How to Secure Your Online Web Applications From Attacks in 2024

Over the past two years, numerous firms have transitioned to remote operations using cloud-based enterprise systems, compelling application security teams to adjust to new usage patterns and an increasing array of challenges.

According to The 2020 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, vulnerabilities in web applications accounted for 43% of data breaches in 2019. Remarkably, Enterprise Strategy Group research indicates that while 79% of organizations knowingly deployed code with vulnerabilities into production, they simultaneously rated their application security measures above 7 out of 10.

With data breaches costing an average of $3.86 million, it’s clear that application security is a critical concern for businesses, especially as these numbers have surged by 12% over the past five years.

Web applications, compared to other IT assets, are particularly prone to attacks due to their internet exposure. Most attacks on web applications target user inputs through web forms and machine inputs via APIs, exploiting these as primary attack vectors.

This article will delve into the vulnerabilities of web applications and outline the best practices for safeguarding them against both deliberate and inadvertent threats. Additionally, readers can access the Web Application Security Requirements Checklist for comprehensive strategies to protect their web applications.

Web Application Vulnerabilities 

Web application vulnerabilities are security flaws that allow attackers to tamper with source code, gain unauthorized entry, exfiltrate data, or disrupt the normal functioning of the application.

The OWASP Top 10 is a document that identifies the most severe security risks to web applications. Here, we’ll explore several well-known attack vectors:

1. SQL Injection: This occurs when attackers inject malicious SQL code into a database to manipulate it, potentially leading to unauthorized data exposure, table deletions, or gaining administrative privileges.
2. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): This attack targets an application’s users and can lead to account takeover, Trojan injection, or altering of webpage content to mislead users or deface the site. Stored XSS is particularly dangerous as it permanently embeds malicious code into the app. Reflected XSS, meanwhile, involves reflecting malicious scripts from the application to the user’s browser.
3. Remote File Inclusion (RFI): This involves remotely injecting files into a web server, which can result in malicious code execution, server compromise, or data theft.
4. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): This type of attack can cause unauthorized fund transfers, password changes, or data theft by exploiting a user’s active session to make the browser perform unintended actions on a logged-in site.

Mitigating these threats requires sanitizing application inputs/outputs and embracing secure coding practices. However, given the continuous evolution of web applications, security testing must be an integral part of all development stages to promptly identify and remediate vulnerabilities.

Moreover, as many web applications rely on third-party open-source components that might be vulnerable, it’s essential to regularly scan these components to ensure ongoing security.

Web Application Security Techniques and Tools

First and foremost, the foundation of application security lies within the security of the project itself. But once all processes are optimized, what’s the next step?

To understand web application security, it’s essential to consider both static and dynamic security testing methodologies. These approaches are not mutually exclusive but rather should be used in tandem for comprehensive protection.

Let’s explore some technologies that can safeguard your web applications against vulnerabilities and provide a response mechanism in case of attacks:

Static Application Security Testing (SAST): SAST tools examine your source code to identify vulnerabilities and security risks. Many web applications incorporate code scanning at various development stages, especially during new code commits and builds.

SAST operates primarily on a rule-based system. While it’s effective, it’s common for scan results to include false positives. This necessitates a thorough analysis and filtering of the results to pinpoint the actual security issues. By integrating SAST, you can proactively identify and address security weaknesses within your codebase.

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) focuses on examining deployed or active code to detect vulnerabilities. This type of testing can be executed manually or automatically through specialized tools.

In manual testing, professionals engage with the application’s API using tools such as Burp Suite, Fiddler, and Postman. Automated DAST tools, on the other hand, bombard the application code with numerous requests, incorporating both typical and malicious inputs, in search of vulnerabilities. By analyzing the application’s responses to these inputs, DAST tools pinpoint and report security weaknesses, offering a real-world assessment of an application’s resilience against attacks. This approach complements static testing by uncovering issues that only become apparent during a running state of the application.

Penetration Testing

Penetration testing is a method that marries the use of dynamic scanning tools with expert human insight to identify weaknesses in a web application’s security framework.

Penetration testers (pentesters) simulate real-world attackers by exploiting vulnerabilities, accessing systems without authorization, extracting data, and potentially disrupting services. Importantly, they operate under a contractual agreement with the application’s owner, within a predefined scope, ensuring no actual harm is done to the organization.

While more intricate and involved than SAST and DAST, penetration testing can uncover a broader range of risks, including those that automated tools might overlook. This technique offers a more nuanced and practical evaluation of an application’s security, providing valuable insights into its defensive capabilities.

Web Application Security Best Practices in 2024

Here are several essential best practices to enhance the security of your web applications:

Authentication and Access Control: Despite its apparent necessity, numerous web applications fall short in implementing fundamental access control measures. To bolster security, consider the following strategies:

1. Enforce Strong Passwords: Implement secure password recovery mechanisms, establish sensible password expiration and rotation policies, and, where possible, adopt multi-factor authentication.
2. Force Re-authentication for Sensitive Actions: Require users to re-authenticate when accessing significant features or conducting important transactions to ensure ongoing security.
3. Principle of Least Privilege (POLP): Allocate only the necessary privileges to each user based on their role in the system, minimizing the potential impact of a breach.
4. Use SSL and Encryption: Ensure all passwords and sensitive credentials are encrypted both at rest and in transit, and utilize SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) for secure communications.
5. Monitor User Accounts: Keep an eye on user activities and implement mechanisms to lock out users or prompt password changes upon detecting any suspicious behavior.

By adhering to these principles, you can significantly reduce vulnerabilities and enhance the overall security posture of your web applications

Avoid Security Misconfigurations: Security misconfigurations in your Content Management System (CMS) or web development framework can open doors to vulnerabilities. Here are critical steps to avoid these pitfalls:

1. Secure Administrator Credentials: Always use strong passwords and avoid default usernames for administrator accounts to prevent unauthorized access.
2. Protect Sensitive Files and Directories: Ensure that files and directories containing sensitive or configuration content are adequately secured and inaccessible to unauthorized users.
3. Close Unnecessary Ports: Only keep ports open that are essential for your web application’s operation, and close all others to reduce the attack surface.
4. Update Regularly: Consistently update all components, including software libraries, plugins, and the framework itself, to the latest stable versions to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
5. Scan for Vulnerabilities: Regularly scan all software packages for security vulnerabilities and address any issues promptly.
6. Stay Informed on Security News: Keep abreast of any security vulnerabilities and updates that may affect your software and infrastructure, allowing for timely remediation.
7. Use Secure Protocols: Implement and maintain secure communication and networking protocols to safeguard data in transit and at rest.
8. Maintain Digital Certificates: Regularly check and update digital certificates to ensure continued secure connections and trust.

By vigilantly monitoring and managing these aspects, you can significantly minimize the risks associated with security misconfigurations in your web applications.

To enhance the security of your web applications, adopt a multifaceted approach that includes both preventive measures and active testing. Use Static and Dynamic Application Security Testing (SAST and DAST) to identify vulnerabilities in your code and in its running state, respectively. Complement these with penetration testing for a deeper, more practical security analysis. Ensure robust authentication and access control measures, such as enforcing strong passwords, re-authentication for sensitive actions, and adhering to the Principle of Least Privilege. Regularly update and scan your systems to avoid security misconfigurations, and stay informed about new vulnerabilities and security practices. By integrating these strategies and remaining vigilant, you can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches and protect your web applications effectively. For more information about protecting your websites from cyber-attack check out Apex Solutions.