Black-box testing
Black-box testing is a method of software testing that tests the functionality of an application as opposed to its internal structures or workings (see white-box testing). Specific knowledge of the application's code/internal structure and programming knowledge in general is not required. The tester is only aware of what the software is supposed to do, but not how i.e. when he enters a certain input, he gets a certain output; without being aware of how the output was produced in the first place[1]. Test cases are built around specifications and requirements, i.e., what the application is supposed to do. It uses external descriptions of the software, including specifications, requirements, and designs to derive test cases. These tests can be functional or non-functional, though usually functional. The test designer selects valid and invalid inputs and determines the correct output. There is no knowledge of the test object's internal structure.
This method of test can be applied to all levels of software testing: unit, integration, system and acceptance. It typically comprises most if not all testing at higher levels, but can also dominate unit testing as well.
Contents |
[edit] Test design techniques
Typical black-box test design techniques include:
- Decision table testing
- All-pairs testing
- State transition tables
- Equivalence partitioning
- Boundary value analysis
[edit] Hacking
In penetration testing, black-box testing refers to a methodology where an ethical hacker has no knowledge of the system being attacked. The goal of a black-box penetration test is to simulate an external hacking or cyber warfare attack.
[edit] See also
- Acceptance testing
- Boundary testing
- Fuzzing
- Metasploit Project
- Sanity testing
- Smoke testing
- Software testing
- Stress testing
- Test automation
- Web Application Security Scanner
- White hat hacker
- White-box testing
- Grey box testing
[edit] References
- ^ Ron, Patton. Software Testing.
[edit] External links
- BCS SIGIST (British Computer Society Specialist Interest Group in Software Testing): Standard for Software Component Testing, Working Draft 3.4, 27. April 2001.
