In 2026, quality is no longer just about “does the feature work?”

It’s also about “is this feature safe to use?”

Security incidents are no longer rare, headline-level events. They happen quietly, frequently, and often because basic security checks were missed during testing. And that’s exactly why security testing is no longer “someone else’s job.” QA engineers don’t need to become security experts but ignoring security is no longer an option.

An application that works as expected but exposes data or allows unauthorized access still fails from a quality perspective. As modern systems become more API-driven and cloud-based, basic security awareness has become an essential skill for every QA engineer.

Security testing does not mean QA engineers must become security experts. Most real-world security issues occur not because of advanced attacks, but because simple checks were missed during testing. When QA teams understand common risk areas and validate them early, many serious production incidents can be prevented.

One of the most important areas for QA engineers to focus on is authentication and authorization. Login flows are usually well tested, but access control beyond login is often assumed rather than verified. Issues such as users accessing admin APIs, sessions remaining active after logout, or request parameters being manipulated to view another user’s data are common in real projects. These problems fall under broken authorization, one of the most frequently reported risks in the OWASP Top 10. By testing not just whether users can log in, but what they can access, QA engineers help close some of the most dangerous security gaps. More information is available at https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/.

API security testing has become critical in 2026 because most application logic now lives behind APIs instead of the UI. A secure UI does not guarantee secure APIs. Attackers interact directly with endpoints, not screens, which is why QA engineers should observe how APIs behave when authentication is missing, tokens are invalid, or request data is altered. APIs should return only necessary information and enforce access rules consistently. Including these checks in API automation helps prevent security regressions as systems evolve. The OWASP API Security Top 10 offers practical guidance at https://owasp.org/www-project-api-security/.

Another common source of security risk is weak input validation and poor error handling. Applications often behave correctly with valid input but expose sensitive internal details when unexpected input is provided. QA engineers frequently discover stack traces, database names, or service information in error responses during exploratory testing. While these issues may appear minor, they provide valuable information that can be exploited in real environments. Security misconfigurations such as exposed debug logs, internal IDs, or test credentials working in shared environments are also frequently uncovered during QA cycles.

It is important to understand the boundaries of the QA role in security testing. QA engineers are not expected to perform penetration testing or identify advanced vulnerabilities. Their responsibility is to recognize obvious risks, validate access controls, and raise concerns early. This early detection significantly reduces both the cost and impact of security issues.

In 2026, effective QA engineers combine strong testing skills with a security-aware mindset. By questioning assumptions and testing beyond happy paths, QA teams help protect users, data, and trust. When security is treated as part of quality, it becomes a natural outcome of good testing rather than an afterthought.

For further learning, QA engineers can refer to the OWASP Top 10 at https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/, the OWASP API Security project at https://owasp.org/www-project-api-security/, and practical API testing resources from Postman at https://learning.postman.com/.