security purposes. Further, Qualys Vulnerability Management can also scan the shared networks geographically, which is really commendable.
  • It claims that its accuracy goes up to 99% making it an almost perfect tool that figures out most of the vulnerabilities and presents them to you for fixing and patching.

2. Nessus Professional
Nessus Professional is one of the best tools available for vulnerability assessment scans. It checks the system for compliance. It also searches the Internet protocol addresses and the websites for any potential risks that can attack the system later on.

  • Nessus scans all the sensitive data to protect it from hackers and malicious attackers.
  • The best part about Nessus Professional is that it is easy to use a scanner that comes with a user-friendly interface to enable the users to enjoy an easy experience.
  • Nessus professionals can also detect an SQL injection attack which is hard to detect.
  • It provides a detailed and unlimited assessment of the system.
  • It comes with an advanced detection technology which gives an additional and upgraded assessment of the system.
  • Nessus Professional is the kind of vulnerability scanning tools that gives deep insight into the vulnerabilities of the system and exposes all network threats.

3. Skybox
Skybox has great user reviews for its capability to protect the system from alarming threats and system dangers. Skybox is unique because it provides the assessment of the vulnerabilities of the system without using any scanning procedures.

  • Skybox provides you with the benefit of prioritizing the threats which helps you to look at the threat, which is most dangerous at the present moment.
  • The prioritization helps you to decide about which threat is supposed to be fixed first.
  • Well, that is not all! Skybox also provides special features to secure the system.
  • Skybox is great at looking for blind spots. It uses third party scanners to look for threats and then uses its own intelligence to prioritize them.
  • After making the report of the threats, it provides the benefit of controlling vulnerability which makes it very efficient at what it does.
  • It is better to use Skybox in medium to large-sized organizations.

4. Intruder
Intruder works just like its name. Its scanning abilities are based on the cloud. The software tool looks for any security breaches in the entire computer system that would give out a way for the malicious attackers to intrude in the system and exploit the security of the user.

  • For a simple vulnerability scan, Intruder offers around tens of thousands of checks to ensure the security of the system.
  • Intruder comes with a notification offer. You can be emailed the notification after it completes scanning the whole system for any breaches.
  • Even the reports of the scan of a month can be aggregated in a PDF format, and you can choose to receive it through email every month.
  • It is a friendly software and can even be coupled with other software to give better results to protect the system.

Read also: Top 10 Software Testing Tools For 2020

5. Tripwire IP360
Tripwire IP360 can secure the system from many vulnerability threats. It can work on critical systems and generate reports about such systems so that the user can protect the important files. It also offers management of the cloud environment. Tripwire has many other features like protection from vulnerabilities, security controls, security management, and many other benefits.

  • The structure of Tripwire IP360 is modernized and updated with the present time needs.
  • It can classify the high priority risks and low priority ones.
  • It has the capability to fulfill all needs that one can have from a vulnerability management tool.
  • Tripwire IP360 is an integrated system of many other tools that you would require separately to secure your system.
  • Tripwire IP360 provides you with the benefits of all such tools by bringing them in one place for your integrated use.
  • It looks through the assets of the company to protect them securely.

6. Wireshark
This vulnerability assessment tool keeps its notice over the networks of the system. The report generated by this tool can be viewed in the TTY mode. Another way of viewing its results of the assessment is through using a graphical user interface that presents you with the whole assessment report.

  • Wireshark captures the details of threats, securities in the live-action and saves it for later.
  • When the system is offline, it analyses the data collected and generates an analysis report for the organization.
  • It can read many files of varying formats that work to the additional benefit of the user.
  • It can run on various operating systems which includes Windows and Linux.
  • The analysis report can be converted into simple and plain text for the user to understand it easily without diving deep into the computer science terms.
  • It supports decryption too for some selective protocols.

7. BeyondTrust
BeyondTrust is perfect for someone who does not want to spend some bucks on vulnerability assessment tools. BeyondTrust is an open-source and absolutely free application for anyone to use and assess their systems. BeyondTrust is available online and easily accessible to anyone who wants to use it.

  • BeyondTrust searches the network systems, virtual environment, and operating system.
  • It also scans the devices and computers to look for vulnerabilities. Along with vulnerability identification, BeyondTrust offers its management with the help of some patch fixes.
  • The tool is designed to increase the ease of use and does so brilliantly with its user-friendly interface.
  • It also aims at risk management and prioritizes the threats.
  • The vulnerability assessment tool can be paired up with other software and can be used to scan the virtual environment.
  • Further, it also supports the scanning of virtual images. Having so many features for free software is truly commendable.

8. Paessler
Paessler, a vulnerability assessment scanning tool, comes with higher and advanced technology. It provides advanced infrastructure management to the concerned system. Paessler uses technologies like simple network management protocol, windows management instrumentation, representational state transfer, application program interface, structured query language, and many others. By using so many technologies, Paessler provides an advanced management system.

  • Paessler can monitor over a vast range of systems which includes internet protocols, firewalls, Wi-Fi, LAN, SLA, and many others.
  • The result report is available via emails. Any potential risk triggering items are scanned and tested, and the user is informed if any malicious behavior is noticed.
  • Paessler supports the web interface for multiple users at a time.
  • It provides the facility for monitoring the network connections through a map that is visually convenient.
  • Apart from monitoring the data carefully, Paessler gives you the data, demographics, graphs and all the numerical data related to the data which is supposed to be monitored.

Read also: 10 Major Bug Tracking Software For 2020

9. OpenVAS
OpenVAS provides with the high-level scanning technology. It can test both authenticated and unauthenticated protocols. It also scans the industrial protocols. The industrial protocol can be of both high level and low level. Along with all this, it also scans the Internet protocols that may range from high level to low level.

  • The vulnerability tests that are carried out are extremely detailed, bringing up all the history.
  • The vulnerability assessment scans are updated regularly to keep up with the malicious intents of hackers.
  • It contains more than fifty thousand tests for vulnerability assessment, which means that it looks through the entire system in extreme detail.
  • Now, if you are still not satisfied with the kind of performance that it delivers, then you can work on the internal programming code that it provides. With Open VAS you can perform any kind of vulnerability tests you want to.

10. Aircrack
The technology of Aircrack is aimed at securing Wi-Fi networks with the utmost security possible. It consists of Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) key along with Wi-Fi protected access and Wi-Fi protected Access 2 encryption keys. These encryption keys provide the means to resolve issues generated due to Wi-Fi networks.

  • Aircrack is a kind of universal assessment tool as it supports all kinds of the operating system along with all types of platforms.
  • Fragmentation attack is another raising issue in terms of network attacks. Aircrack provides safety from fragmentation attacks.
  • The tracking speed is improved in the case of Aircrack. It also supports protocols required to provide security from Wired Equivalent Privacy attacks.
  • It also supports multiple numbers of cards and drivers. With Aircrack, the Wi-Fi network system is secured.
  • The connection problems are resolved, and you can be free from issues in the Wi-Fi.

11. Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA)
Powered by Microsoft, Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) looks for any security configurations that are missing from the system. It also looks for configuration issues in the systems that are common in computer systems.

  • The unique feature of Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is that it provides it download in a variety of languages that includes German, French, Japanese and English.
  • This makes it easier for users to use the services of Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer universally.
  • The Microsoft Windows system is scanned carefully with the local or remote scan available.
  • The vulnerability assessment tool supports two of the common interfaces, i.e., the command-line interface for high-level skilled programmers and graphical user interface for lesser-skilled programmers.
  • Any error or missing security settings is reported to the user, and a patch for fixing the issue is expected.


Conclusion
There are various vulnerability assessment tools that are available both for free and some basic cost. It is very necessary to secure the system from potential cyber threats and malicious attacks so that your organization or company stays free of the danger of the outside world.
The main motive of these assessment scanning tools is to secure the leaks and patches before any malicious intent intruder can figure it out to exploit the system.
So select the one which meets your requirements and take a firm step towards securing your system from vulnerabilities.