There are more than twice as many cyberattacks today than there were just five years ago. That’s why staying on top of the latest application security threats is vital to preventing data breaches, financial loss, and damage to your reputation. You’ll also need to implement strong security practices to safeguard applications from the most common and dangerous threats.
One of the most notorious and prevalent security threats, injection attacks occur when malicious input is used to manipulate the execution of a program. SQL injection, for example, is a common type of attack where an attacker tricks a web application into executing unintended SQL queries, which could give them access to or manipulate sensitive data. These attacks can occur in several forms, such as command injection or LDAP injection, and typically exploit vulnerabilities in how an application handles untrusted data.
To protect against injection attacks, you need to ensure that user inputs are properly sanitized and validated. Developers should use parameterized queries to separate code from data, which prevents attackers from injecting malicious commands. Additionally, adopting a principle of least privilege for database access, where users only have access to the information they absolutely need, can significantly reduce the impact of a successful injection attack.
Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users, which may grant them access to cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive information. XSS attacks are especially dangerous because they can affect users without their knowledge, which makes them a common method for stealing personal data or impersonating users.
Protecting against XSS requires a multi-layered approach. First, your web applications should sanitize and validate all input fields to ensure that only safe content is processed. It’s also important to escape untrusted data before rendering it in the browser, preventing any potentially malicious code from executing. Additionally, security headers such as content security policy (CSP) can help block harmful scripts by defining which sources of content are allowed to be executed by the browser.
Tools like Dotfuscator and JSDefender also help defend against cross-site scripting by reducing your web application’s attack surface area with methods like obfuscation, decryption, and code tamper detection.
A less commonly discussed but highly dangerous application security threat is insecure deserialization. This happens when applications deserialize untrusted data, which can lead to remote code execution or other serious exploits. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that, when deserialized, result in arbitrary code being executed on the server.
To mitigate this risk, it’s important to avoid deserializing data from untrusted sources or using unsafe deserialization methods. Integrity checks should be in place to verify that serialized data has not been tampered with. Furthermore, strict validation of the types of objects being deserialized can help prevent attackers from injecting malicious code.
Broken authentication represents a significant threat, as it allows attackers to bypass login systems and gain unauthorized access to sensitive areas of an application. Common issues include weak password policies, session hijacking, or improper management of session tokens, all of which can lead to account takeovers.
To strengthen authentication mechanisms, organizations should enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA), which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification. Implementing secure session management practices, such as setting cookies with the HttpOnly and Secure flags, can also help protect session data.
As always, you should be following best practices for password policies, including complexity requirements and regular password updates, which reduce the likelihood of brute-force attacks.
Sensitive data exposure happens when applications fail to adequately protect confidential information, such as personal data, payment details, or authentication credentials. Whether due to weak encryption practices, poor storage mechanisms, or insecure communication protocols, this exposure can lead to significant financial and reputational damage for an organization.
The best defense against sensitive data exposure is encryption, both at rest and in transit. Strong encryption algorithms, such as AES-256, should be used to secure stored data, while protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) protect information during transfer over the network. You should also be following regulatory compliance standards, such as GDPR or HIPAA, to make sure sensitive data is handled appropriately and securely.
A security misconfiguration occurs when applications or servers are improperly set up and vulnerable to attacks. These misconfigurations can range from leaving default credentials unchanged to exposing unnecessary services or forgetting to apply patches.
You should regularly audit your systems so that only necessary services and features are enabled. Applying patches and updates quickly is important to closing known vulnerabilities. You’ll also need to follow the principle of least privilege to keep access to sensitive areas tightly controlled.
The inability to detect and respond to security incidents on time often stems from insufficient logging and monitoring. Without strong logging processes, suspicious activities, such as unauthorized access or data manipulation, can go unnoticed, giving attackers more time to exploit vulnerabilities and compromise systems.
To combat this, you should implement logging systems that capture important security events, such as failed login attempts and access to sensitive areas. Regularly reviewing logs and setting up real-time alert systems can also help detect unusual behavior early on. Your monitoring tools should be configured to trigger automated responses, so you can mitigate potential threats before they escalate.
PreEmptive offers a suite of tools designed to protect your business and customers from a wide range of application security threats. Security features such as code obfuscation, app hardening, and security monitoring make it significantly harder for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities within your software.
Code obfuscation tools help to prevent reverse engineering by making your code difficult to understand, even if an attacker gains access to it. This means sensitive logic and intellectual property are better protected. Meanwhile, PreEmptive’s advanced app shielding techniques protect against tampering and debugging attempts.
These tools help make sure that even if a hacker does breach the surface of your application, they’re met with significant obstacles designed to prevent further exploitation. PreEmptive also provides in-depth application monitoring and analytics, which enable your team to detect and respond to potential threats in real time.
Don’t leave your security to chance—request a free trial of PreEmptive today and learn how our solutions can protect your business from application security threats.