OWASP TOP 10 2017:

In the ever-evolving landscape of web application security, staying ahead of potential threats is paramount. The OWASP Top 10, a globally recognized standard, identifies the most critical web application security risks. Let’s delves into the 2017 edition of the OWASP Top 10, shedding light on the key vulnerabilities that demand attention and the proactive measures organizations can take to bolster their defenses.

3. Sensitive Data Exposure: Data breaches remain a persistent menace. Delve into the risks associated with unprotected sensitive data and explore encryption, secure storage, and transmission practices to safeguard critical information.This types of vulnerability may lead to loss for a company.

4. XML External Entities (XXE): XXE vulnerabilities can lead to information disclosure. XML parsing can become a gateway for attackers to gain system control and get RCE on the server.

5. Broken Access Control: Inadequate access controls can lead to unauthorized access and data exposure. IDOR, privilege escalation can be exploited through this vulnerabilities.

6. Security Misconfiguration: Improperly configured security settings can expose sensitive information and open avenues for attacks. This is commonly a result of insecure default configurations, incomplete or ad hoc configurations, open cloud storage, misconfigured HTTP headers, and verbose error messages containing sensitive information.

7. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): XSS vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications, compromising user data and session information. XSS allows attackers to execute scripts in the victim’s browser which can hijack user sessions, deface web sites, or redirect the user to malicious sites.

8. Insecure Deserialization: Insecure deserialization can lead to remote code execution and other serious exploits. Even if deserialization flaws do not result in remote code execution, they can be used to perform attacks, including replay attacks, injection attacks, and privilege escalation attacks.

9. Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities: Applications often rely on third-party components, and using outdated or vulnerable versions can expose vulnerabilities. Components, such as libraries, frameworks, and other software modules, run with the same privileges as the application. If a vulnerable component is exploited, such an attack can facilitate serious data loss or server takeover.

10. Insufficient Logging & Monitoring: Inadequate logging and monitoring can hinder timely detection of security incidents. Insufficient logging and monitoring, coupled with missing or ineffective integration with incident response, allows attackers to further attack systems, maintain persistence, pivot to more systems, and tamper, extract, or destroy data.

Conclusion:
Navigating the threat landscape requires a holistic approach to security. By understanding and addressing the OWASP Top 10 (2017), organizations can fortify their web applications against a myriad of potential risks. Stay vigilant, adopt secure coding practices, and continuously monitor and update your defenses to stay one step ahead of evolving security threats.