Overcoming Unique Challenges in Banking Application Testing
TechsPlace | As Fintech companies rise to the occasion of fast financial services and actions, banking applications are set to go through a major overhaul in functionality and use. The use of banking applications has been done for many years. However, in this decade, with the use of fintech capabilities, these transactional apps will be at the forefront of the BFSI sector.
Every major bank and financial service company is creating its own fintech application. The audience wants to hold their financial status and information on their phones so they are always accessible. The use of fintech and banking applications is a major step towards it.
As the use of banking applications increases manifold, it becomes necessary for companies to test the banking applications so that the audience gets an efficient application for all its financial needs and wants. For testing any banking application, the company has to partner with a good application testing company. Thorough testing of an application reduces the vulnerabilities and increases the productivity of the app for the end users.
Understanding the Landscape of Banking Applications
The Complexity of Banking Systems
Let us now understand the considerations to make during the testing of complex apps such as banking applications. The banking applications need to be tested thoroughly across different layers of the architecture. A banking application needs to be taken care of throughout its complex multi-layer architecture. The multi-layered architecture of a banking application is what maintains the integrity of the app through security threats and issues. All the components of the multi-layered system need to be checked for.
A good banking application also integrates properly with third-party capabilities and APIs to offer users a feature-rich user interface. The integration of third-party systems can improve the existing features of a banking application. A well-connected and designed banking application can be of great use to the people. An integrated banking application can only be created after overcoming the challenges of banking application testing.
Security and Compliance Necessities
The security requirements for banking applications are also very stringent and need to be checked during banking application testing. The security requirements include a lot of regulations and compliance needs, along with multiple security layers across the application architecture. The banking application needs to align with the data privacy rules outlined by the government. The client-side source code needs to be protected from cyber threats from the external environment. The testing team needs to look at runtime protection and integrity of code against threats. Environmental checks are also very important for the overall functioning of the applications.
Compliance demands for the applications also need to be maintained for continued success. If the application is not compliant, it can be termed as an illegal and unethical application. The compliance demands of GDPR, SOX, and PCI DSS are necessary to create a highly useful and ethical application.
Unique Challenges in Banking Applications Face During the Testing Phase
Now that we are clear about the basic considerations to make for testing let us go in-depth into the challenges faced in core banking application testing to overcome during the testing phase. The testing phase can include the following challenges for banking applications.
Integration and Compatibility Issues
The testing phase can have major compatibility issues and integration issues in the application. The banking application needs to work fast as a whole. Problems in integration and the coordination between different components can create compatibility and performance issues that need to be addressed during the testing process.
The use of legacy systems to run modern banking applications can cause issues in testing and later performance. If the banking applications are updated, the systems on which these applications are tested and run should also be updated according to the performance requirement.
Performance and Scalability Concerns
There could be some performance and scalability concerns that come up during the testing phase. The scalability concerns can be resolved by the testing and development team. One has to consider that banking applications can have an extensive user base and handle a large number of transactions every day. To support a plethora of transactional actions from a wide audience, the application should be scalable and high-performance.
The testing team needs to work on the scalability of the banking application so that it has low downtime and can maintain its performance over a long period of time. Even when the user base expands, and the transactions increase exponentially, the application should be able to handle peak loads.
Data Security and Privacy Challenges
The data security demands need to be met for secure communication and data transfer from the application. The export and import of data and the sensitive information saved on the application should be highly encrypted so that the user can use the application without worrying about privacy breaches. The information channels and sharing options need to be checked and tested thoroughly for the privacy challenges to be minimized.
The application and its information channels should also adhere to the privacy laws outlined by the government. The laws should be upheld for the application to work ethically. The data handling features should be well protected, and the privacy of the user should not be compromised in any way.
Compliance and Regulatory Hurdles
It is important to note that the compliance and regulatory provisions are updated with time. With the use of applications, the compliance demands need to be fulfilled. The company that designs the new banking applications should be aware of the regulatory hurdles that need to be addressed. If the application is created according to the most updated regulations, the application can be deployed without any major issues.
Once the development team is clear about the compliance rules to uphold in application architecture, these compliance features need to be tested by testing professionals to ensure that the proper regulations are in place and the structure is ethically strong. The testing team can point out the compliance issues to the development team, and the gaps can be filled.
Strategic Approaches to Banking Application Testing
Developing a Comprehensive Test Plan
The testing team needs to plan a complete strategy for testing a banking application because such applications have a complex architecture and multiple security layers. With third-party integrations and a huge number of features, it is important to get the key functionalities and navigation pathways tested first.
The testing team also needs to create strategies for testing that are based on the possible risks in the application structure. The risks present and possible should be addressed in such a way that the application is completely cohesive and does not have any major vulnerabilities. The application should play to the set parameters for performance so that the users do not face any issues after the application deployment.
Automation in Testing
The testing team needs to use a lot of tools to complete the testing phase. While manual skills and instructions are needed for testing processes, professionals should use automated testing tools and applications for faster testing processes. There are many applications that help in testing. The testing tools can also be integrated into a single dashboard for proper output from the testing processes.
The use of continuous integration and delivery can ensure that the testing and development happen simultaneously. The testing team can create communication channels for feedback sharing with the development and design team. The continuous delivery system ensures that a large project is completed within a small time frame as per demands. The team can go to the next phases very fast with the CI/CD pipelines.
Security-First Testing Approach
The security testing protocols also need to be implemented very strictly to ensure that the final product is a very secure app for the users. The testing process should be detailed and test out each component of the security frameworks of the banking application.
The application should also be checked and tested regularly for any kind of vulnerability that might arise. The application should be assessed from time to time so the team can take action to maintain its performance over a long period of time.
Adoption of Cloud-Based Solutions
The testing team can also adopt cloud-based testing tools and environments to save space on the hardware systems and digitalize its workflows. The use of cloud-based solutions can also protect the testing environment to a great extent.
The cloud space should also be made safe and secure for the testing processes. The company needs to create a secure cloud testing environment. Even if the environment is procured on a SaaS model, it is important to ensure that the environment is secure and hosts all kinds of test cases.
Utilization of Big Data and Analytics
The team can also use predictive analytics and Artificial Intelligence to predict issues and vulnerabilities through data analysis. The use of big data and advanced analytics can make the work of testers easy.
The big data and data analytics insights can be used to make data-driven decisions related to testing and improvements needed in the application. Big data processes can enhance test coverage and test accuracy for the team.
Incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
The AI capabilities can be used to create AI-driven capabilities that help with AI-empowered test case generation. The test case generation can be expedited with the help of AI and predictive analytics.
Machine learning and AI capabilities can be integrated into the testing environment to increase the accuracy of anomaly detection in banking applications.
Best Practices for Effective Banking Application Testing
Emphasizing Real-World Simulation
The testing team needs to simulate real-life scenarios to do user and utility testing. The utility testing can be done through real-world simulation of transaction processes and other actions. It is important to simulate user scenarios so that the issues in usability can be filtered out.
The load and stress parameters of the application need to be tested in real conditions so that the real level of application performance is well known.
Fostering a Culture of Quality Assurance
The testing team works on the final product, but it has to cooperate and coordinate with the developers and designers. The developers, designers, testers, and project managers should be on the same page for the project to be an overall success.
The feedback loops also need to be integrated into the continuous integration and delivery channels so that the team can communicate and make improvements at a quick rate.
Keeping Up with Regulatory Changes
The testing and development team needs to stay updated about the regulations of banking applications and development. Staying updated on the application’s regulations and rules can help the testing team create test cases that align with compliance.
The testing team needs to remain proactive on the new requirements with each project so that it can revise the test cases according to the requirements and project brief. The revision of the test cases can improve the testing processes and their outputs.
Master Testing to Ensure Secure, Robust Banking Apps!
The banking applications need to be highly tested and improved through continuous feedback and delivery because the fintech applications will be used by real-life people for important transactions. The application has a real-life impact on the financial processes of the social order. The application should be high-speed and highly efficient in completing transaction processes. Professional banking solutions software testing services can support your development team and quicken the processes of application deployment in the BFSI sector.
This article is contributed by guest author on techsplace.com.
