Open Web Application Security Project is not for profit organization that deals with the security of applications.
OWASP is the blueprint for testing the web application security controls. It is safe to say that it helps the developers to develop application that embraces the security angle proactively.
The OWASP list is made to make people understand the top ten risks for web application. It cannot be termed as a standard.
So, what is the latest OWASP ASVS Standard then?
OWASP top 10 is the bare minimum & ASVS is the next level of taking the security.
OWASP Application Security Verification Standard 4.0:
The OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) Project gives developers a list of requirements for safe development and a way to test the technical security controls of a web application.
The main goal of the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) Project is to standardize the coverage and level of rigor that are available on the market for verifying the security of Web applications using an open standard that can be used in business.
So what is ASVS aka Application Security Verification Standard?
The Application Security Verification Standard sets up three levels of security checks, and each level is more thorough than the last.
- All software should use ASVS Level 1.
- Applications with ASVS Level 2 have sensitive data that needs to be protected.
- ASVS Level 3 is for the most important applications, such as those that handle high-value transactions, store sensitive medical data, or need the highest level of trust.
So, it is extremely clear that based on what kind of software you want to build. Based on its sensitivity you can pick the ASVS levels.
Let’s see these levels:
Level 1: Baseline
Level 1 is the basic level of testing, and it covers the controls that are needed for best-practice application security. ASVS Level 1 is for low levels of assurance and can be tested for penetration in every way. Level 1 looks at 131 good practices for application security. Level 1 is only enough to protect against attacks that happen by chance.
Level 2: Standard
Level 2 is now "the recommended level for most apps" or any apps that "contain sensitive data." In short, ASVS 4.0's risk-based, best-practice method starts at Level 2, which is also where it ends. Level 2 controls are made to stop targeted attacks, and they evaluate 267 good application security practices.
Level 3: Comprehensive
The highest level of verification in ASVS is level 3. This level is usually only used for applications that need a lot of security verification, like those used in the military, health and safety, critical infrastructure, etc. It looks at 286 good ways to keep an application secure.
286 Controls and 14 Verification Topics:
- ASVS V1 Architecture
- ASVS V2 Authentication
- ASVS V3 Session Management
- ASVS V4 Access Control
- ASVS V5 Validation & Sanitization
- ASVS V6 Cryptography
- ASVS V7 Error Handling and Logging
- ASVS V8 Data Protection
- ASVS V9 Communication Security
- ASVS V10 Malicious
- ASVS V11 Business Logic
- ASVS V12 Files and Resources
- ASVS V13 API
- ASVS V14 CONFIGURATION
So, what are the top 10 Application security risks as per OWASP.
Top 10 Web Application Security Risks:
- A01:2021-Broken Access Control
- A02:2021-Cryptographic Failures
- A03:2021-Injection
- A04:2021-Insecure Design
- A05:2021-Security Misconfiguration
- A06:2021-Vulnerable and Outdated Components
- A07:2021-Identification and Authentication Failures
- A08:2021-Software and Data Integrity Failures
- A09:2021-Security Logging and Monitoring Failures
- A10:2021-Server-Side Request Forgery
The above are the latest top 10. They keep on revising based on the latest developments.
(Pic: The 2017 Vs 2021 top 10)
To summarize, we have explained what is OWASP top 10 and what is ASVS standard.
A web scanner doesn't have to just look for vulnerabilities after the fact.
When used correctly, briskinfosec can help a development team meet even the most advanced OWASP Application Security Verification Standard requirements in almost every area.
ASVS is a book while OWASP top 10 is a chapter in the book. Here at Briskinfosec, we do our test on ASVS standards, we believe in giving the entire understanding to our clients. This covers all the three levels of ASVS.
Please click the link to understand how ASVS sheet looks like & what it covers.
