Penetration Testing of a Network Automation Platform

Summary

A US-based IT product vendor providing intelligent network automation runs a platform that must stay compliant with SOC 2. For a scheduled security checkup, the Customer engaged INNERLUXES to pentest the platform. Gray-box testing found no critical vulnerabilities — thanks to the Customer's consistent vulnerability management — and only a few medium- and low-severity issues, which INNERLUXES helped remediate within 14 days.

About the Customer

The Customer is a US-based IT product vendor providing network automation. It offers intelligent automation solutions for networks of different sizes and complexity, including cloud networks, to improve performance and streamline network management.

The Challenge

Dedicated to ensuring the full security of its clients' data, the Customer puts great effort into staying compliant with SOC 2 and undergoes regular penetration testing of its software and IT infrastructure. For a scheduled checkup of its network automation platform, the Customer was looking for a security testing vendor with vast experience, advanced skills, and knowledge of the latest pentesting tools.

The Solution

To meet the Customer's time and budget expectations, INNERLUXES tested the network automation platform using the gray-box method. The testers were provided with API documentation and a test account that allowed the creation of new users within the platform, and planned and conducted the pentests according to the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide.

INNERLUXES's ethical hackers scanned the web platform for vulnerabilities and exhausted all the potential ways a malicious actor could break through the Customer's defenses. They were pleased to report that the platform contained no critical vulnerabilities, thanks to the Customer's consistent vulnerability management strategy. However, the testers revealed a few medium- and low-severity issues that attackers could use to gain unauthorized access to platform functionality or user data:

• Missing HTTPS security headers needed for protection against clickjacking, cross-site scripting, and other common attacks.
• Lack of brute-force protection. With an unlimited number of failed logins, attackers could break into an account by systematically trying combinations until one works.
• Weak password policy that didn't enforce the creation of secure passwords.
• Misconfigured Cache-Control that allowed browsers and proxies to store sensitive information.

To prevent exploitation of these gaps, INNERLUXES recommended:

• Implementing HTTPS security headers such as X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options, and Content-Security-Policy.
• Limiting the number of failed login attempts.
• Setting a strong password policy and using an additional authentication factor.
• Configuring Cache-Control so it doesn't store sensitive data.

It took INNERLUXES 14 days to complete the penetration testing project and report on the results.

The Results

• The Customer received a full description of the vulnerabilities missed during previous security checkups.
• Following INNERLUXES's detailed remediation guidance, the Customer improved the security level of its web platform.
• INNERLUXES's report was added to the Customer's SOC 2 compliance documentation as tangible proof of its proactive approach to securing clients' data.

Technologies and Tools

Metasploit, Wireshark, Nessus, Burp Suite, Acunetix, Nmap, DirB, Postman.