Re: Why Security testing is required

[Rishi Pande <rpande () vt edu>]

I think the greater reason for security is not what is going to happen  
to your software(at most it may crash), but what problem the software  
you built introduces in other software or the system it is running on.
Using an example, if you build an insecure web application running on a  
*secure* box, you have introduced a way for an attacker to take over  
the system. Because a computer is nothing but a bunch of software and  
hardware operating together, the only way to assure that the entire box  
is safe is by making sure that each individual component (software or  
hardware) is safe. The main goal of software testing is to ensure that  
the component is secure, to my mind.
 Hope this helps.
                        Rishi Pande

On Feb 19, 2004, at 9:07 PM, Matt Lyon wrote:

> > > Hi List,
> >
> > As a non technical person I want to know why security testing is  
> > required
> > when all security systems like Firewall, IDS and content management  
> > are in
> > place.
> >
> > This is a very basic question but I want to know answers from  
> > different
> > users point of view like:-
> >
> > 1.      system Administrator
> > 2.      system Manager
> > 3.      User
> > 4.      CEO of the company
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > NKP
>
> Because you can't assume the infalibility of those systems. An  
> employee could introduce a hole and not know it thus leaving your  
> whole system vulnerable.
>
> IMHO the hardest part of keeping a network secure is limiting the  
> human factor.
>
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