SIFT has released a new Intelligence Report titled ‘A Web Services Security Testing Framework‘. The framework covers the entire web services security testing process incorporating detailed threat modelling, scoping and planning methodologies tailored specifically for web services applications.

Web services are a widely touted technology that aim to provide tangible benefits to both business and IT. The increasing use of this technology in the enterprise sector for the integration of distributed systems and business critical functions dictates the need for security assurance yet there is currently no security testing methodology specifically adapted to applications that implement the technology.

Although many application security testing principles can be generically applied to web services, particular aspects of the technology such as its reliance upon XML and web services specific standards require closer attention that is not provided by other testing methodologies. Thus, a comprehensive framework for evaluating the security of web service implementations during all phases of the development cycle is required.

This paper presents a framework that covers the entire web services security testing process incorporating detailed threat modelling, scoping and planning methodologies tailored specifically for web services applications. The framework provides a structured approach to assessing the security of a web service through an application-level penetration test and aims to deliver a repeatable means for security assurance.

The paper is available for download from the the SIFT site [PDF].