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What are the OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities?

The OWASP Top 10 is a globally recognized awareness document for every developer and web application security professional. It reflects broad industry consensus on the most critical security risks facing web applications. Understanding and addressing these vulnerabilities enables organizations to strengthen their security posture and reduce the risk of breaches.

In our State of Software Security 2025, scanning over one million applications revealed that nearly half contained at least one security flaw listed in the OWASP Top 10. This underscores the need for secure coding practices and frequent, thorough testing.

What Is OWASP?

The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to advancing software security. OWASP offers open-source tools, resources, and community support to help developers and organizations build safer applications. One of its leading projects is the OWASP Top 10 list, which is updated periodically in response to emerging threats and research.

How Can You Apply OWASP Guidance?

OWASP does not define a compliance mandate; instead, it provides a practical framework based on its Risk Rating methodology, with clear examples for each vulnerability. By aligning software development processes with OWASP’s recommendations, developers can address common risk areas and improve application security at every stage of the SDLC.

A Guide to OWASP Top 10 Testing

Testing for vulnerabilities outlined in the OWASP Top 10 is essential for building robust applications. Effective security testing includes:

  • Integrating security from the start: Embed security controls early in your development workflows, following DevSecOps best practices.
  • Continuous code scanning: Use automated tools, such as binary static analysis (SAST), to identify flaws as code is written and integrated.
  • Pipeline automation: Automate security testing in your IDE and CI/CD pipelines to detect and remediate vulnerabilities quickly.
  • Third-party risk management: Perform Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to identify vulnerabilities in open-source and third-party components.

To deepen your understanding, read our whitepaper, Ultimate Guide to Getting Started With Application Security.

What Are OWASP’s Top 10 Vulnerabilities?

The following list summarizes the latest OWASP Top 10 risks, including risk overviews and mitigation best practices:

A01. Broken Access Control

Broken Access Control arises when restrictions on user actions aren’t consistently enforced, allowing unauthorized access to functions or data.

  • Testing: Conduct penetration testing and review for gaps in authentication or authorization logic.
  • Prevention: Apply secure coding standards, implement strong access controls, and enforce least privilege.

A02: Cryptographic Failures

Formerly “Sensitive Data Exposure,” this risk covers failures to protect sensitive information—such as outdated algorithms or improper encryption.

  • Testing: Scan for hardcoded secrets and verify that sensitive data is never exposed in logs or over insecure channels.
  • Prevention: Enforce encryption in transit and at rest with up-to-date, proven cryptographic libraries.

A03: Injection

Injection flaws occur when untrusted data is interpreted as code or commands by an interpreter (e.g., SQL, OS, or LDAP injection).

  • Testing: Use automated application security tools to detect injection vulnerabilities.
  • Prevention: Rely on parameterized queries, input validation, and proper escaping to separate data from code.

A04: Insecure Design

This risk covers inherent design weaknesses or missing security controls, which cannot be patched by post-development fixes.

  • Prevention: Conduct threat modeling before coding, use secure design patterns, and train developers on secure architecture principles.

A05: Security Misconfiguration

Often caused by insecure defaults or incomplete settings, misconfigurations leave systems open to attack. According to the Veracode State of Software Security 2023, over 70% of applications with newly discovered vulnerabilities had misconfiguration issues.

  • Prevention: Regularly harden configurations and scan all code—including IaC—for misconfigurations and weak settings.

A06: Vulnerable and Outdated Components

Applications frequently integrate open-source or third-party components. Unpatched or unsupported components introduce significant security risk.

A07: Identification and Authentication Failures

Failures in user authentication or session management can allow attackers to bypass controls or gain unauthorized access.

  • Prevention: Implement strong authentication (multi-factor where possible), protect against brute-force attacks, and securely manage sessions.

A08: Software and Data Integrity Failures

This risk relates to code or data not being protected from tampering. Examples include insecure CI/CD pipelines or using untrusted sources for updates.

  • Prevention: Secure the software supply chain by integrating automated code scanning, validating integrity of all dependencies, and following best practices for build pipeline security.

A09: Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

Insufficient monitoring and alerting delay the detection of attacks and hinder incident response and forensics.

  • Testing: Use Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) and review logs for anomalies and security-relevant events.
  • Prevention: Ensure all critical actions are logged, alerts are configured, and regular monitoring is in place.

A10: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

SSRF flaws allow attackers to trick applications into making requests to unexpected destinations, potentially accessing internal systems not exposed externally.

  • Prevention: Sanitize user input, use allowlists for remote URLs, and validate all outgoing requests.

Frequently Asked Questions about OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities

Q: Is the OWASP Top 10 a compliance standard?
A: The OWASP Top 10 is an industry-accepted benchmark, not a formal compliance standard. Many regulatory frameworks reference it as best practice for securing web applications.

Q: How often is the OWASP Top 10 list updated?
A: OWASP updates the Top 10 every three to four years. The most current list was released in 2021, reflecting recent trends and threats.

Q: What is the most common vulnerability today?
A: As of the latest update, Broken Access Control (A01) is the most prevalent and severe risk in web applications, now ranked first on the list.

For comprehensive guidance, refer to the official OWASP Top 10 documentation.