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ADVENT OF CYBER 2024

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BLOG • 5 min read



TOP 5 WEB APPLICATION SECURITY VULNERABILITIES

All types of cyber attacks are rising exponentially across the globe, but
there’s been a particular boost in targeted web attacks in the last few years.

Believe it or not, 17% of all cyber attacks target vulnerabilities in web
applications. And if that wasn't worrying enough for organisations, 98% of
typical web applications are vulnerable to these attacks. So, it's no surprise
that web application security vulnerabilities are a huge talking point among
cyber security enthusiasts!

If you're new to the cyber security world, you might be trying to learn more
about the top web application security vulnerabilities. While SQL injections,
broken access control, and authentication failures might sound unfamiliar, we’re
here to make these concepts crystal clear in just a few minutes.

It doesn’t matter whether you're an aspiring red team hacker or want to learn
more about preventing data breaches as part of an internal security team—you’re
bound to find something useful in this detailed rundown!


TOP WEB APPLICATION SECURITY VULNERABILITIES


1: BROKEN ACCESS CONTROL

Access control ensures that users can only access files and documents directly
related to their role and work. By having adequate access control in place, you
risk unauthorised intrusion on sensitive documents (and increase digital
security as a result).

If access control is implemented correctly, the chances of a data breach reduce
significantly without impacting business information silos that keep an
organisation ticking.

If you don’t have adequate measures in place, you risk the following things
happening:

·       Elevation of privilege that allows hackers to gain access to admin
accounts

·       Metadata manipulation

·       Confidential information, system data, and user data leaking

·       Unauthorised individuals making changes to system data that may disrupt
critical day-to-day activities

·       URL manipulation that gives hackers unauthorised access to sensitive
data

Most organisations implement a Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) policy to
reduce risk. This cyber security concept involves giving employees the minimum
access level possible to do their jobs. It typically prevents them from
accessing confidential information, and access can constantly be updated if
necessary.

Organisations can also determine what access rights should be granted or revoked
over time by carrying out regular access control audits. Revoking rights (where
necessary!) should reduce the organisation's overall attack surface by
minimising potential access points.


2. SQL INJECTION

An SQL injection is when cyber attackers use malicious SQL code to manipulate a
backend database and gain access to hidden information (or information that
wasn’t intended to be displayed).

The leaked information can include sensitive company data, intellectual
property, customer details, and login credentials.

THERE ARE SEVERAL COMMON TYPES OF SQL INJECTIONS, WITH THE MOST COMMON BEING:

1.     Error-based SQL injection: In these scenarios, an attacker will send SQL
queries to a database that causes it to display error messages. This process
gives the attackers more information that they can use to extract sensitive
information from the database. The best way to circumvent this type of injection
is to disable error messages once a web application has officially gone live.

2.     Inferential SQL Injection: This is often called a blind SQL injection and
involves a malicious actor sending data payloads to a database through a Boolean
Injection or a Time-Based Injection. Boolean Injections force a database or
application to send a result, while Time-Based Injections rely on waiting a set
time before a response is sent from the database.

3.    Out-of-Band Injection: This is a relatively rare version of an SQL
injection, but it’s a prime method for attacking slower servers. In these
scenarios, an attacker can’t usually use the same channel to launch an attack
and receive results. So, the extracted information is obtained through a
different connection than what they initially attacked.

Preventing SQL Injection attacks is all about filtering database inputs,
restricting code where possible, and restricting database access with
least-privilege methods. It’s also important to intervene at the initial stages
of an application’s life by checking input validation and using parameterised
queries with clear parameters that can prevent breakthroughs.


3. IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTICATION FAILURE

One of the leading web application security vulnerabilities most businesses face
is identification and authentication failure. This process involves identifying
a user uniquely and is usually done with a username and password.

Whether it’s while logging into internal systems or when a customer is trying to
access their account to purchase from an e-commerce site, identification issues
can crop up at any point.

ATTACKERS WILL USUALLY TRY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS TO ACCESS A SYSTEM AND
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AUTHENTICATION FAILURE:

·       Brute forcing their way into a system by trying a collection of password
combinations OR using automated tools to find valid credentials

·       Take advantage of weak password rules that allow users to choose
easy-to-guess passwords

·       Uncover documents that store login credentials in plain text (believe it
or not, these are often stored in system files!)

·       Finding URLs that contain session IDs

·       Social media account squatting to mimic a genuine account

To tackle identification and authentication failure, businesses need to consider
setting up anti-automation controls, multi-factor authentication, and adequate
security training for internal employees.

Enforcing an excellent password policy is also critical, as a staggering 73% of
users have the same password for multiple sites.


4. CRYPTOGRAPHIC FAILURES

Cryptography is the process of hiding or disguising coded data to ensure that
only those who are meant to see the code can decipher it. Encrypting data
scrambles any cleartext into ciphertext, which should appear unreadable to
anyone without a key. So, sensitive data remains locked down.

HOWEVER, MANY ORGANISATIONS CAN EXPERIENCE CRYPTOGRAPHIC FAILURES IF ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING THINGS OCCUR:

·       Employees send data in clear text and use HTTP to access web
applications. In case you weren't aware, HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP
(anyone can read what’s sent over an insecure HTTP connection!)

·       Data is protected with weak encryption or isn’t masked during transit

·       Businesses rely on a weak cryptographic algorithm that is easy to break
in the event of a hack

·       There’s insecure password management

While cryptographic failures are worrying, you can mitigate them. It's a great
idea to use excellent encryption keys and convert any plain text passwords into
cipher text.

However, organisations should also ensure web application developers follow
secure coding practices and conduct regular penetration testing. By
understanding the weaknesses in a cryptographic approach, businesses can
prioritise fixes and patch vulnerabilities in record time.


5. CROSS-SITE SCRIPTING

Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks are becoming more common. They involve
injecting malicious scripts into trusted websites. By doing this, attackers
attach code that loads instead of what’s intended. Attackers usually craft a
link encouraging a user to click, but a script can also force-post your cookies
directly to the cyber criminal.

This is one of the web application security vulnerabilities that happens when
HTML tags return to a client. And it’s a huge issue, as the infected JavaScript
that comes with cross-site scripting puts a user’s information seriously at
risk.

Not only can this technique be used to seize login credentials, but it can also
uncover private information like credit card details (all without the site owner
knowing a breach has occurred!). In addition, malicious JavaScript can read and
modify browsers, gain access to webcams and microphones, and even impersonate
users by accessing cookies. So, it can be a huge issue!

TO PREVENT MALICIOUS ACTORS FROM DOING THIS TO A WEBSITE, YOU’LL NEED TO DO THE
FOLLOWING THINGS:

·       Use Burp Suite to scan websites for security vulnerabilities

·       Encode all data on output

·       Validate any input that comes through

·       Train and maintain awareness among staff to make sure no one clicks any
suspicious links

·       Creating headers within HTML documents to prevent scripts from loading
on alternative domains


WANT TO LEARN MORE?

And there we have it! A detailed rundown of the top web application security
vulnerabilities you need to know.

We understand that approaching web application security for the first time can
feel overwhelming. From successfully attacking and exploiting applications to
taking a more defensive approach, there's a lot to take in for any aspiring
cyber security professional.

If you haven’t already, check out our new Web Application Pentesting learning
path! Learn about the various vulnerabilities that can exist in web application,
how to perform security assessments of web applications, and dive into:

 * Authentication Attacks
 * Injection Attacks
 * Advanced Server-Side Attacks
 * Advance Client-Side Attacks
 * HTTP Request Smuggling



Launch Web App Pentesting path!
Ellie Gillard
Nov 20 2024



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