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OWASP Top 10 Web Vulnerabilities Explained

An in-depth breakdown of the most critical web application security risks with real-world examples and mitigation techniques.

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# About the OWASP Top 10

The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top 10 is the globally recognized standard document representing the most critical security risks to web applications.

# A01: Broken Access Control

Occurs when users can act outside of their intended permissions, such as accessing another user's account by modifying an ID parameter (IDOR) or viewing admin portals without proper authentication.

# A02: Cryptographic Failures

Previously known as Sensitive Data Exposure. Focuses on weak encryption algorithms (e.g. MD5, SHA1), unencrypted transmission of credentials, and improper key management.

# A03: Injection Flaws

Includes SQL Injection, Command Injection, LDAP Injection, and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).

# A04: Insecure Design

Flaws originating during architecture and design phases that cannot be fixed by perfect implementation alone.

# Implementing Defenses

Modern secure development requires threat modeling during sprint planning, automated SAST/DAST scanning, and comprehensive peer code reviews.