Why you should care about application security 2022
2 min
Most common threats to web applications
Applications play an important role in our lives. They facilitate communication and help us in various ways, both at work and in our day to day lives. They shape how we communicate and how we access information. Despite this, applications can also pose a security threat. Poorly coded applications with inadequate security can result in attacks and, in the worst case, data breaches. Web application attacks are lucrative targets for hackers, who are constantly looking for new ways to access, steal, and delete business and personal data.
In 2021, web application attacks increased significantly. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of malicious web application requests increased by 88 percent, which was more than double the increase in distributed denial of service attacks, which rose by 37 percent.
The OWASP, Open Web Application Security Project, publishes a list of the ten most common threats to applications. The report also outlines actions companies can take to mitigate each type of attack. The reports show a clear evolution since 2017, including the emergence of new threats.
What can you do to protect your company?
One of the main reasons web application attacks succeed is the lack of sufficient security and the absence of a security focused mindset during development. In many cases, the biggest challenge is not technical, but rather how management prioritizes security in business and product development.
However, there are several ways to improve application security.
Foster security by design
Implement a security mindset within the organization and ensure that it is embedded throughout the entire application lifecycle, from early development to deployment and post launch.
Use a Web Application Firewall
A Web Application Firewall can help prevent common attack types such as SQL injection and cross site scripting. It acts as a protective layer between your application and incoming traffic. We have previously written about what a Web Application Firewall is and how it works.
Test security regularly
To maintain a high level of security, applications must be tested continuously. This is often overlooked. Performing penetration testing is an effective way to evaluate application security and identify vulnerabilities before attackers do.
Use layered security measures
Security should be approached in layers. Protecting web applications is only one part of a broader security strategy. Organizations should also implement protection against DDoS attacks, secure their domain name system, and encrypt sensitive data using technologies such as hardware security modules.
The OWASP Cheat Sheet Series provides practical guidance and best practices for various application security topics.
If you have any questions about how to best protect your company, you can always contact Complior.