Seven Common Web App Vulnerabilities

1) Injection

Injection flaws are amongst the most common and dangerous web application vulnerabilities. This vulnerability arises when a malicious code is inserted into a web application by an attacker and subsequently executed by the application. This can lead to data theft, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and even complete system compromise. SQL injection is the most common, but other flaws exist, such as OS and XPath injection.

2) Broken Authentication and Session Management

Broken authentication and session management are other critical web application security risks. It occurs when an attacker can steal or guess user credentials, which can then be used to gain unauthorized access to the web application. This can lead to sensitive data exposure, website defacement, and even financial loss. To prevent this, web applications should implement strong password policies, multi-factor authentication, and session timeouts.

3) Security Misconfiguration

Security misconfiguration occurs when a web application is not configured securely, exposing attackers to vulnerabilities such as default passwords, open ports, or unnecessary features. This can happen when developers fail to properly configure the application server, web server, or other application stack components. Security misconfiguration can allow attackers to exploit well-known vulnerabilities, such as outdated software or default passwords, to gain unauthorized access to the system.

4) Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR)

Insecure direct object references occur when attackers can access sensitive information or functionality by manipulating parameters that reference objects directly. This can happen when the application does not correctly validate user input or exposes object references in URLs or hidden fields. Insecure direct object references can allow attackers to access or modify data they should not have access to, such as other users’ private information or administrative functions.

5) Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a web application vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This can lead to unauthorized data access, website defacement, and even complete system compromise. Different types of XSS attacks include Reflected, Stored, and DOM-based. To prevent XSS attacks, web applications must incorporate input validation, output encoding, and Content Security Policy (CSP).

6) Server-side Request Forgery (SSRF)

SSRF stands for Server-Side Request Forgery. It is a security vulnerability that allows an attacker to make requests from a vulnerable web application to arbitrary domains, including internal systems that are not publicly accessible. It can perform various attacks, such as port scanning, accessing sensitive information, and more.

7) File Inclusion

File inclusion vulnerabilities are web application vulnerabilities where attackers can execute their code by exploiting a flaw in the application’s handling of file paths or user input. This allows the attacker to read sensitive data, modify or delete files, or execute arbitrary code on the server. These vulnerabilities can be particularly dangerous if the application allows remote file inclusion, where an attacker can execute code on their server and include it on the vulnerable application.