Insecure Design
Learn about insecure application design flaws in OWASP Top Ten which require addressing design weaknesses for effective security controls.
Overview
Insecure Design is a category in the OWASP Top Ten that focuses on application design and architectural flaws that lead to increased security risks. It highlights the importance of addressing design weaknesses as they can render even the best security controls ineffective.
Description
When an application is inherently designed in an insecure way, it creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by sophisticated threat actors. These flaws cannot be adequately compensated for by implementing security controls and measures alone. To mitigate the risks associated with insecure design, it is crucial to mandate the use of threat modeling during software development.
How to Prevent ?
To prevent insecure design vulnerabilities, software development teams should incorporate threat modeling into their processes. Threat modeling involves analyzing the structure and data flow of a specific web application to identify potential technical threats. By answering the question, 'what can go wrong here?' teams can uncover vulnerabilities and design controls to prevent them. The STRIDE model is a valuable tool for brainstorming and addressing important types of application security threats.
Example Attack Scenarios:
Insecure Data Storage: An example scenario related to insecure design is the insecure data storage vulnerability. A poorly designed application may store sensitive user information, such as passwords or personal data, without proper encryption or access controls. This can lead to data breaches and compromise user privacy and security.