Insurance policy for security

Advanced IT solutions support an organization’s efficiency and are often a key element of its competitive advantage. This is especially needed when high business scalability is required.

Our insurance client works with partners from various industries – banks, financial institutions, automotive companies, telecommunications operators, retail chains and e-commerce companies, which then sell insurance products to their customers. This requires adequate IT support – a challenge for developers, who must provide solutions that meet the needs of the business – primarily in the form of appropriate logic, graphical interfaces for partners and insured parties, or communication interfaces for exchanging data with external systems.

Each of the points of contact between the application and the “outside world" is at the same time a possible point of breach of the security of information processed in the applications – in the form of a cyberattack or even a user error. The effects of such incidents can vary, but in any case they would be harmful: incorrect or inconsistent data entered into the database, data leakage or unauthorized deletion – these are just a few examples of potential risks. Possible consequences of such incidents include temporary suspension of business operations, exposure to legal liability (e.g., GDPR, KNF (Financial Supervision Authority) guidelines) or contractual liability, financial and reputational losses for the organization.

Effective mechanisms to mitigate cybersecurity risks always need to be multi-level – from appropriate policies and procedures through good practices in the development of secure applications to infrastructure protection (including Web Application Firewall). A full set of these solutions is used by the client, and All for One’s task was to independently verify, through intrusive penetration testing, whether the organizational and technical measures taken were sufficient.

As part of our cooperation with the client, the All for One Poland team carried out penetration tests of an extensive custom application used to support the insurance life cycle.

The assessment of the security of data processing in the insurance company’s application lasted several weeks. During that time we examined the system’s behavior, for example, in response to both typical and atypical user actions. We virtually played roles such as salesman, telemarketer or the insured, and we verified the application’s protection against unauthorized access.

Built with multiple web modules, various API endpoints, and file upload systems, the application required a thorough understanding and methodical approach to testing. The analysis performed covered both general security aspects, as well as specific risks related to customers’ personal data processing, financial transactions and other relevant areas from the insurance industry’s point of view.

After conducting the analysis, All for One Poland’s consultants provided a detailed and transparent report with evidence of the penetration tests, including recommendations for improvements. The client showed great determination to quickly implement the recommended changes. Additionally, we conducted consultations to improve the IT solutions in use. A follow-up re-test confirmed the successful implementation of the recommended fixes.