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OWASP

OWASP is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving software security. It provides free resources, tools, and methodologies for building secure web applications.

OWASP Top Ten (2024)​

The OWASP Top Ten is the most critical web application security risks. It's updated every 3-4 years and widely used as a security checklist during penetration testing and code reviews.

1. Broken Access Control​

  • Users can act outside their intended permissions
  • Examples: Unauthorized access to user accounts, admin features accessible to regular users
  • Mitigation: Implement proper authorization checks on all sensitive operations

2. Cryptographic Failures​

  • Sensitive data exposed due to lack of encryption or weak cryptography
  • Examples: Unencrypted passwords, insecure data transmission
  • Mitigation: Use strong encryption (AES, TLS 1.3+), hash passwords with bcrypt/Argon2

3. Injection​

  • Untrusted data is sent as part of commands or queries
  • Examples: SQL injection, command injection, LDAP injection
  • Mitigation: Use parameterized queries, input validation, escape special characters

4. Insecure Design​

  • Missing security controls during the design phase
  • Examples: No rate limiting, no anti-abuse mechanisms
  • Mitigation: Threat modeling, secure architectural patterns, security requirements

5. Security Misconfiguration​

  • Insecure default configurations, incomplete setups, or exposed settings
  • Examples: Debug mode enabled, default credentials, exposed sensitive files
  • Mitigation: Harden configurations, disable unnecessary features, use security headers

6. Vulnerable and Outdated Components​

  • Using libraries, frameworks, or software with known vulnerabilities
  • Examples: Outdated jQuery, vulnerable npm packages
  • Mitigation: Keep dependencies updated, use SCA tools, monitor CVE databases

7. Authentication Failures​

  • Weak or broken authentication mechanisms
  • Examples: Weak passwords, session fixation, credential stuffing
  • Mitigation: Strong password policies, MFA, secure session management

8. Software and Data Integrity Failures​

  • CI/CD pipeline, software updates, or critical data not protected against tampering
  • Examples: Unsigned updates, insecure deployment
  • Mitigation: Code signing, secure update mechanisms, integrity checks

9. Logging and Monitoring Failures​

  • Insufficient logging or monitoring of security events
  • Examples: Failed login attempts not logged, no intrusion detection
  • Mitigation: Centralized logging, real-time monitoring, alerting systems

10. Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)​

  • Web application fetches remote resources without proper validation
  • Examples: Accessing internal services, cloud metadata endpoints
  • Mitigation: Input validation, allowlisting, network segmentation

Key OWASP Resources​

Testing and Methodologies​

Development​

Tools​

Connection to Your Security Folder​

  • Penetration Testing + OWASP: Use the OWASP Top Ten as a checklist during pentests with Metasploit
  • Reconnaissance Tools + OWASP: Tools like Nikto, WPScan scan for OWASP vulnerabilities
  • Web Hacking: Understanding OWASP is essential for web application penetration testing and vulnerability research