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How to prepare for an application security assessment
A practical checklist for scope, access and safe security testing.
A useful security assessment starts with a shared understanding of what should be investigated and how testing can be performed safely. You do not need a perfect specification, but a few decisions before the work starts can prevent delays and misunderstandings.
Define the question and boundaries
List the applications, APIs and environments you want assessed, along with their owners and the questions that matter most. Record what is excluded, including third-party systems. Confirm who can authorise testing and arrange written permission before active work begins.
Agree on methods, timing, contacts and a stop procedure. The scope should also address what happens when the team discovers an unexpected system or risk; discovery alone does not grant permission to test it.
Prepare access and context
Provide suitable test accounts for the roles being assessed, using a secure channel rather than sending passwords in a document or ticket. Discuss expiry and revocation. A simple architecture overview, API documentation and examples of important workflows can help the assessor understand the system.
Identify sensitive data and agree how it may be handled, retained and deleted. Use safe test data where possible. Discuss whether emails, payments, external integrations or changes to shared data must be avoided, simulated or cleaned up.
Agree on reporting and next steps
Decide who receives urgent findings, how to contact them and what the final report should cover. Ask for the tested scope, findings, limitations and areas that were not tested. Agree separately whether remediation support or a retest is needed; a report alone does not authorise additional work.
You can discuss your situation with us through our security audit service.
