Definition
OWASP Top 10 is a globally recognised, regularly updated report by the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) that identifies the most critical security risks facing web applications.
It serves as a foundational resource for developers and organisations to prioritise mitigation efforts against prevalent vulnerabilities.
Key aspects of the OWASP Top 10:
Expert consensus
Compiled by security professionals worldwide, reflecting real-world data on vulnerability frequency, severity, and impact.
Dynamic updates
Revised every 2-4 years, with the 2021 edition introducing categories like insecure design and software integrity failures. Next one due 2025 with anticipated focus on emerging threats like AI/ML vulnerabilities and cloud-native risks.
Risk prioritisation
Focuses on flaws with high exploitation likelihood and business impact
Summary
While not exhaustive, the list addresses 90% of observed application vulnerabilities according to industry analyses. Enterprises adopting its recommendations reduce breach risks by 60-80%.
