Our "Glass-Box" Hybrid Methodology
Our comprehensive methodology combines the attacker's "outside-in" view with the developer's "inside-out" view to create a complete security picture.
Phase 1: Black-Box Application Penetration Test (The Attacker's View)
We begin by simulating a real-world attacker with no internal knowledge of your application. Our testers manually probe every function to identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited from the outside.
Reconnaissance and Application Mapping: We manually explore every function, from user registration to complex business processes, to build a complete map of the attack surface.
Automated & Manual Vulnerability Analysis: We combine automated scanning with rigorous manual testing to find:
Authentication & Authorisation Flaws: Can a user bypass login or access another user's data?
Injection Vulnerabilities: Testing for critical flaws like SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).
Business Logic Errors: Identifying flaws in the application's logic that can be abused (e.g., manipulating prices).
Insecure Configuration: Looking for misconfigurations in the web server and application framework.
Controlled Exploitation: Where safe, we attempt to exploit high-risk vulnerabilities to demonstrate their real-world business impact, providing clear evidence for prioritisation.
Phase 2: White-Box Source Code Review (The Developer's View)
Simultaneously, we conduct an expert "white-box" review of your application's source code (up to 500,000 LoC). This allows us to find deep-seated vulnerabilities that are invisible from the outside.
Automated Static Analysis: We leverage industry-leading SAST tools (e.g., SonarQube, Checkmarx) to scan your code for a wide range of known vulnerability patterns.
Manual Code Review: Our experts manually review the codebase, focusing on high-risk areas:
Business Logic Flaws: Analysing the code's logic to find flaws automated tools miss.
Architectural Vulnerabilities: Identifying systemic issues in the application's design.
Third-Party Library Vulnerabilities: Scrutinising open-source components for known vulnerabilities.
False Positive Removal: Our security experts carefully validate every finding, eliminating "noise" and false positives to ensure your developers only receive actionable, accurate results.
Phase 3: Consolidated Reporting & Remediation
The engagement concludes with a single, comprehensive report. We correlate findings from both the black-box and white-box phases to provide a holistic view of your risk. The report is designed for both technical and management audiences, detailing each vulnerability with a clear risk rating and actionable, step-by-step guidance to fix the issues at their source.