+61 3 9125 0439
  MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | BRISBANE | PERTH | CANBERRA | NEW ZEALAND  +61 3 9125 0439
  +61 3 9125 0439
  MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | BRISBANE | PERTH | CANBERRA | NEW ZEALAND  +61 3 9125 0439
Identify critical vulnerabilities before attackers do with Cyber Forte’s expert penetration testing services, helping financial services organisations strengthen security, protect customer data, and meet enterprise security assurance requirements across Australia and New Zealand.
A rapidly growing Australian financial services organisation provides a cloud-based investment and portfolio management platform used by retail and institutional investors. The platform enables customers to manage investments, view financial information, execute transactions, and access reporting services through a secure web application and supporting APIs.
As the organisation expanded its customer base and introduced new digital services, protecting sensitive financial information and maintaining customer trust became increasingly critical to business operations.
As the platform continued to grow, executive leadership sought independent validation of the security posture of their customer-facing applications, APIs, and supporting infrastructure. The organisation recognised that financial services platforms are attractive targets for cybercriminals and wanted to proactively identify vulnerabilities before they could be exploited.
While internal security controls and development practices were already in place, management required assurance that hidden weaknesses were not exposing customer data, financial transactions, or critical business systems to unnecessary risk.
Cyber Forte conducted a comprehensive penetration testing engagement designed to simulate the techniques, tactics, and procedures commonly used by real-world threat actors.
The assessment included detailed testing of:
The engagement combined automated testing techniques with extensive manual security testing to identify vulnerabilities that automated scanners alone would not detect.
Cyber Forte performed a comprehensive review of internet-facing systems to identify exposed services, application entry points, and publicly accessible assets that could be leveraged by attackers.
Testing included:
This process provided a clear understanding of the organisation’s external attack surface and potential avenues of compromise.
2. Application & API Security Testing
Cyber Forte conducted in-depth testing of application functionality, user workflows, and API endpoints to evaluate security controls protecting sensitive business processes and customer information.
Testing focused on:
This assessment identified vulnerabilities that could potentially allow unauthorised access to sensitive customer information and financial data.
3. Access Control & Privilege Validation
Cyber Forte evaluated whether users could access information or functionality beyond their authorised permissions.
Testing included:
This process ensured security boundaries between customer accounts and privileged functions were operating effectively.
4. Security Remediation & Validation
Following the assessment, Cyber Forte worked closely with the organisation’s technical teams to prioritise remediation activities based on business impact and risk severity.
Support included:
This enabled rapid resolution of critical security weaknesses while minimising operational disruption.
During the engagement, Cyber Forte identified several high-risk vulnerabilities that required immediate remediation.
Critical Finding – Broken Access Control (IDOR)
Cyber Forte identified a critical Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) vulnerability affecting customer account functionality. By manipulating application parameters, authenticated users could access information associated with other customer accounts without appropriate authorisation checks.
Potential Impact:
High Finding – API Authorisation Weaknesses
Several API endpoints lacked sufficient authorisation validation, allowing authenticated users to perform actions beyond their intended privilege level.
Potential Impact:
High Finding – Sensitive Information Disclosure
Application error handling mechanisms exposed internal system information that could assist attackers during reconnaissance and exploitation activities.
Potential Impact:
Critical vulnerabilities were identified and remediated before they could be exploited by malicious actors.
Enhanced access controls and authorisation mechanisms strengthened the protection of sensitive customer information.
Independent penetration testing provided management with confidence that security controls were operating effectively.
Demonstrating proactive security testing improved assurance for customers, partners, and stakeholders during vendor risk assessments.
Financial services organisations continue to face increasing cyber threats due to the value of the information and assets they manage. Vulnerabilities involving access control failures, insecure APIs, and information disclosure can have severe operational, regulatory, and reputational consequences if left unaddressed.
Through proactive penetration testing and security validation, organisations can identify weaknesses before attackers do, reduce cyber risk, and demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting customer information and business-critical systems.
This case study is especially relevant for organisations that:
Secure you business against evolving cyber threats with leading cyber security company in Australia.
Proactively identify your business data on the dark web and act before its too late
Cyberforte offers DFIR services in Melbourne, aiding businesses in cyber threat investigation and response.
Ensure comprehensive security with our Security Awareness services.
Cyber Forte acknowledges the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
Cyber Forte Pty Limited | ABN: 14 636 444 838
