Automated testing in finance: how to meet compliance, performance and security requirements

Meeting compliance requirements for automated testing in finance is essential. The key points of this theme are numerous:

• Protect against sanctions (via PCI DSS or LCB-FT standards)
• Guarantee instant responsiveness
• Preventing cyber attacks
• Integrating CI/CD pipelines
• Ensure a responsive experience (usable on computer, mobile, but also connected watch)

In this context, automated testing plays a strategic role. Not only do they guarantee a smooth user experience, they alsoensure rigorousregulatory compliance and optimum system security.

In this article, we explore why automated testing has become a central pillar of digital transformation in finance, and how it enables industry players to design fintech solutions that are reliable, compliant and focused on user experience.

Regulatory compliance: protecting yourself from penalties

Regulations such as PSD2, RGPD, PCI DSS or LCB-FT standards have become unavoidable.

Not only do they impose technical constraints, they also require constant traceability and proof of control.

Thanks to automated testing, banks and financial institutions can systematically verify that :

• Every transaction is traceable
• Strong authentication is systematically applied
• Sensitive data is encrypted (at rest and in transit)
• Audit logs are complete and available.
  

This automation not only reduces human error, but also keeps documentation clear and up-to-date, which is very useful during audits.

Detailed reports from automated testing solutions show at a glance that standards are being complied with, reducing the risk of sanctions and boosting the confidence of regulatory authorities.

Performance tests to guarantee pinpoint responsiveness

In the banking world, every millisecond counts.

When making a transfer, checking a balance or making an online purchase, users demand an instant response. Too much latency can lead to frustration or even abandonment.

Automated testing operates on several fronts:

Load tests: these check that the system can handle a large number of simultaneous users without degrading performance. This is particularly crucial during peaks in activity such as account opening periods or salary payment days.

Performance tests Performance tests: they precisely measure the response times of the application's various functions, to guarantee a fluid user experience even under stress.

In short, these tests help to identify and correct bottlenecks, optimize databases and size servers prior to a real scale-up, so that the UX remains fluid, whatever the load.

Security testing to anticipate attacks before they happen

Sophisticated cyberattacks are targeting financial institutions with frightening precision. In fact, by 2023, 77% of financial organizations had detected at least one attack!

Automated testing allows you to :

• Automatically perform penetration tests to detect vulnerabilities
• Simulate targeted attacks to validate security protocols
• Continuously assess the integrity of encryption and the effectiveness of application firewalls.
  

Advanced tools exploit behavioral analysis mechanisms to detect patterns of intrusion or fraud, such as an unusual connection attempt or non-compliant data transfer.

Regular testing makes security a living process, capable of adapting to new threats.

CI/CD & AI: accelerating innovation without sacrificing robustness

Development cycles in finance have to be fast, but never at the expense of quality.

The integration of CI/CD pipelines (continuous integration and deployment) means that every code change can be validated in real time.

At the same time, artificial intelligence is transforming the way tests are designed and managed.

By analyzing bug histories, AI-powered tools can identify the most sensitive areas of an application, generate adapted test scenarios and automatically update scripts as the user interface evolves.

This intelligent approach enhances system stability, while providing a high degree of development agility.

This enables us to benefit from reduced time-to-market, a robust software base, and greater responsiveness to the demands of the financial sector.

Cross-platform & IoT compatibility

Financial services are no longer limited to websites or mobile applications.

They extend to a much broader ecosystem including connected watches, payment terminals, smart ATMs and IoT objects.

This expansion multiplies the points of contact with users, and therefore the scenarios to be tested.

It's essential to check that the display and interactions adapt perfectly to all screen sizes, whether it's a smartphone, tablet or smartwatch.

Synchronization between the various channels (mobile, web and IoT) must also be flawless, especially for real-time services such as payments or security alerts.

Communications between devices must also be encrypted, secure and traceable, and data must remain consistent and reliable regardless of the medium used.

Automated tests validate all these criteria. They simulate complex scenarios such as making a payment via a connected watch or receiving a notification on a smartphone, guaranteeing a fluid, secure experience, everywhere and on every device.

Reliability, auditability and customer promise 

What customers don't see (automated testing behind the scenes) makes all the difference in guaranteeing : 

• Ongoing regulatory compliance
• Consistent performance, even under pressure
• Robust security in the face of evolving threats
• Exemplary software quality, ready to evolve
  

For financial institutions, it's no longer simply a question of testing, but of promising a reliable, secure and high-performance service. Automated testing is the cornerstone of this promise.

No-code testing solutions for agile fintech testing

With no-code interfaces like MrSuricate, this technological power becomes accessible to a much wider audience.

No more time-consuming script configuration! Teams can create, adjust and run test scenarios in just a few clicks.

These platforms are quick to learn, integrate easily with existing CI/CD pipelines, generate clear, exportable reports for audits, and automatically adapt to interface changes.

With no-code testing solutions, development and QA teams can concentrate on innovation, while automated testing tools take care of reliability.

"Automation can improve test coverage, reduce test cycle times, and boost the accuracy of results, leading to faster, higher-quality production releases." - Michiel Willems for QA Financial (Source: QA Financial)

Mr Suricate - Leader in no-code test automation

In conclusion, automated testing is at the heart of a reliable, modernized development strategy in finance.

By guaranteeing the security, compliance and performance of critical applications, they enable institutions to maintain customer confidence, reduce incident-related costs, and innovate with peace of mind.

With its no-code automated testing platform, Mr Suricate supports companies in this transformation by offering them a robust, agile solution adapted to the evolving challenges of finance.