How security testing is important for every SaaS company

The threat of cybersecurity and poor performance of software induces the born of security testing, which is fundamental in software quality assurance for SaaS.

Significant growth of the software as a service business model (SaaS model) give rise to the distribution of software solution to their customers. KBV proposes the wealthy SaaS startups and companies, predicted to reach at least US$ 185 billion by the end of 2024. Whereby SaaS-based models refer to a fertile ground for software development companies to start selling their solutions.

Unfortunately, the SaaS company needs to adopt a rapid change in the technology industry that the business pursues all the critical requirements of customers. Accordingly, companies should find a way to attract and retain their customers. Software quality is definitely the essential source of competitive advantage that could enhance customers’ trust to survive and grow in the market. In which secured software seemingly the next trending to focus.

What is security testing in the context of SaaS development?

SaaS or Software as a Services commonly uses for software solutions, which can be displayed on several platforms with low requirements of installation and hardware acquisition. In reality, SaaS would gradually take the position of traditional software development providers to lead the market. However, due to the large groups of users, cybersecurity remains the cantered challenge that SaaS startups should defy.

SaaS testing background

Cloud computing refers to the driving force of the innovation of the SaaS platform that several platforms execute as a cloud-based service. In which, SaaS testing commonly implement after closing the software development process. In practice, time spending for SaaS testing basically depends on the specific type of software solutions.

In general, SaaS security testing is known as a part of the software quality assurance process, proving the stability, security, and functionality of the software performance.

Why security testing is necessary: 7 critical reasons behind the indispensable role of SaaS testing

SaaS Testing Methodology

As mention above, SaaS testing focus on tracking whether software work as expected. That’s why the security testing process focused on three core components, including checking the network, infrastructure, and performance.

List of SaaS testing methodology: selected parts

• Component testing: white box and black box test.
• Functional testing.
• Test the function of integrating with others.
• Test exploratory performance.
• Infrastructure testing: security testing checks the ability to detect threats and integrity.
• Connectivity testing.
• Testing the compatibility and portability of UI (User interface).
• Regression testing is extremely important in data migration.
• Performance testing in real-time deployment.
• Network security testing.
• Scalability testing: peak load behavior.
• API testing: performance, functionality, security, and documentation.
• Queries testing: payment and billing

Security testing and the risk of data breaches

As part of software quality assurance, the SaaS testing process is recently more focused on y testing coming from the threat of data breaches on the rise as the global IT concern. Since 2019, roundly 60% of IT companies have been struggling with a security attack, that they believe in the priority ladder of security testing in rescuing data leakage.

You can see the testing list above that security testing tends to be the central part of infrastructure tests. Whereby SaaS startups and companies need security testing to prevent the underlying risks, which promise to enhance the software quality, then nurture branding and customer relationship.

Why security testing is necessary for all SaaS companies?

Software quality assurance: principal in custom software development

In the Agile development framework that is applied broadly by software development companies globally, the software quality assurance testing claims as a central part of every development phase. This process is born to reveal every error that occurs in the software and how it affects the infrastructure. Generally, software quality assurance is not only testing, it describes the process of proving and improving the quality of software.

Related article: Top useful agile metrics for measuring the development process

If poor software kills the business by eliminating the reputation, focus on quality software will lead the company to success. You might see the argument is obvious, but the root of quality assurance tends to lie in consolidating long-term business strategies. By which, each software development company treat the software quality assurance process as a principal.

Businesses need application security

Cybersecurity seemingly became a realistic threat since 2018 that this year has seen several horrific data breaches, crypto-jacking, and flaws in microchips. At least 92 cases with over 7 billion customers’ records have been stolen by Jun 2020.

Experts suggest that those attacks could be prevented by a comprehensive security testing process. The fundamental purpose of a test refers to help developers detecting the vulnerability loopholes, which could be accessed by hackers. By which, the development team could instantly skill the bugs and protect the system.

Related article: dedicated development team vs. In-house developers – what is the best for enterprise software development

Undoubtedly, the leak of data causes every business voluntary with fierce competition in the market. Competitors could leverage the secret information to weaken the company performance and win the game. In practice, data currently become extremely valuable assets for businesses that no one expects to put it into others’ hand.

SaaS vendors need secure software

In general, the power of the SaaS company is expressed by the ability to adopt end to end software requirements, including delivery and maintenance applications. In which, you should show users regarding the ability against cyber risks and the health of SaaS software to protect users’ data. In this case, security testing should be put on the top priority before deploying any SaaS solution.

However, to perform properly in SaaS security testing, the dedicated development team needs to come over the challenge of users’ behavior complexity. With different purposes in using SaaS platforms, users might end up with several endpoints and locations that trouble the SaaS testing team. It requires comprehensive audits to measure how to secure the mechanism reach. Evidently, roundly 20% of users will not accept custom software development vendors unless they own a proper security level. This number will expectedly increase due to the rising volume of cyber-attack globally.

The significant of manual testing

A typical attribute of SaaS application tends to be the massive data collected from the activities of back-ends activities and users. The giant volume supports the ebullition of automation in testing. However, several practice circumstances prove the inconvertible position of manual tests, especially with SaaS testing.

From the SaaS context, security loopholes are rarely detected through automatic tests due to the act of their behavior in a certain different way as a real user. Besides, manual tests will simulate the interaction process among users and software to instantly detect hazardous vulnerabilities, which could be intercepted before it destroys the system.

Related article: Should you have a QA/BA in your development team

Final words, this article might not cover every corner of SaaS testing but providing you the idea and motivation of keen on security testing for SaaS business.