A web application penetration test is a type of ethical hacking engagement designed to assess the architecture, design and configuration of web applications.

Web penetration test, or pen test, is an attempt to evaluate the security of a web application by safely trying to exploit vulnerabilities. It is important to note that these vulnerabilities may exist in operating systems, services and application flaws, improper configurations or risky end-user behavior.

The test is a comprehensive one which attempts to exploit web app vulnerabilities or misconfigurations that could lead to unauthorized access and data exposure. Web app penetration tests help determine the security design issues that are affecting an organization’s web applications. It also offers advice on how to secure an organization’s online presence and apply technical remediation to mitigate the present vulnerabilities.