Grey Box Testing
L29
What is Gray Box Testing?
• Gray Box Testing is a technique to test the
software product or application with partial
knowledge of the internal workings of an
application.
• In this process, context specific errors that are
related to web systems are commonly
identified. It will increase the testing coverage
by concentrating on all of the layers of any
complex system.
Combination of White-box and Black-box
Gray Box Testing is a software testing method,
which is a combination of both White Box Testing
and Black Box Testing method.
• In White Box testing internal structure (code) is
known
• In Black Box testing internal structure (code) is
unknown
• In Grey Box Testing internal structure (code) is
partially known
• Gray Box Testing gives the ability to test both
sides of an application, presentation layer as
well as the code part. It is primarily useful in
Integration Testing and Penetration Testing.
Example of Gray Box Testing
While testing websites feature like links or
orphan links, if tester encounters any problem
with these links, then he can make the changes
straightaway in HTML code and can check in real
time.
Why Gray Box Testing
Gray Box Testing is performed for the following reason,
• It provides combined benefits of both black box testing
and white box testing both
• It combines the input of developers as well as testers
and improves overall product quality
• It reduces the overhead of long process of testing
functional and non-functional types
• It gives enough free time for developer to fix defects
• Testing is done from the user point of view rather than
designer point of view
Gray Box Testing Strategy
• To perform Gray box testing, it is not
necessary that the tester has the access to the
source code. Test are designed based on the
knowledge of algorithm, architectures,
internal states, or other high -level
descriptions of the program behavior.
To perform Gray box Testing
• It applies straight forward technique of black
box testing
• It is based on requirement test case
generation, as such it presets all the
conditions before the program is tested by
assertion method.
Techniques used for Grey box Testing
• Matrix Testing: This testing technique involves defining all the
variables that exist in their programs.
• Regression Testing: To check whether the change in the
previous version has regressed other aspects of the program in
the new version. It will be done by testing strategies like retest
all, retest risky use cases, retest within firewall.
• Orthogonal Array Testing or OAT: It provides maximum code
coverage with minimum test cases.
• Pattern Testing: This testing is performed on the historical data
of the previous system defects. Unlike black box testing, gray
box testing digs within the code and determines why the failure
happened
Usually, Grey box methodology uses automated
software testing tools to conduct the testing.
Stubs and module drivers are created to relieve
tester to manually generate the code.
Steps to perform Grey box Testing
• Step 1: Identify inputs
• Step 2: Identify outputs
• Step 3: Identify major paths
• Step 4: Identify Subfunctions
• Step 5: Develop inputs for Subfunctions
• Step 6: Develop outputs for Subfunctions
• Step 7: Execute test case for Subfunctions
• Step 8: Verify correct result for Subfunctions
• Step 9: Repeat steps 4 & 8 for other Subfunctions
• Step 10: Repeat steps 7 & 8 for other Subfunctions
The test cases for grey box testing may include,
GUI related, Security related, Database related,
Browser related, Operational system related,
etc.
Gray Box Testing Challenges
• When a component under test encounter a
failure of some kind may lead to abortion of
the ongoing operation
• When test executes in full but the content of
the result is incorrect.
Summary
• The overall cost of system defects can be reduced and
prevent from passing further with Grey box testing
• Grey box testing is suited more for GUI, Functional
Testing, security assessment, web applications, web-
services, etc.
• Techniques used for Grey box Testing
– Matrix Testing
– Regression Testing
– OAT or Orthogonal Array Testing
– Pattern Testing
