Understanding Smoke, Sanity, and Regression Testing in E2E Security Testing Quiz

Explore the essential concepts of smoke, sanity, and regression testing as they apply to end-to-end testing in security-focused environments. This quiz evaluates your grasp of testing workflows, real-world scenarios, and best practices for comprehensive E2E security verification.

1. Purpose of Smoke Testing

   Which statement best describes the primary purpose of smoke testing in the context of end-to-end security testing?

   1. To verify that the most critical security functions work after each deployment
   2. To analyze code in detail for potential vulnerabilities
   3. To validate every single user journey for all security threats
   4. To focus only on new features without considering integrations

   Explanation: Smoke testing in end-to-end security testing aims to quickly check whether the essential security functions of an application are working after code changes. This helps catch major failures early before investing time in deeper analysis. Code analysis for vulnerabilities is more aligned with static code analysis, not smoke testing. Validating every user journey is time-consuming and better fits regression testing, while ignoring integrations and focusing only on new features misses the main point of smoke testing.

2. Sanity Testing Scenario Assessment

   After fixing a high-severity issue in user authentication, what is the main focus of a sanity test in an E2E security testing workflow?

   1. To quickly check that the specific authentication fix works and has not broken related login processes
   2. To examine the entire system for hidden vulnerabilities
   3. To test every module, including those unrelated to authentication
   4. To repeat all automated tests previously run

   Explanation: Sanity testing focuses on verifying targeted changes, such as confirming that a specific fix is effective and has not adversely affected closely related areas. It's not about analyzing for hidden vulnerabilities—that is a broader security analysis. Testing every module or rerunning all tests is time-consuming and better suited for regression testing, not sanity checks.

3. Scope of Regression Testing

   In end-to-end security testing, what does a comprehensive regression test suite primarily aim to achieve after updates or bug fixes?

   1. To ensure that existing security features continue to function as intended across the application
   2. To verify only the most recent code changes
   3. To certify code quality before initial release only
   4. To check for spelling errors in security warnings

   Explanation: Regression testing makes sure that previously functioning security features still work as expected after updates or bug fixes. It's broader than just the latest code and is not limited to pre-release testing. Checking for spelling errors is a form of proofreading, not a purpose of regression testing. Limiting scope to recent code changes is closer to sanity testing.

4. Distinguishing Test Types

   When a tester runs only minimal endpoint access checks to confirm the app is ready for further security testing, which type of test are they conducting?

   1. Smoke testing
   2. Unit testing
   3. Sanity testing
   4. Integration testing

   Explanation: Minimal checks to ensure the system is stable enough for deeper testing are characteristic of smoke testing. Unit testing involves isolated pieces of code, not end-to-end checks. Sanity testing focuses on verifying specific fixes, while integration testing verifies how modules interact, not overall readiness.

5. Choosing the Correct Testing Approach

   Which testing approach is most suitable after integrating a new password policy feature, to quickly verify only that the new password restrictions work correctly?

   1. Sanity testing
   2. Regression testing
   3. Smoke testing
   4. Load testing

   Explanation: Sanity testing is best suited for confirming that a new feature or bug fix, like a password policy update, functions as intended without exhaustively checking all other system parts. Regression testing would check the entire application's existing features, which is more thorough but time-consuming. Smoke testing is broader and validates critical system paths, not just the new feature. Load testing measures performance rather than correctness.