PENETRATION TESTING GUIDE FOR AI-GENERATED APPS | VIBEEVAL

Why Manual Testing Matters

AI-generated code often contains logic flaws and business logic vulnerabilities that automated scanners miss. Manual penetration testing is essential for finding complex security issues before attackers do.

Penetration Testing Checklist

Follow these 12 steps to perform a thorough penetration test. Items marked as critical should be tested before launch.

Reconnaissance and scoping

Define testing boundaries, gather information about your application architecture, and identify all entry points.

Authentication testing

Test login mechanisms, password reset flows, session management, and multi-factor authentication if implemented.

Authorization testing

Verify that users can only access resources they are authorized to view. Test for privilege escalation vulnerabilities.

Input validation testing

Test all input fields for SQL injection, XSS, command injection, and other injection vulnerabilities.

API endpoint testing

Test REST/GraphQL endpoints for authentication bypass, rate limiting, and data exposure issues.

Session management testing

Test session token generation, expiration, and secure transmission of session identifiers.

File upload testing

Test file upload functionality for malicious file uploads, path traversal, and unrestricted file types.

Business logic testing

Test application-specific logic for flaws that could lead to unauthorized actions or data manipulation.

Client-side security testing

Test for sensitive data exposure in client-side code, insecure API keys, and client-side validation bypass.

Error handling testing

Verify that error messages do not expose sensitive information like stack traces or database details.

Rate limiting testing

Test API endpoints and authentication mechanisms for rate limiting to prevent brute force attacks.

Documentation and reporting

Document all findings with severity ratings, reproduction steps, and remediation recommendations.

Common Vulnerabilities to Test For

Broken Authentication

Weak password policies, insecure session tokens, or missing MFA can lead to account takeover.

Injection Flaws

SQL injection, NoSQL injection, or command injection from unvalidated user inputs.

Sensitive Data Exposure

API keys, tokens, or user data exposed in client-side code or API responses.

Security Misconfiguration

Default credentials, verbose error messages, or improperly configured security headers.

Related Resources

Vulnerability Scanner Comparison

Compare automated scanning tools for AI-generated apps

API Security Testing

Deep dive into testing REST and GraphQL endpoints

Security Audit Checklist

Comprehensive pre-launch security audit framework

Common Security Flaws

Most common vulnerabilities in AI-generated code

Automate Your Security Testing

While manual penetration testing is crucial, automated scans can catch common vulnerabilities quickly. Run VibeEval on your app to complement your manual testing efforts.