How is Security Testing Important in Healthcare Applications?

Written by: Sana Ansari| 06 May, 2020| 6 MIN READ |1444
How is Security Testing Important in Healthcare Applications?

The healthcare sector is facing several challenges for the past few years. With the ongoing pandemic affecting the global population, the need for improved healthcare technology is vital.

Talking about healthcare applications, their key purpose is to manage critical data linked to different patients and organizations associated with its services. Under this arrangement, data is stored as health records, payment information, account details, and identity particulars. This data is sensitive and requires high-end security shields for averting any mishap. Therefore, the implementation of security testing comes as a requirement related to healthcare applications.

In the recent past, security failures within the healthcare sector have led to serious damage. Such events have greatly influenced healthcare applications used in this modern era that maintain patients’ important data. Also, the rising count of cases highlighting medical identity theft has called for a firm deployment of security testing for healthcare apps.

 

Security Testing for Healthcare Apps

What is the correct security testing approach for a healthcare app? To obey a comprehensive security testing process, the primary goal is focused on a constructive app review.

  • This includes the provision for a well-detailed guideline to execute vital facets with security given the topmost priority
  • The security tester is responsible to highlight existing security features and remodel the framework for verification, data security, audit logging, and much more
  • Additionally, a calculated security testing approach involves data validation testing, configuration management testing, session management testing, business logic testing, and OWASP testing for vulnerabilities like XSS and SQL injection.

 

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Advantages of Security Testing Concerning Healthcare Apps

For creating a better understanding associated with the practicality of security testing related to healthcare applications, below mentioned are a few important actions that need not be missed.

 

  • Protecting PHI

The role of security testing within healthcare apps is centred at targeting all vulnerabilities including potential risks linked to protected health information (PHI). This action also covers decryption attempts as well as other attacks. In simple words, to ensure the healthcare applications fulfil HIPAA compliance, the overall security of PHI is essential.

 

  • Authentication of Data Storage

It is imperative to ensure that transferred data should be kept safe and similar measures need to be abided for data storage. The deployment of security testing assists in safeguarding your data storage measures. Overall, it offers an analysis of the ongoing security solution, policy-based data management, and encryption technique.

 

  • Validating Identity Management

The presence of security loopholes acts as vulnerability pointers for hackers. It is through the implementation of security testing techniques we can detect such errors, thereby, allowing the testing professionals to enhance identity validation and diminish any scope for violating patient privacy.

 

  • Approve Security Methods

What are your supreme methods to protect the healthcare application’s data? Have you implemented two-way authentication or any specific encryption algorithm? With the use of security testing, a complete assessment of your safety mechanism is carried out.

 

  • Improved Software Quality

While dealing with the healthcare domain, the use of safer software is always preferred. This includes the ability to spot bugs in the initial stages with a purpose to lessen overall cost and enhance product quality at release time.

 

  • Secure Data Transmission

A healthcare application would manage data exchange across different platforms, such as email, mobile devices, and cloud storage. Therefore, it is essential to ensure the data is properly encrypted and safeguarded from unauthorized access during the overall exchange process. It is crucial to stay watchful during transmission since data leak can cause a major blunder at such a stage. The role of security testing works as a shield and permits a safe transfer of data.

 

  • Risk Assessment

The level of risk associated with a healthcare application can be assessed well before the scheduled release. Such an action can prove advantageous to your team of tester for carrying out further diagnose and cure related vulnerabilities.

The healthcare sector has been loaded with technological aids, thereby, augmenting the need for application security testing. This blog has carefully highlighted the various positives of security testing in regard to healthcare apps. For a better understanding of this operation, you can connect with experienced professionals from quality software testing companies like ImpactQA.