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As the world becomes increasingly digital and personal data is stored on cloud, the risk of data breaches and hacking increases. To minimise these risks, organisations should prioritise cybersecurity and quality assurance as an integral part of their software development life cycle process. This includes performing penetration testing before software is deployed or released to identify and address any vulnerabilities.
The threat of hacking and data breaches continues to increase, organisations must prioritise cybersecurity and quality assurance in their software development process. By including QA as part of the entire SDLC, software can be made more secure and reliable. Additionally, performing penetration testing prior to deployment or release is a crucial step in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities to minimise the risk of a data breach. It's important for organisations to stay updated with the latest cybersecurity trends and threats, and continuously assess and improve their security measures to protect sensitive information.
Security testing should be considered a general QA issue and should be incorporated into the overall QA process. A software with a small defect in functionality may also have security vulnerabilities, and hackers can exploit these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorised access. It is important to not assume that functionality testing alone is sufficient to ensure the security of a software. The QA team should also perform security testing to identify and address any vulnerabilities before deployment or release. This includes not only penetration testing, but also testing for compliance with industry standards and best practices for security. It is important to understand that security is an ongoing process, and organisations should continuously assess and improve their security measures to protect sensitive information.
What is Quality Assurance [QA]
Quality Assurance (QA) is a systematic process used to ensure that a product or service meets or exceeds the expectations of the customer. This includes ensuring that the product or service meets performance, design, reliability, and maintainability requirements. QA is an integral part of the product development process and is used to identify and address any issues or defects before the product is released to the customer. This helps to ensure that the final product is of high quality and meets the needs of the customer.
Both Quality Assurance (QA) and cybersecurity share the same goal of reducing defects in software. QA focuses on ensuring that the software is free from bugs, defects, and faults while cybersecurity focuses on identifying and addressing vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the software. By incorporating security testing into the QA process, the QA team can identify and address any security-related risks and vulnerabilities in the software, which can help to improve the overall quality and reliability of the software. This can also help to boost user confidence and improve the organisation's credibility. Additionally, incorporating security testing such as Mobile Application Security Testing (MAST) in the QA process can help to identify and analyse any potential risks associated with the software, which can make the QA process more efficient and effective. With fewer security risks, the overall quality of the software will also be less likely to be affected.
Development teams may sometimes ignore recommendations regarding security due to time and budget constraints. However, by incorporating cybersecurity practices with QA testing, development teams can be made to understand the importance of security, and will consider security risks as part of software defects. This can lead to a better prioritisation of threat prevention alongside quality improvements. Additionally, involving security experts in the development process can help to ensure that security concerns are addressed early on, which can save time and money in the long run. By making security an integral part of the software development life cycle, development teams will be better equipped to handle the risks and vulnerabilities of the software and will be more likely to deliver a secure and reliable product.
How QA Can Help Security
It is true that developers often follow good coding practices and may even perform their own code reviews. However, it is important to keep in mind that even the best developers can make mistakes and may not be able to identify all potential vulnerabilities or security risks. Having a dedicated security team or incorporating security testing into the QA process can provide an additional layer of protection and help to identify any vulnerabilities or risks that may have been missed by the development team. Additionally, security testing can help to ensure that the software is compliant with industry standards and best practices for security.
It is also true that organisations with limited budgets may not have the resources to build a dedicated cybersecurity department. In such cases, incorporating security testing into the QA process can be an effective way to address security concerns without the need for a separate cybersecurity team. The in-house QA team could be trained to perform security testing and identify potential vulnerabilities in the software. This can help to reduce costs while still ensuring that the software is secure and meets industry standards for security.
Cybersecurity and QA should work together to ensure the security and quality of software. By incorporating security testing into the QA process, the QA team can help to identify and address potential vulnerabilities and risks early on in the software development life cycle (SDLC). This can lead to a more reliable and secure software product, and also save time and money by identifying and addressing issues before the final release of the software.
Additionally, there are many free tools available that can be used by QA teams for security testing, which can be easily integrated into the QA process. By using these tools, QA teams can fulfil the bare minimum security standards and also extend their functionality-based testing. As a result, the QA team will not only contribute more to the development lifecycle by reducing defects and risks, but also gain valuable security skills that can advance their professional competency.
A bug-free and high-quality software application not only functions well but also secure. A QA team that pays attention to detail and has an eye for security risks can be an essential part of ensuring the overall security of a software application. By incorporating security testing into the QA process, the QA team can identify and address potential vulnerabilities and risks early on in the software development life cycle (SDLC). This can lead to a more reliable and secure software product and also save time and money by identifying and addressing issues before the final release of the software. As a result, the QA team can be a key player in protecting the organisation and its customers from cyber threats.
Conclusion
In today's digital age, where cyber-attacks are constantly increasing and becoming more sophisticated, it's important to integrate QA and security measures to create the best defence possible. It's common knowledge that cybersecurity concerns have led to software developers and QA teams being overworked. However, by making security tests a part of the development cycle, the software becomes more secure and reliable in the long run. Therefore, integrating cyber security and QA is a necessity in the SDLC process.
To learn how 42 Interactive can help your organisation with security testing services, reach out to us.