Understanding the Open Web Application Security Project OWASP Top Ten for Web App Security

With the ability to execute malicious code within the vulnerable systems, the attackers were able to deploy ransomware, steal sensitive data, and perform Denial of Service (DoS) attacks against the organization’s email systems. If an application doesn’t implement strong user authentication, an attacker may be able to masquerade as a legitimate user of the system and take advantage of the access and privileges assigned to that user. This could result in data breaches, Denial of Service (DoS), and similar threats to the system. When used alongside static SCA, a DAST-first approach ensures that you’re not just reacting to aging software but actively securing your applications against the real-world threats those components can introduce. It’s the fastest, most efficient way to reduce risk and protect your application stack from vulnerabilities that matter.

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This can occur when data is not encrypted or when weak encryption algorithms are used. In this blog post, we will explore the OWASP Top 10, its relevance in today’s cybersecurity landscape, practical examples of vulnerabilities, and how organizations can protect themselves from these risks. OWASP Code Review Guide is a technical book written for those responsible for code reviews (management, developers, security professionals). Section one is the “why and how of code reviews” and section two focuses on the “types of vulnerabilities and how to identify throughout the review”.

A02:2021-Cryptographic Failures

It potentially deceives interpreters into performing commands that were not intended or allowing access to restricted information. Organizations and users need help understanding and navigating these changing risks to fight against the rising tide of cybercrimes. Download the whitepaper to discover privacy law updates in 2025 and the key developments you need to know. PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards to ensure safe processing, storage, and…

The OWASP Top 10 aims to highlight the most significant security risks for web applications based on data from various sources such as vulnerability databases, security reports, and expert assessments. Check for Broken Authentication aims to address vulnerabilities in user authentication processes and session management that can lead to a range of security risks. The traditional approach to security, where it is treated as an afterthought, is no longer sufficient. The rise of DevSecOps emphasizes the integration of security into every stage of the SDLC.

#2. Cryptographic Failures

• This includes not only embedded components and direct dependencies but indirect dependencies as well, all the way down the software supply chain.
• What helps, in this case, is using a safe database API, a database abstraction layer, or a parameterized database interface which ultimately reduces the risk of injection threats.
• This lets attackers have access to systems for a longer period of time – for weeks, sometimes months.
• The SQL-Injection vulnerability discussed above can be prevented by enabling App Protect which has around 1000+ signatures related to variety of Injection attacks.
• The CWEs on the survey will come from current trending findings, CWEs that are outside the Top Ten in data, and other potential sources.

The user is unaware of the attack because it seems as though the responses are coming directly from someinsecuresite.net. In 2017, the Equifax breach was also attributed to the use of an outdated version of the Apache Struts framework, which had a known vulnerability that was exploited by attackers. In 2017, the credit reporting agency Equifax suffered a massive data breach due to an SQL injection vulnerability.

• Cryptographic algorithms protect data from unauthorized access and malicious modification.
• This vulnerability allows attackers to access sensitive data or execute commands on internal systems.
• The OWASP Top 10 serves as a baseline for organizations to conduct risk assessments, evaluate the security status of their web applications, and prioritize their security efforts based on identified risks.
• The world’s leading organizations rely on Splunk, a Cisco company, to continuously strengthen digital resilience with our unified security and observability platform, powered by industry-leading AI.

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Ultimately, the general security situation of web applications worldwide should be improved. From expanding Qodana’s integrations with new IDEs to consolidating organizational data, many more promising new projects are in the works to help increase code quality in your team. Digital signatures or cryptographic hashes allow an application to verify that the serialized object has not been altered in any way it’s not supposed to be. To combat this, developers need to encrypt data in transit over networks and “at rest”, i.e. stored on servers and databases. Know the worst threats and where they’re lurking in your systems, with this free guide.

Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) occurs when an attacker tricks a server into making unauthorized requests to internal or external resources. Many industries are subject to strict regulatory requirements regarding data protection and security. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States impose heavy fines on organizations that fail to protect user data. The OWASP Top 10 provides a framework for organizations to meet these compliance requirements by addressing the most critical security risks. As organizations navigate an evolving and threatening digital landscape, it’s critical that we understand the potential security risks.

This can include poor architectural decisions, lack of threat modeling, or failure to consider security during the design phase. Attackers can harness offensive tactics like prompt injection, resulting in unauthorized transactions, harmful code generation, altering or leakage of sensitive data, etc. In the absence of a strict control or governance system, the AI systems can act beyond their intended scope — which may lead to compliance or security breaches. Broken access control occurs when organizations do not adequately enforce authenticated user restrictions.

As the threat landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and proactive is crucial to maintaining a secure environment. In 2020, Twitter experienced a major security breach when attackers gained access to high-profile accounts, including those of Barack Obama and Elon Musk. The attackers exploited weaknesses in Twitter’s authentication processes to take control of the accounts. If these components are outdated or contain known vulnerabilities, attackers can exploit them to compromise the application.

For example, an application could not properly validate a user’s identity or allow credential stuffing and similar attacks against authentication systems. Finding and patching every single outdated component isn’t always realistic—but fixing the ones that matter is. That’s why organizations benefit from combining SCA with dynamic application security testing (DAST). The OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities highlight the biggest risks to modern applications. Following the OWASP Top 10 and their solutions is key to reducing risks and improving your organization’s security. With Xygeni’s security solutions, you can tackle these threats and keep your software safe from attackers.

A web application that does not log failed login attempts or suspicious activity, such as multiple login attempts from different IP addresses, is vulnerable to logging and monitoring failures. Security misconfiguration occurs when security settings are not properly configured or maintained. This can include default settings, unnecessary features, or improper permissions that leave the application vulnerable to attacks. In 2021, a vulnerability in the design of the popular messaging app Signal allowed attackers to bypass the app’s authentication mechanism, potentially gaining access to users’ accounts. Cryptographic failures occur when sensitive data is not properly encrypted or when weak encryption algorithms are used. This can lead to the exposure of sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.

Let’s take a closer look at the current OWASP Top owasp top 9 Ten security risks, along with practical examples and case studies to illustrate their impact. While the Top 10 list for web app vulnerabilities is the most well-known list, OWASP also maintains Top 10 lists for other systems. For example, its API Top 10 list highlights the most common issues in web APIs, which have some overlap with the main Top 10 list.

OWASP Top 10 is a crucial resource for organizations dedicated to enhancing web application security. It outlines the most pressing security vulnerabilities in web applications, serving as a critical guide for organizations to identify and manage potential risks. The OWASP Top 10 is a standard awareness document for developers and web application security.

The OWASP Top 10 provides a starting point for evaluating security risks in web applications. Also, apply security hardening guidelines for servers, databases, and applications to eliminate unnecessary features and reduce attack surfaces. SQL Injection (SQLi) is a type of injection attack where an attacker can execute arbitrary SQL code on a database by manipulating the SQL queries made by an application.

The security log captures the attack request, identifying the type of attack which is CSRF. The request was successfully blocked, and the violations saying “CSRF attack detected” is also visible. F5 NGINX App Protect WAF has a robust set of attack signatures which are pre-bundled in default policy. The SQL-Injection vulnerability discussed above can be prevented by enabling App Protect which has around 1000+ signatures related to variety of Injection attacks. Applications and websites commonly provide a mechanism for a user who has forgotten their password to regain access to their accounts.