Navigating the murky world of modern web applications can be a minefield from a cybersecurity standpoint. Many of these applications contain a labyrinth of layers, and if not designed with security in mind, they can be a breeding ground for vulnerabilities. In fact, successful web application attacks pose a serious threat, as they accounted for more than two-fifths of all data breaches (43%) in 2019 and are the single greatest cause of data breaches according to the Verizon DBIR 2020 report.
Therefore, it is essential for organizations to locate and understand any aspect that may be exploited as an entry point by an experienced hacker. In order to do this, security teams must gain a better understanding of their application architecture to reduce their overall attack surface.
The Seven Web Application Attack Vectors to Look Out For
So, how might security teams successfully map the entire attack surface of the web application and identify the attack vectors before it’s too late?
This can be broken down into three key stages, starting with application discovery. Organizations should have an inventory of what critical web apps they own and where they are most likely to be exposed. But herein lies a problem, as the number of apps and associated vulnerabilities could easily be in the thousands, especially in larger organizations where shadow IT is more prevalent. It’s vital to locate the publicly exposed web apps at a regular cadence to shed light on potential blind spots.
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