In the fast-paced and highly regulated finance industry, maintaining stringent security standards is paramount to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance. As financial organizations embrace the agile principles of DevOps to streamline their software development and deployment processes, the need for robust security testing becomes even more critical. This case study focuses on a financial organization that faced the challenge of establishing an end-to-end security testing setup for continuous compliance. To address this, Bitwise offered a comprehensive security testing solution integrated with DevOps, enabling the organization to enhance its security posture while ensuring seamless compliance throughout the software development lifecycle.

CLIENT CHALLENGES

Bitwise client sought to establish a security testing process in accordance with the mandates of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Payment Card Industry (PCI). Their overarching vision was to ensure continuous compliance while maintaining a robust feedback mechanism. The primary challenges encompassed:

• Identifying and resolving potential security vulnerabilities within their financial applications was crucial. This necessitated comprehensive security testing to mitigate risks such as unauthorized access, data breaches, and application-level attacks.
• The organization needed to protect their frontend user interfaces, middle-ware APIs, and backend databases from persistent threats.
• Staying aligned with industry standards and regulatory requirements mandated by PCI and RBI was imperative.
• The organization lacked streamlined processes to assess vulnerabilities and ensure the security of its applications and services.

BITWISE SOLUTION

Bitwise provided the financial industry client with a robust security testing process integrated with DevOps to ensure continuous compliance. The key elements of the solution included:

• Bitwise developed a comprehensive security test plan that adhered to industry standards such as OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project), PCI (Payment Card Industry), and RBI guidelines.
• We utilized tools like Sonar Cloud and Fortify on Demand (FOD) to perform SAST (Static Application Security Testing) scans.
• Our team of experts employed tools like OWASP Zap and Burp Suite for DAST scans.
• Bitwise conducted comprehensive penetration testing to assess the security of both the API and UI applications.
• Bitwise established a standardized process for conducting Security Testing Cadence, ensuring that applications and services were systematically evaluated for vulnerabilities.
• Bitwise performed vulnerability assessments on the scan reports generated by security testing tools. They diligently reported identified defects and vulnerabilities, providing clear and actionable insights for remediation. A verdict- driven sign-off process ensured that security concerns were appropriately addressed and resolved.

KEY RESULTS

• Bitwise implemented a robust security testing process focused on achieving 100% compliance for the client.
• We uncovered and tracked the resolution of critical security defects in client applications, forming the foundation for smooth DevSecOps operations.
• By delivering theft-free code, applications, and services, Bitwise generated clean reports for RBI/PCI audits. Their comprehensive security testing process, aligned with industry standards and guidelines, ensured thorough coverage of OWASP, PCI DSS, and RBI requirements.

With a meticulous approach to defect resolution, Bitwise minimized security vulnerabilities, protecting against unauthorized access and data breaches.

TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES USED