Using built-in security features ensures that you don’t have to use unnecessary libraries you are not confident in or have security tested. Since all user activity is being logged, it should also be noted that user sensitive data like password and financial details should NEVER be logged. In an application, most requests are received using GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE methods. Malicious requests are those requests which contain attack vectors like SQL Injection, XSS, Unauthorized Data Access, etc. When there is public user activity or Intranet employee access, then the application should always keep track of all the activities taking place.
Just as functional requirements are the basis of any project and something we need to do before writing the first line of code, security requirements are the foundation of any secure software. In the first blog post of this series, I’ll show you how to set the stage by clearly defining the security requirements and standards of your application. You’ll learn about the OWASP ASVS project, which contains hundreds of already classified security requirements that will help you identify and set the security requirements for your own project. One of the main goals of this document is to provide concrete practical guidance that helps developers build secure software. These techniques should be applied proactively at the early stages of software development to ensure maximum effectiveness.
#2 Cryptographic failures
Data authorization should also be decided at an initial stage, like who can access, delete and modify data. ModSecurity and OWASP ModSecurity Core Rule Set Project can prove to be of great use when you want to detect and/or prevent any malicious activity. Intrusion Detection means a malicious request with an attack vector has been detected and received by the application or not. If such a request has been received, then suitable actions like logging and request drop should be performed. The queries used to conduct the database calls must be properly sanitized to prevent SQL Injection attacks.
- The OWASP Top Ten Proactive Controls describes the most important controls and control categories that every architect and developer should absolutely, 100% include in every project.
- Injection is a security vulnerability that arises when an attacker can send or “inject” malicious data into an application, resulting in unintended commands or actions.
- The attack surface is the whole combined application including software, hardware, logic, client controls, server controls.
- This document was written by developers for developers to assist those new to secure development.
The unauthorized disclosure or modification of these secrets could lead to complete system compromise. All access control failures should be logged as these may be indicative of a malicious user probing the application for vulnerabilities. A prominent OWASP project named Application Security Verification Standard—often referred to as OWASP ASVS for short—provides over owasp proactive controls two-hundred different requirements for building secure web application software. OWASP Top 10 Proactive Controls describes the most important control and control categories that every architect and developer should absolutely, 100% include in every project. The Top 10 Proactive Controls are by developers for developers to assist those new to secure development.
The Top 10 Proactive Controls¶
Critical to ensuring data accuracy, consistency, and unaltered states during its lifecycle, software and data integrity failures occur when these measures falter. Situated at number 8 in the OWASP Top 10, these failures signify tampering with data, either inadvertently due to bugs or deliberately by malicious entities. Using compromised third-party tools, even with secure application code, can create a backdoor for potential breaches. Developers must stay informed about updates, patches, and the overall security health of external components incorporated into their projects.
A primary cause for these injections is the application’s failure to validate or sanitize its inputs, leading it to treat malicious input as legitimate commands mistakenly. This vulnerability highlights the critical need for developers to ensure that their applications can correctly differentiate between code and data. As identified within the OWASP framework, cryptographic failures come via improperly implemented encryption mechanisms or outdated and weak encryption algorithms. Cryptography is the science of encoding and decoding information, ensuring that only an intended recipient can access the original data. When cryptographic measures falter, sensitive data becomes vulnerable to unauthorized access and potential breaches.