Transforming Security Posture: Our Penetration Testing Impact on a Leading EdTech Company
Overview
A leading EdTech company faced major security challenges due to vulnerabilities jeopardizing user data and platform stability. Enciphers conducted a comprehensive penetration test, uncovering critical issues. By implementing Enciphers' recommendations, the company significantly reduced vulnerabilities, strengthened security controls, and enhanced platform protection.
CHALLENGES
The company faced significant security challenges, leading to multiple incidents and frequent vulnerability reports. Their web and mobile applications, along with overall infrastructure, were plagued by unidentified vulnerabilities, putting operations and user data at risk. Previous security measures were fragmented and inadequate, failing to address critical gaps.
To tackle these issues, the company enlisted Enciphers for a research-driven penetration test. The goal was to identify vulnerabilities from a hacker’s perspective and address:
- Unidentified Vulnerabilities: Uncovering hidden weaknesses that had been missed in previous assessments.
- Risk to Operations and Data Security: Identifying and mitigating security gaps that threatened operational stability and data protection.
- Inadequate Security Measures: Fixing fragmented and insufficient previous security efforts to strengthen the overall security framework.
IMPLICATIONS
These security challenges led to frequent incidents and exposure of sensitive user data, undermining the company's operational stability and trustworthiness. The inadequate security measures also resulted in continuous vulnerabilities, increasing the risk of significant breaches and damaging the company's reputation.
Problem Statement
The company struggled with significant security challenges, facing multiple incidents due to unidentified vulnerabilities across their web, mobile applications, and infrastructure. Existing security measures were fragmented to address critical gaps, putting operations and user data at risk. To resolve these issues, Enciphers was engaged to conduct a research-driven penetration test. Some of the key focus areas have been:
Comprehensive Risk Identification
The company needed to identify and evaluate all potential security risks, including those missed in prior assessments, to ensure a holistic understanding of their security posture.
Vulnerability Research
There was a critical need to thoroughly investigate and uncover hidden vulnerabilities that could be exploited, ensuring no gaps remained in the security framework.
Enhance Security Controls
The existing security measures were fragmented and insufficient, requiring a comprehensive overhaul to create a cohesive and robust defense against potential threats.
Solutions Implemented
Enciphers conducted a thorough penetration test to uncover and address hidden vulnerabilities, strengthening security controls. A detailed attack surface enumeration was also performed.
Attack Surface Enumeration
An attack surface enumeration was performed to identify and map all potential entry points within the company's digital platforms. This comprehensive analysis was crucial in revealing hidden vulnerabilities and ensuring no potential attack vectors were overlooked, thereby strengthening overall security.
In-depth Penetration Test
An in-depth penetration test was conducted to simulate real-world attacks and uncover critical vulnerabilities across the company’s web and mobile applications. This thorough evaluation provided actionable insights, allowing for targeted remediation and significantly enhancing the company’s security posture.
Deliverable Summary
- Penetration Test Report: The Penetration Test Report detailed the findings from simulated attacks on the web and mobile applications, highlighting critical vulnerabilities and their potential impact. It included actionable recommendations for remediation to enhance the security posture.
- Attack Surface Enumeration Report: The Attack Surface Enumeration Report identified and mapped all potential entry points and exposed areas within the digital platforms. This comprehensive analysis provided insights into hidden vulnerabilities and areas requiring enhanced security measures.
Key Discoveries
Account Takeover Due to Broken Access Control
- Technical Insight: Inadequate access controls allowed unauthorized users to access restricted functions.
- Potential Impact: Attackers could gain control of user accounts, alter data, leading to significant privacy and trust breaches.
Default Login Credentials Being Used
- Technical Insight: Default admin credentials were present, simplifying unauthorized access.
- Potential Impact: Attackers could easily gain admin access, altering system settings and accessing sensitive information, leading to severe security breaches.
Stored Cross Site Scripting
- Technical Insight: File uploads lacked proper validation, allowing JavaScript injection.
- Potential Impact: Attackers could execute scripts in users' browsers, potentially stealing session tokens and compromising user data.
Unauthenticated Access to API Endpoints
- Technical Insight: APIs lacked proper authentication, exposing them to unauthorized access.
- Potential Impact: Malicious actors could access, modify, or delete sensitive data, risking data leaks and service disruption.
Undiscovered Public Assets
- Technical Insight: Numerous publicly accessible endpoints and assets (sub domains, git repo etc.) were discovered.
- Potential Impact: Insecure publicly accessible endpoints and assets might lead to security breaches and attacks.
Quantifiable Outcomes
- Vulnerability Identification and Mitigation: Uncovered and addressed numerous high-impact vulnerabilities, dramatically reducing the potential attack surface.
- Enhanced Security Posture: Strengthened overall security measures, significantly mitigating risks and improving the application's resilience against threats.
- Boosted Customer Confidence: Enhanced security measures led to increased trust among users, fostering a more positive perception of the application.
- Improved User Experience: Better data protection and privacy measures resulted in a more secure and dependable user experience.
Impact on Business
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Reduction in High-Risk Vulnerabilities
Identified and mitigated critical issues, significantly lowering the risk of exploitation.
Enhanced Security Controls
Implemented multi-factor authentication, secure API endpoints, and rigorous input validation, strengthening overall security.
Increased User Trust
Improved user satisfaction through enhanced data protection and robust security measures.
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Conclusion and Future Outlook
The penetration testing project with led to significant security enhancements for the applications and systems. We effectively addressed identified vulnerabilities, greatly reducing the risk of exploitation. The client plans to continue collaborating with us for regular security assessments and further improvements to their security infrastructure.
Continuous Attack Surface Enumeration
The client is eager to engage in regular security audits to consistently identify and mitigate new threats, ensuring their systems remain secure.
Regular Security Auditing
The client is eager to engage in regular security audits to consistently identify and mitigate new threats, ensuring their systems remain secure.
LEARNINGS FROM THE ENGAGEMENT
Choose an In-Depth, Research-Focused Penetration Test
Opt for comprehensive, research-focused penetration tests rather than relying solely on automated scans. This ensures a deeper understanding of potential security issues.
Beyond Compliance
Implement additional critical security controls such as Attack Surface Management, Red Teaming, and Automated Regular Security Testing. These measures go beyond compliance and provide continuous security improvements.
Regular Updates and Patching
Keep software and systems up to date with the latest security patches and updates to minimize the risk of exploitation through known vulnerabilities.
