HackproofHacks
Application security

Web Application Penetration Testing

Most breaches that reach the news start in a web application, because it is the part of your business deliberately exposed to the whole internet. A web application penetration test examines that exposure the way a skilled attacker would, working through your app by hand to find the flaws that let someone read data, take over accounts, or run commands they should never be able to.

This is our core engagement, and everything else builds on it. It follows the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide and delivers a report your team can act on immediately and your customers or auditors will accept.

Why manual web testing beats a scan

Automated scanners are useful for catching known, signature-based issues, but they are blind to the flaws that cause the worst breaches. A scanner cannot tell that record 5 belongs to a different user than record 6, cannot reason about your business rules, and cannot chain three minor issues into one critical exploit. Those judgements require a human, which is the entire point of a penetration test.

The OWASP Top 10 is dominated by broken access control and injection, and both reward manual testing. Access-control flaws only appear when a tester works authenticated as different users and deliberately crosses boundaries; injection is confirmed by crafting inputs specific to your parameters, not by firing a generic payload list and hoping.

A web application test is also the flexible foundation for almost every compliance and sales need. Whether you are chasing SOC 2, answering a customer security review, or simply want to know your real exposure, this engagement produces the evidence, and it maps cleanly onto the more specific compliance-driven tests when you need them.

What we test

Broken access control

Horizontal and vertical privilege escalation, tested authenticated as multiple users, to find where one user can reach data or functions belonging to another, the number-one web risk.

Injection

SQL injection, command injection, template injection, and cross-site scripting, tested manually against your specific inputs to confirm real, exploitable flaws rather than scanner noise.

Authentication and sessions

Login, multi-factor, password reset, and session management, including fixation, token handling, and account-takeover paths.

Business logic and configuration

Workflow abuse, insecure defaults, exposed interfaces, missing security headers, and information leakage through errors and responses.

The report you receive

The report is built for engineers and stakeholders alike. It contains:

  • An executive summary in plain language for non-technical readers.
  • A methodology statement referencing the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide.
  • Each finding rated by severity with reproduction steps, impact, and specific remediation.
  • A prioritized view so your team fixes what matters most first.
  • A retest and updated clean report after remediation, at no extra charge.

Findings we commonly report in this category

Broken access control (IDOR and privilege escalation)

Users reaching data or functions outside their permissions by changing identifiers or calling endpoints the UI hides, consistently the most common serious finding.

Injection flaws

SQL or command injection that lets an attacker read the database or run commands on the server, and cross-site scripting that hijacks other users' sessions.

Authentication weaknesses

Abusable password reset, weak session handling, or missing brute-force protection that leads to account takeover.

Security misconfiguration

Exposed admin panels, verbose errors, default credentials, and missing headers that together hand an attacker easy footholds.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a scan and a penetration test?

A scan is an automated tool that flags known issues by signature. A penetration test is a person manually working through your app to find what scanners cannot: broken access control, business-logic flaws, and chained exploits. The serious findings almost always come from the manual work.

How long does a web application penetration test take?

Most single applications take one to two weeks depending on size, number of roles, and features, followed by the report. We agree the exact scope and timeline in a short scoping call.

Do you test production or staging?

Either, based on your preference and risk tolerance. Staging is common to avoid any impact, and we agree clear rules of engagement so testing is safe and controlled wherever it runs.

Will the report help with compliance?

Yes. A web application test maps onto SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR needs, and we can tailor the reporting to the specific framework you are pursuing.

Related services

Ready to scope your web application penetration testing?

Book a free 30-minute scoping call. We agree the scope, timeline, and a fixed price up front — no obligation, and no surprises for your deadline.