Web Application Security

The 2021 OWASP Top 10: Keeping Your Web Applications Secure In today’s digital age, web applications have become an integral part of our lives. From online shopping to banking, we rely on these applications for various tasks. However, with the increasing dependence on web applications, the risk of cyber threats has also grown. To address these concerns, the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) releases a list of the top 10 web application vulnerabilities every 4 years. In this blog post, we will explore the 2021 OWASP Top 10. What is the OWASP Top 10? The OWASP Top 10 is a regularly updated list of the most critical web application security risks. It serves as a guide for developers, security professionals, and organizations to understand and address the vulnerabilities that attackers commonly exploit. The list is compiled based on data from various sources, including security companies, independent researchers, and real-world incidents. The 2021 edition of the OWASP Top 10 includes the following vulnerabilities: The 2017 edition of the OWASP Top 10 includes the following vulnerabilities: Understanding the Top 10 Vulnerabilities Broken Access Control – A01:2021 Broken access control vulnerabilities enable attackers to bypass authorization mechanisms. Escalate Privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or privileged functionalities within web applications. Privileges mean what a user is permitted to do. Common privileges include viewing and editing files, or modifying system files.Privilege escalation happens when a user receives privileges they are not entitled to. These privileges can be used to access private information, delete files, or install unwanted programs such as viruses. There are two (2) types of privilege escalations Vertical privilege escalation: Refers to as privilege elevation, where a lower privilege user or application accesses functions or content reserved for higher privilege users or applications (e.g. Internet Banking users can access site administrative functions or the password for a smartphone can be bypassed.) Horizontal privilege escalation: This happens when a normal user accesses functions or content reserved for other normal users (e.g. Internet Banking User A accesses the Internet bank account of User Cryptographic Failures – A02:2021 Cryptographic failures are problems or mistakes associated with using encryption or other cryptographic methods to protect information such as social security numbers, Credit card information, and more. This error usually occurs due to the developers not following the best practices. Or when security is not implemented in the development process. Sometimes, there might be hidden ways to bypass the encryption altogether, either intentionally left by the developers for some reason or accidentally overlooked. The following are some causes of Cryptographic failures Injection – A03:2021 Injection attacks happen when untrusted data is sent to an interpreter as part of a query or command. Injection vulnerabilities, such as SQL Injection and command injection, remain prevalent in web applications. Attackers exploit these vulnerabilities to execute arbitrary code or commands To bypass authentication mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. To mitigate this risk, it is crucial to sanitize and validate user input and use parameterized queries or prepared statements. Insecure Design – A04:2021 This refers to the vulnerability arising from flaws or weaknesses in the design of a web application, making it susceptible to various security threats. Insecure design can have severe consequences for web applications and their users. It can lead to loss of sensitive information, damage to reputation, data breaches, financial losses, and regulatory compliance violations. Additionally, fixing security issues stemming from insecure design can be complex and costly, requiring significant resources and effort. One of the factors that contribute to insecure design according to Owasp is a failure to determine what level of security design is required for a system being developed. The following are important to prevent these flaws Security Misconfiguration – A05:2021 Security misconfiguration occurs when an application or its components are not securely configured. Such as using default settings and opening unnecessary ports. This can lead to various security issues, such as unauthorized access to web applications, sensitive data exposure, or system compromise. To prevent security misconfigurations, it is important to perform regular security audits, follow secure configuration guidelines, disable unnecessary features, and keep software and libraries up to date. Security misconfigurations can happen in web applications and their environments, due to the following: Default configurations: Many software components come with default configurations that may not be secure for production environments. Failure to modify these defaults can leave systems vulnerable to attacks.Unnecessary services: Enabling unnecessary services or features introduces additional attack surfaces that attackers can exploit. Disabling or removing unnecessary services reduces the attack surface and minimizes potential risks. Missing security patches: Failure to apply security patches and updates in a timely manner leaves systems vulnerable to known security vulnerabilities. Regular patch management and software updates are critical to address security flaws and protect against exploitation. Weak access controls: Inadequate access controls or permissions can allow unauthorized users to access sensitive resources or perform privileged actions within the application. Implementing proper access controls based on the principle of least privilege is essential to mitigate this risk. Security misconfigurations can have serious consequences for web applications and their users, including: Data breaches: Exposure of sensitive information due to misconfigurations can lead to data breaches, compromising the confidentiality and privacy of user data. Unauthorized access: Misconfigurations may allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, administrative interfaces, or system resources. System compromise: Attackers can exploit misconfigurations to compromise the integrity and availability of web applications, leading to service disruptions or system compromise. Compliance violations: Security misconfigurations may result in non-compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards, leading to legal liabilities and financial penalties. To mitigate the risk of security misconfigurations, organizations should: Follow security best practices and hardening guidelines for configuring web applications, servers, databases, and other components.Regularly audit and review configurations to identify and remediate misconfigurations on time. Implement automation tools and configuration management practices to ensure consistent and secure configurations across the environment.Stay informed about security advisories, patches, and updates for software components and promptly apply them to