Depending on the type of application and scope, credentials to test accounts with varying degrees of authorization may be needed to conduct a full test.

The process typically involves the following steps:

Preparation: In this phase, the penetration tester collaborates with the application’s owner or stakeholders to understand the scope of the assessment, the goals of the testing, and any specific requirements or constraints. Legal and ethical considerations are addressed, and appropriate permissions and agreements are obtained before proceeding.

Reconnaissance: The tester gathers information about the web application and its environment, which may include domain names, IP addresses, technologies used, server details, and potential entry points. This information is acquired through non-intrusive methods to avoid causing any harm.

Vulnerability Scanning: Automated tools are used to perform a preliminary assessment of the application to identify known vulnerabilities and common security issues quickly. This helps to focus the tester’s efforts on more complex and critical vulnerabilities.

Manual Testing: This is the core phase where the tester employs manual techniques and tools to simulate real-world attacks. Common attack vectors include SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), Remote Code Execution (RCE), authentication bypass, insecure direct object references, etc.

Exploitation: In this stage, the tester attempts to exploit the identified vulnerabilities to determine the potential impact on the application and its users. However, exploitation is carried out responsibly, avoiding any disruption to the application or its users.

Post-Exploitation: If the tester successfully gains unauthorized access to the application or its data, they may further explore the system to assess the extent of the breach and understand what data or operations are at risk if further escalation and testing are within scope.

Reporting: The penetration tester documents all findings, including identified vulnerabilities, the severity of each issue, and recommended remediation steps. The report should be clear, concise, and actionable, allowing the development and security teams to understand the issues and address them effectively.

Remediation: After receiving the report, the application owner or development team works to fix the identified vulnerabilities. Once the fixes are implemented, the penetration tester may retest the application to verify that the issues have been properly addressed.

Web Application Penetration Testing is an iterative and ongoing process, as new vulnerabilities can emerge over time due to changes in the application, its environment, or evolving cyber threats. Regular testing helps ensure that the web application remains secure against potential attacks.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, difficulty, time, and expertise of the penetration tester required, the price for a penetration test can vary. At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for penetration tests based on the options below:

Novice Penetration Test: A novice penetration tester, even with limited real-world experience, can still bring valuable contributions to the security testing of a web application. For instance, one of Hackybara’s team members, who was an intern at a Fortune 100 company with little prior experience in the field, managed to discover a critical SQL injection vulnerability that exposed sensitive information, including hashed passwords. This real-life example exemplifies how novice testers are still capable of making serious discoveries. Novice testers, which encompass professional hobbyists, Interns with a pen-testing background, and cybersecurity students, invest countless hours and personal resources in simulated penetration tests and vulnerability research. While these tests often utilize open-source and automated tools, the skill set of novice pen-testers closely resembles that of real-world novice black hat hackers. Both share similarities in their level of expertise and approach to penetration testing and hacking activities. Assessing a novice pen-tester’s performance against your application helps gauge the severity of potential security issues. If a tester with little professional experience can uncover significant vulnerabilities, it sheds light on critical security flaws within an application.

Recommended price range: $200-500

Recommended time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Intermediate Penetration Test: An Intermediate penetration tester possesses prior experience conducting a moderate number of penetration tests and may hold certifications in the field of penetration testing. These skilled testers utilize an extensive array of open-source tools, typically have access to at least one commercial tool, and may have the ability to develop custom tools or scripts. The group comprises bug bounty experts, professional hobbyists, and early-career pen-testing professionals. Intermediate pen-testers excel in exposing hard-to-discover security flaws and offer a broader range of services compared to novice testers.

Recommended price range: $500-3000

Recommended time range: 1-3 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Expert Penetration Test: An Expert penetration tester boasts extensive years of experience in penetration testing and may hold at least one certification in the field. These seasoned professionals proficiently utilize open-source tools, have access to various commercial security tools, possess the capability to develop custom tools, and excel in searching for zero-day vulnerabilities. The group comprises highly skilled pen-testing professionals, professional hobbyists, and renowned bug bounty experts. With their deep expertise in vulnerability analysis, Expert penetration testers provide unparalleled insights and offer a comprehensive range of services.

Recommend price range: Standard $3000-10,000, Lowest: 1,000.

Recommend time range: 2-3 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

OpenVAS (Open Vulnerability Assessment System): OpenVAS is a widely used open-source vulnerability scanner that can perform comprehensive scans to identify potential vulnerabilities in a variety of systems and applications. It offers a regularly updated database of known vulnerabilities and can be configured to scan specific targets or entire networks.

Nessus: Nessus is one of the most popular vulnerability scanners, available both as an open-source and commercial version. The open-source version, Nessus Essentials, provides basic vulnerability scanning capabilities and allows users to perform scans against a limited number of hosts.

Nexpose Community Edition: Nexpose is a vulnerability management tool with a free community edition that allows users to perform scans on small environments. It offers a user-friendly interface and provides detailed vulnerability reports.

OpenSCAP: OpenSCAP is primarily designed for security compliance scanning and configuration management. It leverages Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) standards and is commonly used to assess the compliance of systems against security benchmarks.

OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy): While mainly known as a web application security testing tool, OWASP ZAP can also be used for vulnerability scanning. It can identify common web application vulnerabilities like XSS, SQL injection, and more.

Commercial Vulnerability Scanning Tools:

Burp Suite Professional Scanner: Burp Suite Professional scanner is an advanced web application security testing tool that automates the process of identifying vulnerabilities in web applications and is a favorite among penetration testers. It employs sophisticated crawling, automated attack payloads, and customizable scanning policies to detect common web vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and more. The tool provides real-time feedback during the scan and generates comprehensive reports, making it a powerful asset for security professionals, penetration testers, and web developers to ensure the security of web applications.

Nessus Professional: The commercial version of Nessus provides advanced features and support, including compliance scanning, extensive reporting options, and more comprehensive vulnerability databases. It is widely used in enterprise environments.

Qualys Vulnerability Management: Qualys is a cloud-based vulnerability management platform that offers a range of scanning options for networks, web applications, cloud environments, and more. It provides detailed reports and integration with other security tools.

Rapid7 Nexpose: The commercial version of Nexpose offers additional features like asset discovery, remediation tracking, and advanced reporting capabilities, making it suitable for large-scale enterprise environments.

Acunetix: Acunetix is a specialized web application security scanner that can identify various web vulnerabilities like XSS, SQL injection, and more. It is popular among web application developers and security testers.

In general, open-source tools provide a cost-effective solution for smaller organizations or security enthusiasts with limited budgets. They often offer basic scanning capabilities and are suitable for scanning smaller environments. Commercial tools, on the other hand, typically come with more extensive features, dedicated support, and larger vulnerability databases, making them more suitable for larger organizations with complex IT infrastructures.

Ultimately, the choice between open-source and commercial tools depends on an organization’s specific needs, budget, and desired level of support and features. Many organizations use a combination of both types of tools to achieve a comprehensive vulnerability management program.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, time, amount of tools used, and expertise related to security scans, the price for scans can vary. At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for scans based on the options below:

Recommend price for scans-Open Source Scanning: $100-$200 depending on the amount of tools used.

Recommend time range: 1 week (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Recommend price for scan tasks-Commercial tools Scanning:

Burp Suite Pro: $300
Nessus Pro: $1000
Qualys Vulnerability Management: $400
Rapid7 Nexpose: $400
Acunetix: $2000

Recommend time range: 1 week (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Preparation and Scoping: In this phase, the scope of the penetration test is defined in collaboration with the app’s owner or development team. The tester identifies the supported platforms (e.g., iOS, Android), the app’s functionalities, and the backend services it communicates with.

Static Analysis: The penetration tester performs a static analysis of the app’s source code to identify potential security issues, such as insecure data storage, hard-coded credentials, and improper input validation.

Dynamic Analysis: The app is installed on a controlled testing environment (emulator or physical device), and the tester interacts with the app to observe its behavior. The tester may use various tools to intercept and analyze network traffic to identify potential security vulnerabilities related to data transmission.

Authentication and Authorization Testing: The tester evaluates how the app handles user authentication and authorization. This includes testing for weak authentication mechanisms, session management flaws, and access control issues.

Data Storage Assessment: The security of sensitive data stored on the mobile device (e.g., credentials, personal information) is examined for proper encryption and protection against unauthorized access.

Input Validation Testing: The app is tested for input validation vulnerabilities to prevent attacks like SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and other injection-based attacks.

Code Tampering and Reverse Engineering: The tester attempts to analyze the app’s binary code to detect any security weaknesses, such as code tampering or reverse engineering attempts.

API and Backend Testing: If the app interacts with backend services or APIs, the tester assesses the security of these communication channels to identify potential weaknesses.

Client-Side Controls Testing: The app’s client-side controls, such as anti-tampering mechanisms and secure storage are evaluated for their effectiveness in protecting the app against unauthorized modifications.

Reporting: The results of the Mobile App Penetration Testing are documented in a detailed report. The report includes a summary of identified vulnerabilities, their severity, potential impact, and recommended remediation steps.

Mobile App Penetration Testing is essential for ensuring the security of mobile applications, as these apps often handle sensitive user data and interact with backend services. By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities proactively, organizations can safeguard their mobile apps from potential cyber threats and provide a secure user experience.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, difficulty, time, and expertise of the mobile penetration tester required, the price for a penetration test can vary. The capabilities of Mobile Application Penetration Testers are similar to that of Web Application Penetration testers.

At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for penetration tests based on the options below:

Novice Mobile Application Test:

Recommended price range: $200-500
Recommended time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Intermediate Mobile Application Test:

Recommended price range: $500-2000
Recommended time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Expert Mobile Application Test:

Recommended price range: $2000-5000
Recommended time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

 

Two-Tier Thick Client Application:

Imagine you have a simple computer program that you use to manage your personal tasks and to-do lists. In a two-tier thick client application, the program’s functionality is divided into two main parts:

Frontend (Client): This is the part of the program that you interact with directly on your computer. It provides a user interface where you can add, edit, and view your tasks. When you use the program, it runs on your computer, and you can work with it even if you’re not connected to the internet. The client part handles all the tasks related to displaying the user interface and processing your interactions with the application. Backend (Server): In this case, the backend is usually a local database or file system on your computer. It stores all your task-related data, such as the task names, descriptions, due dates, etc. The backend part of the application is responsible for managing this data and making sure it’s stored securely on your computer.

So, in a two-tier thick client application, the entire program runs on your computer, and both the frontend and backend components are handled locally.

Three-Tier Thick Client Application:

Now, let’s expand on the previous example and add a new layer to the application:

Frontend (Client): This remains the same as in the two-tier application. It’s the part you directly interact with on your computer, allowing you to manage your tasks and to-do lists.

Middle Tier (Application Server): In a three-tier thick client application, we introduce a middle tier, which acts as a bridge between the frontend and the backend. The middle tier runs on a separate server, either on your local network or on the internet. Its role is to handle the business logic of the application, such as managing task data, user authentication, and processing various operations. When you interact with the frontend, the requests are sent to the middle tier, which processes them and communicates with the backend to retrieve or store data.

Backend (Database Server): This is similar to the backend in the two-tier application. The backend is a dedicated server or database system that stores all the task-related data securely. It communicates with the middle tier to retrieve or store data as needed.

In a three-tier thick client application, the frontend and middle tier communicate over the network, and the backend stores the data on a separate server. This architecture allows for more scalability and separation of concerns, making it easier to manage and maintain the application as it grows.

In summary, a two-tier thick client application has the frontend and backend running on the user’s computer, while a three-tier thick client application adds a middle tier that acts as a mediator between the frontend and the backend, running on a separate server.

The process of Thick Client Penetration Testing typically involves the following steps:

Installation and Setup: The penetration tester sets up a controlled environment with the thick client application installed on a virtual machine or a dedicated testing system. They may also use network capture tools to analyze network traffic generated by the application during its use.

Reconnaissance: The tester examines the thick client application to gather information about its functionalities, interactions with the server, communication protocols used, and other relevant details. This step may involve reverse engineering to understand how the application processes data and communicates with the server.

Traffic Analysis: The tester captures and analyzes the network traffic generated by the thick client application during various interactions with the server. This analysis helps in identifying potential security flaws, sensitive data transmission, and possible vulnerabilities related to network communications.

Static Analysis: The tester may perform static analysis of the thick client application’s executable files to identify potential vulnerabilities, such as hardcoded credentials, insecure storage of sensitive data, or other security-related issues within the application’s code.

Dynamic Analysis: The thick client application is run in a controlled environment, and the tester performs various interactions with the application to understand its behavior and identify vulnerabilities in real-time. This may include input validation testing, error handling testing, and boundary testing to discover potential weaknesses.

Memory Analysis: Memory analysis techniques are applied to the thick client application to identify potential security issues related to memory handling, such as buffer overflows or other memory-related vulnerabilities.

Privilege Escalation: The tester attempts to escalate privileges within the thick client application or the underlying operating system to assess whether unauthorized access or control can be achieved.

Data Storage Assessment: The tester examines how the thick client application stores sensitive data on the client side, looking for insecure storage practices that could expose sensitive information to potential attackers.

Reporting: The results of the Thick Client Penetration Testing are documented in a comprehensive report. The report includes identified vulnerabilities, their severity level, potential impact, and recommended remediation steps to address the issues.

Remediation and Re-testing: Once the thick client application owner or development team receives the report, they work to fix the identified vulnerabilities.

Thick Client Penetration Testing is crucial for ensuring the security of applications running on end-user machines, especially when they handle sensitive data or have privileged access to critical systems. By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities proactively, organizations can enhance the overall security posture of their thick client applications and protect against potential cyber threats.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, difficulty, time, and expertise related to thick client penetration testing, the price can vary. At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for Thick client penetration testing based on the options below:

Two-Tier Application: $500
Three-Tier Application: $1000
Recommend time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Code Analysis: Reverse engineering allows security testers to analyze the compiled binary code or machine-level instructions to understand the logic and algorithms employed by the software. By examining the code, testers can identify potential security flaws, such as buffer overflows, insecure authentication mechanisms, and other vulnerabilities that may not be apparent through traditional testing methods.

Protocol Analysis: Security testers may reverse engineer network protocols used by applications or systems to understand how data is transmitted and processed. By analyzing the protocol, testers can identify potential security weaknesses, data leakage points, and opportunities for unauthorized access.

Patching and Fixing: In some cases, reverse engineering is used to analyze patches or updates released by vendors to fix security vulnerabilities. By understanding the changes made in the updates, testers can assess the effectiveness of the patches and whether they adequately address the identified security issues.

It is important to note that reverse engineering raises ethical and legal considerations. Unauthorized reverse engineering of proprietary software or systems can violate intellectual property laws and software licensing agreements. Therefore, it is essential to obtain proper authorization and adhere to relevant legal guidelines when performing security testing through reverse engineering.

Reverse engineering is a powerful tool in the hands of security professionals, but it must be used responsibly and ethically to ensure the protection of intellectual property and to respect the rights of software and hardware vendors.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, difficulty, time, and expertise related to reverse engineering, the price can vary.

At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for reverse engineering based on the options below:

Small application: $500
Medium application: $800
Large application: $1200

Recommend time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

The OSINT Analysis process typically involves the following steps:

Data Collection: In this phase, analysts gather information from diverse open sources related to the subject of interest. They employ search engines, data aggregators, and specialized tools to collect relevant data from online and offline sources.

Data Validation: The collected information is then verified for authenticity and credibility. Analysts check the reliability of the sources and cross-reference data to ensure accuracy.

Data Processing: The gathered data is organized and processed to make it manageable for analysis. This may involve categorizing, filtering, and structuring the data in a way that facilitates the identification of meaningful patterns.

Analysis: Analysts use various methods, techniques, and tools to analyze the processed data. They look for trends, correlations, connections, and other valuable insights that can help in understanding the target better.

Link Analysis: Link analysis is a critical aspect of OSINT Analysis. It involves mapping relationships between different entities, such as individuals, organizations, websites, or events. Visualizing these connections can provide a deeper understanding of the subject.

Threat Intelligence: In cybersecurity, OSINT Analysis is often used to gather threat intelligence. Analysts monitor online forums, hacker communities, and social media platforms to identify potential cyber threats and vulnerabilities.

Reporting and Visualization: The findings of the OSINT Analysis are documented in detailed reports. Visualization techniques, such as charts, graphs, and network diagrams may be used to present the results effectively.

Decision-Making Support: OSINT Analysis provides valuable information for decision-making processes. Whether it’s making informed business decisions, assessing risks, or planning security measures, the insights gained from OSINT Analysis contribute to better-informed choices.

It’s important to note that OSINT Analysis follows ethical guidelines and legal boundaries. Analysts should only use publicly available information and avoid invading individuals’ privacy or engaging in any illegal activities during the data collection and analysis process. Overall, OSINT Analysis plays a crucial role in gathering intelligence, understanding complex situations, and providing valuable insights to support decision-making across various domains.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, time, and expertise related to OSINT Intelligence gathering and analysis, the price can vary.

At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for OSINT services based on the options below:

Small scope: $500
Medium scope: $1000
Large scope: $2000
Recommend time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

 

Planning and Scenario Creation: The organization’s cybersecurity team or third-party security experts plan and design the phishing test. They create realistic and convincing phishing email templates that mimic common phishing tactics, such as emails from banks, social media platforms, or trusted services.

Target Selection: The cybersecurity team works with the Phishing engineer and identifies the target audience for the phishing test, which usually includes a sample group of employees or users. The sample group can be selected randomly or based on specific criteria, such as job roles or departments.

Phishing Email Deployment: The simulated phishing emails are sent to the selected target audience. These emails contain deceptive elements, such as malicious links, fake login pages, or attachments that may appear to be legitimate but actually harbor potential threats.

Tracking and Monitoring: The Phishing Engineer monitors the responses and interactions of the targeted users with the phishing emails. They track the number of users who opened the email clicked on links, submitted credentials, or took other actions that could compromise security.

Analysis and Reporting: The cybersecurity team analyzes the data collected during the phishing test and prepares a comprehensive report. The report includes statistics on user behavior, the success rate of phishing attempts, areas of vulnerability, and recommendations for improving security awareness.

Improvement and Follow-up: Based on the results and findings of the phishing test, the organization takes necessary steps to strengthen its security measures and awareness training. This may include enhancing email filtering, implementing multi-factor authentication, conducting more frequent awareness training, and regularly conducting future phishing tests to track progress.

Phishing tests are essential for organizations to gauge the effectiveness of their security awareness programs and to identify potential weak points in their cybersecurity defenses. By conducting regular phishing tests and providing targeted training, organizations can empower their employees to recognize and respond appropriately to real phishing attacks, thereby mitigating the risks associated with social engineering threats.

Recommendation for pricing: Depending on the scope, time, and expertise related to phishing campaigns, the price can vary. At Hackybara, we would recommend pricing for Phishing services based on the options below:

Small scope: $300
Medium scope: $600
Large scope: $1000

Recommend time range: 1-2 weeks (not including time spent if a business requires a background check)

Businesses seeking security services or penetration testing are referred to as Requesters. Requesters can create projects by defining the scope of work, budget, and timeline for the engagement.

Cybersecurity professionals on the platform, known as Testers, can browse available projects and submit proposals for work that aligns with their expertise. Once a Requester approves a Tester, the engagement begins within the agreed scope, and the Requester securely deposits the project funds into escrow.

Upon completion, the Tester submits a structured security report through Hackybara’s secure messaging system. The Requester reviews the report to confirm that the work meets expectations and remains within scope. If approved, escrowed funds are released to the Tester and the project is closed. If concerns arise, the Requester may open a dispute, at which point the Hackybara support team reviews the engagement and determines whether a refund is issued to the requester, or funds are released to the Tester based on scope and deliverables.

To protect client confidentiality, security reports are securely removed from Hackybara systems fourteen (14) days after the engagement concludes.

Hackybara is committed to fostering a professional, transparent, and collaborative environment where businesses can address security needs confidently and security professionals can perform meaningful, authorized work.

Second, it enforces accountability on Requesters, compelling businesses claiming to seek pen-testing services to demonstrate their legitimacy and assume responsibility for their solicitations.