The security issue that killed a financial product launch

30-minute Talk

Security issues can be identified using the stock-and-trade critical thinking skills of a tester.

Timetable

11:55 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. Thursday 15th

Room

Room F3 - Track 3: Talks

Audience

Tester, Manager

Key-Learning

  • You already have the skills to find security problems
  • Critical thinking skills are perfect for locating security problems
  • Engage security assessment as part of architecture planning, not just at the end of the release

That was missed by the professional penetration testers and security 'experts'.

Some time ago I had the pleasure of taking part in a security bug hunt for a new financial product. This was a product ready to go to market, a product that had passed all penetration tests and was now being handed to a crowd of external testers for a final attempt to 'hack' the product.

Against all their confidence I was able to 'hack' that product and use funds to which I should not have had access. However, once I reported the vulnerability, I wasn't believed and I was asked to repeat the 'hack' multiple times until the 'experts' believed I was achieving what I was reporting - they simply couldn't believe that their penetration test result was wrong.

Like many security talks I will tell you all about the tool I used to perform this 'hack'; Unlike many security talks this is not a tool you can install, rent or puchase - because it's my brain, but your brain is capable of doing the same.

 

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