Differences | Application security testing | Vulnerability Assessment |
Objective | The primary objective of application security testing is to evaluate the security of an application (software, web application, mobile app, etc.) to identify and address vulnerabilities and security weaknesses. It aims to ensure that the application is resistant to various types of attacks like SQLi, XSS, etc. | The objective of vulnerability assessment is to find weaknesses in an environment (such a network or system) without having to know the exact circumstances under which those weaknesses may be exploited. It gives an overview of potential vulnerabilities but does not go into detail. |
Scope | The focus is on evaluating the security of a specific software product or application. It involves examining the application's code, configuration, and behavior in order to identify and correct security problems. | This has a wider focus and usually evaluates the security of the infrastructure, network, or system as a whole. It could involve evaluating the security of different IT environment components inside a company. |
Methodology | It involves a more detailed examination of an application. Static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), and interactive application security testing (IAST) are some of the common methodologies. These involve examining code, runtime behavior, and interactions with external components of application. | It typically relies on scanning and automated tools to identify known vulnerabilities in the target system or network. It focuses on common vulnerabilities like outdated software, misconfigurations, and missing patches. |
When it is performed | It is performed during the development and testing phases of an application's lifecycle, as well as during periodic security assessments. | This can be conducted periodically to identify vulnerabilities in the broader IT environment, including network infrastructure, and to ensure the environment is secure. |
Example:-
Application Security Testing:
A company is developing a web-based e-commerce application. To ensure its security, the development team conducts application security testing using a combination of Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools.
The SAST tool examines the application's source code and identifies vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and insecure authentication mechanisms. For example, it might find that the code doesn't properly sanitize user inputs, potentially leading to SQL injection vulnerabilities.
The DAST tool tests the running application for vulnerabilities by sending various inputs and monitoring the responses. It might discover that certain API endpoints lack proper input validation, which can lead to security issues.
Vulnerability Assessment:
An organization hires a security consultant to perform a vulnerability assessment of its entire IT infrastructure, including servers, network devices, and workstations.
The consultant uses automated scanning tools to identify vulnerabilities such as outdated operating systems, unpatched software, weak passwords, and misconfigured firewall rules.
The vulnerability assessment identifies that several servers are running outdated software versions and have not received the latest security patches. It also detects that certain network devices have default login credentials that have not been changed.
https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/definition/vulnerability-assessment-vulnerability-analysis