Are you a software developer? If so, I don’t envy you. Of all the possible positions working in and around IT, you’ve arguably got the toughest one. I’ve witnessed it over the years while performing my own security assessments as well as hearing about it…
Cross-site Scripting
One of the most common forms of Web application vulnerability is Cross-site Scripting. This security vulnerability allows attackers to implant malicious scripts into websites. The scripts will execute in the browsers of visitors to the site, within the hosting website security zone. This provides the…
The Threat of Directory Traversal Attacks
Understanding Directory Traversal One of the critical functions of a secure Web server is controlling access to restricted directories. HTTP exploit attacks circumvent Web server security and use malicious software to access the content of restricted directories. Directory Traversal is one such HTTP vulnerability. The…
OWASP Top Ten Most Critical Web Application Attacks
The Web application community is served by an organization called OWASP (the Open Web Application Security Project). OWASP is a non-profit global organization that focuses on providing information to help improve Web application security. OWASP has developed an awareness document called the OWASP Top Ten….
AJAX Application Attacks
Understanding Ajax and JavaScript Ajax is a popular technology for Web 2.0 applications. Ajax (which is shorthand for asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is not one component, but is a group of related development techniques for Web applications. At the heart of Ajax’s functionality is the…
How often should you test your web applications?
Periodic and consistent security checks – that’s the recipe for effective Web security, right? We hear this “best practice” recommendation all the time. It’s true but what exactly does it mean? How often do you really need to test your websites and web applications? Do…
How to choose a web vulnerability scanner
A must read interview for anyone who is interested in evaluating web vulnerability scanners. In this interview we discuss the process of choosing a web vulnerability scanner and underline several factors that should be taken into consideration in the decision-making process. Which is the best…
Understanding SQL Injection
SQL injection attacks are also often referred to as SQL malware. Like local and remote file inclusion attacks, an SQL injection attack inserts a malicious script into a website’s code. In this case, a web page that is using a tool like MySQL to query…
10 great ways to get hacked in the New Year
It’s that time of year for us to get inundated with all those Top 10 lists to help us achieve this, prevent that and so on. Those lists are valuable indeed, especially if you need some motivation to get your year started off on the…