Website Security Testing Services in UAE | Lightweight Security & Compliance Check by Testvox

Planning to launch your business website in the UAE? Before you go live, it’s crucial to ensure your site is secure, trustworthy, and aligned with basic compliance standards. This blog will guide you through how to conduct lightweight website security testing — tailored specifically for the UAE market — to catch high-level vulnerabilities and configuration issues without the complexity of full-scale penetration testing.

At Testvox, we’ve been supporting businesses across the UAE with software testing services since 2017. With our office located in Dubai Airport Freezone, we work closely with both government and private sector clients, helping them meet essential quality and security standards for their digital platforms.

Drawing on our experience, we’ve developed a lightweight security and compliance testing framework — specifically designed for business websites in the UAE. It’s fast, efficient, and ideal for early-stage or pre-launch assessments.

The purpose of this approach is to run a non-intrusive check that detects surface-level risks such as misconfigurations, weak security headers, exposed data, and privacy issues. While this doesn’t replace deep-dive penetration testing, it acts as a first layer of defence, helping UAE businesses ensure their websites meet security expectations and avoid common compliance gaps.

Key Activities in Lightweight Website Security Testing

Our lightweight website security and compliance check focuses on early detection of common security gaps without disrupting your live environment. Here’s what we cover:

🔐 SSL/TLS Certificate Validity & Configuration Review

• Verify the validity, expiry date, and trust chain of the SSL/TLS certificate.
• Check for outdated or weak TLS protocols and cipher suites.
• Validate proper HTTP to HTTPS redirection and ensure HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers are implemented to prevent downgrade attacks.
  

🛡️ OWASP Top 10 – Quick Security Scan

• Run a lightweight scan to detect high-level indicators of OWASP Top 10 risks using non-intrusive methods.
• Identify:Insecure server or app configurations,Exposed or deprecated endpoints,Input validation issues,Information leaks via headers or error messages
• Leverage a blend of automated tools and manual inspection to reduce false positives while preserving website stability.
  

🍪 Cookie Security & Tracking Policy Review

• Examine all cookies for secure flags:Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite attributes
• Audit third-party scripts, trackers, and analytics tags for privacy compliance (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
• Review cookie consent mechanisms to ensure user approval is obtained before deploying non-essential cookies — critical in the UAE’s evolving privacy environment.
  

Testvox Methodology – Website Security Testing

Our approach to website security testing is lightweight yet effective, focusing on identifying critical risks without disrupting your live environment. Here’s how Testvox ensures your website’s security posture is evaluated against global and regional standards.

1. SSL Validity and Configuration Review

Testvox begins by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the website’s SSL/TLS setup. This includes verifying the certificate’s validity, expiry date, and its full trust chain to ensure secure communications. We also assess the supported TLS versions and cipher suite configurations to confirm alignment with modern encryption standards. Our checks further include enforcing secure HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers and validating proper redirection behavior from HTTP to HTTPS. These assessments help reduce the risk of man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks and ensure users are always accessing the site through encrypted channels.

2. OWASP Top 10 Security Scan

We perform a lightweight, non-intrusive scan to uncover potential exposures to the most critical OWASP Top 10 web application security risks. This scan focuses on identifying insecure configurations, broken access controls, information disclosure through error messages or headers, and common input validation weaknesses. Our methodology combines automated vulnerability scanning tools with manual inspection where necessary, allowing us to avoid false positives while ensuring service availability is not disrupted. This step gives clients a focused view of major weaknesses without the risks associated with aggressive penetration testing.

3. Cookie and Tracking Policy Validation

Our security team analyzes all cookies set by the website to verify secure attributes like Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite are properly applied. We evaluate how cookies behave before and after user consent, particularly for non-essential tracking cookies. In addition, we assess third-party analytics scripts and marketing tools to determine compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Our review ensures consent is appropriately requested and stored, and that session data is handled securely, reducing legal and reputational risks related to user privacy.

4. Core Components Reviewed

As part of our methodology, Testvox reviews several essential components impacting the website’s security posture. These include SSL certificate status, TLS protocol strength, and cipher suite safety. We also analyze HTTP security headers like Content Security Policy (CSP), X-Content-Type-Options, X-Frame-Options, and X-XSS-Protection. Additional focus is placed on identifying exposed endpoints, outdated server banners, and other indicators of poor configuration. We assess the application against top OWASP vulnerabilities such as A01:2021 – Broken Access Control and A05:2021 – Security Misconfiguration, ensuring a well-rounded risk profile is captured.

5. Reporting and Recommendations

At the end of the assessment, we deliver a detailed report containing all findings, categorized by severity and impact. Each issue is supported with clear evidence, technical details, and actionable remediation steps. The report includes a dedicated section for SSL/TLS configuration analysis, OWASP scan results, and cookie/tracking policy evaluation. Additionally, an executive summary highlights the website’s overall security posture, key risks, and prioritized recommendations. Our reporting aligns with industry frameworks like OWASP ASVS, OWASP Top 10, and relevant privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA, offering both technical depth and managerial clarity.

Tools Used – Website Security Testing

Testvox employs a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity tools to ensure an in-depth assessment of website security. All required tools for the defined testing activities are fully owned and maintained in-house, ensuring complete control and confidentiality during engagements. For automated vulnerability scanning and analysis, we utilize industry-leading tools such as Burp Suite Professional, IBM AppScan Enterprise, and Micro Focus WebInspect. These tools allow us to identify a broad range of security risks, including OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. In addition, Testvox uses customizable reporting templates tailored to each client’s preferences, ensuring the final reports are clear, actionable, and aligned with organizational standards.

Deliverables & Duration – Website Security Testing

At the conclusion of the engagement, Testvox provides a comprehensive set of deliverables. This includes a detailed SSL/TLS Configuration Report outlining certificate validity, protocol strength, cipher suite settings, and HSTS enforcement status. A focused OWASP Top 10 Quick Scan Summary is shared, highlighting any identified risks along with severity classification and remediation suggestions. Additionally, we provide a Cookie and Tracking Policy Evaluation Report assessing cookie attributes like Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite, while reviewing tracking scripts for compliance with GDPR/CCPA guidelines. An Executive Summary consolidates the key insights, overall security posture, and prioritized recommendations for risk mitigation. The project is typically completed in 7 working days, with a dedicated Senior Security Test Engineer assigned throughout the assessment.

RELATED ARTICLES

The Hidden Costs of Neglecting Security Testing

1. What is Security testing? The surge in cyber-attacks in recent years has elevated...

20 November 2024

Top 5 Security Testing Methods Every Business Should Know

Today’s digital businesses across industries are most impacted by rampant cyber-attacks causing monetary losses...

19 December 2024

Testvox Quick Auditing: Empowering Startups with Efficient QA

What is Quick Auditing? Quick auditing is a fast and efficient method to evaluate...

23 August 2024

Pradeep K

Founder of Testvox Helping startups and SMEs deliver high-quality software products to market, with over 10 years of experience in the software testing industry. Expertise in Automation Testing, Exploratory Testing, and Performance Testing. Passionate about enabling businesses to achieve seamless and robust software solutions through innovative testing methodologies.