OWASP Top 10 for Developers

Introduction

The OWASP Top 10 is a list of the most critical security risks to web applications. Understanding these risks is essential for developers to build secure applications as part of a DevSecOps approach.

OWASP Top 10

1. Broken Access Control

   Improperly configured access control can lead to unauthorized actions.

   Ensure proper role-based access checks are in place.

2. Cryptographic Failures

   Inadequate encryption can lead to data exposure. Use strong, up-to-date algorithms.

   const crypto = require('crypto'); // Node.js example
   const hash = crypto.createHash('sha256').update('password').digest('hex');

3. Injection

   Injection flaws allow attackers to send untrusted data to an interpreter.

   Use parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection.

4. Insecure Design

   Insecure design stems from a lack of security controls in the application architecture.

   Adopt threat modeling as part of the design process.

5. Security Misconfiguration

   Incorrect configuration of security features can leave applications vulnerable.

6. Vulnerable and Outdated Components

   Using libraries with known vulnerabilities can jeopardize your application.

   npm audit fix // Use this command to automatically fix vulnerabilities in Node.js applications.

7. Identification and Authentication Failures

   Weak authentication mechanisms can lead to unauthorized access.

8. Software and Data Integrity Failures

   Data integrity issues can arise from a lack of integrity checks.

9. Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

   Insufficient logging and monitoring can delay incident detection.

10. Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

    SSRF vulnerabilities allow attackers to induce the server to make requests.

Best Practices

• Conduct regular security assessments.
• Implement automated security testing in CI/CD pipelines.
• Educate developers about secure coding practices.
• Use security frameworks and libraries that enforce good practices.
• Keep dependencies up to date to mitigate known vulnerabilities.

FAQ