Web Application Security Testing: OWASP Top 10 Guide

The OWASP Top 10 in Practice

The OWASP Top 10 represents the most critical web application security risks. Here's how to test for each one and what to do when you find vulnerabilities.

1. Broken Access Control

The #1 vulnerability since 2021. Test by attempting to access resources without proper authorization:

• Try accessing admin endpoints with regular user credentials
• Modify resource IDs in URLs to access other users' data
• Test API endpoints without authentication headers
• Check for privilege escalation through parameter manipulation

2. Cryptographic Failures

Previously "Sensitive Data Exposure." Check for:

• Data transmitted over HTTP instead of HTTPS
• Weak encryption algorithms (MD5, SHA1 for passwords)
• API keys or secrets hardcoded in client-side code
• Sensitive data in URL parameters (logged in server access logs)

3. Injection

SQL injection, NoSQL injection, command injection, and LDAP injection. Test by submitting:

' OR '1'='1' --
"; DROP TABLE users; --
{{7*7}} (template injection)
| ls -la (command injection)

4. Insecure Design

Architecture-level flaws that can't be fixed with better implementation. Review for missing rate limiting, inadequate input validation at the design level, and business logic flaws.

5. Security Misconfiguration

Check default credentials, unnecessary services, verbose error messages, missing security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options), and open cloud storage buckets.

Automated vs. Manual Testing

Automated scanners catch items 2, 3, 5, and parts of 1 effectively. Items 4 and business logic flaws require manual red team testing. The ideal approach combines both — automated scanning for continuous coverage, quarterly manual testing for depth.

Getting Started

Beta Security Scanning provides automated OWASP Top 10 testing with detailed remediation guidance. Start with a free assessment to understand your current vulnerability surface.