Warning: Registry keys may be hazardous to your program's health! Registry key entries in Windows applications-visible or hidden-are often neglected by testers. A registry key entry is a program feature just like any other application function and as such needs to be validated. Michael Stahl describes why registry keys should be accorded special attention during testing and proposes a strategy for mitigating risks posed by incorrect registry key entries. He suggests a test strategy, as well as coding standards for input value and type validation, default values, regeneration, and naming rules. Michael demonstrates the use of correct and incorrect registry keys in common commercial applications.

Penetrate and Patch. That's the unspoken model that many software development teams have been following for the past several years: build it, and when a security problem is found, then scurry around to patch it. We now know that the cost of building software this way is orders of magnitude more expensive than ingraining security throughout the development lifecycle. Ady Kakrania walks through the process of building security into your development process from the design phase and continuing good software security practices post-deployment. Learn about synergistically using tools like source code scanners to find dangerous functions and structures along with post-deployment penetration testing to dramatically reduce costs and shore-up your application's security.

As a test manager, are you struggling at work with a BIG test management issue or a personnel issue? If so, this session is for you. "Testing Dialogues--Management Issues" is a unique platform for you to share with and learn from test managers who have come to STARWEST from around the world. Facilitated by Esther Derby and Elisabeth Hendrickson, this double-track session takes on management issues-career paths for test managers, hiring, firing, executive buy-in, organization structures, and process improvement. You name it! Share your expertise and experiences, learn from others’ challenges and successes, and generate new topics in real time. Discussions are structured in a framework so that participants will receive a summary of their work product after the conference.

Test process improvement is the medicine many software organizations need to heal wounds caused by today's fast-paced software development lifecycles. But project and test managers are often like stubborn children who refuse to take their medicine even when it is for their own good. How do we get them to take it so the health of the project will improve? Just add a spoonful of sugar! Dion Johnson reveals approaches he has used to gain management buy-in for improvements and the implementation steps that have worked for him. Learn about the test process improvement models that are available and some practical ways to implement them. Take away specific improvement ideas to improve the health of your test organization.