Towards Model-Based Automatic Testing of Attack Scenarios

Abstract

Model-based testing techniques play a vital role in producing quality software. However, compared to the testing of functional requirements, these techniques are not prevalent that much in testing software security. This paper presents a model-based approach to automatic testing of attack scenarios. An attack testing framework is proposed to model attack scenarios and test the system with respect to the modeled attack scenarios. The techniques adopted in the framework are applicable in general to the systems, where the potential attack scenarios can be modeled in a formalism based on extended abstract state machines. The attack events, i.e., attack test vectors chosen from the attacks happening in real-world are converted to the test driver specific events ready to be tested against the attack signatures. The proposed framework is implemented and evaluated using the most common attack scenarios. The framework is useful to test software with respect to potential attacks which can significantly reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities.