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What Is the OWASP Top 10?

OWASP is the Open Web Application Security Project. It is aimed to provide secure web application programming.

This non-profit organization lists the top 10 most critical cyber threats. They also revise the list based on current industry and technology trends and attack patterns.

The 2025 version has two new categories and some modifications. For example, Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) now comes under Broken Access Control. Similarly, “Vulnerable and Outdated Components” combines with the newly added Software Supply Chain Failures category.

Developers can utilize this list as an awareness guide and plan a secure pathway for web application development. It helps identify common security weaknesses during development.

For security teams, it provides a framework for assessing applications. For business and IT leaders, it helps explain where application security investments may be needed.

It’s a security roadmap, not the entire security program.

Why Is the OWASP Top 10 Essential for Enterprise Security?

The OWASP Top 10 guides businesses on a real-world pathway to create secure web applications. It enables security teams, developers, and IT leaders to detect loopholes. By exploring these threats as a foundation, enterprises can plan configuration, testing, deployment, and monitoring. They can also take defensive measures before vulnerabilities cause any loss.

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OWASP Top 10 Risks Mitigation with Real-World Examples

A01: Broken Access Control

Access control specifies user activities. It decides what a particular user is authorized to do. Broken access control means the application is unable to adequately execute those authorization rules.

Example:

Imagine an online banking application where a customer’s account URL looks like: /account/1001

Now, by changing the number to /account/1002, the customer views someone else’s account. It means the application has failed to properly enforce access permissions.

The consequences can include unauthorized data access and manipulation or actions performed outside a user’s privileges.

OWASP’s 2025 data revealed that 100% of applications have weak access control even after standard testing.

How to mitigate it:

• Execute server-side permission requirements.
• Enforce the principle of least privilege.
• Check permissions for every sensitive action.
• Do not rely only on hidden URLs or interface controls.
• Test access controls regularly.

A WAF can provide an additional layer against certain malicious requests. But it cannot replace application-level authorization. However, technologies such as Akamai Guardicore protect internal and external traffic through a Zero Trust solution.

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A02: Security Misconfiguration

Applications depend on many settings across servers, cloud platforms, databases, APIs, and security tools. A mistake in one of these settings can create an opening for attackers.

Example:

An application accidentally leaves an administrative interface publicly accessible or displays detailed error messages containing internal system information.

How to mitigate it:

• Remove unnecessary services and features.
• Change default credentials.
• Keep security settings consistent across environments.
• Review cloud and application configurations regularly.
• Avoid exposing sensitive error information.

A WAF safeguards an application against suspicious traffic. However, it cannot fix the flaws in the underlying configuration.

A03: Software Supply Chain Failures

Developers these days use multiple open-source sites to generate code. Besides, an application also relies on APIs and cloud services. So, there are plenty of weak points that hackers can exploit.

Example:

A company uses a third-party software service. That package is compromised, and malicious code eventually reaches the company’s application.

How to mitigate it:

• Maintain an inventory of software dependencies.
• Monitor third-party components.
• Protect CI/CD channels.
• Verify software packages and updates.
• Use software composition analysis.

The 2025 OWASP edition expanded the previous “Vulnerable and Outdated Components” concept into Software Supply Chain Failures. This covers risks across dependencies, build systems, and distribution infrastructure.

A04: Cryptographic Failures

Data encryption is highly significant in the modern cloud environment. An incorrect encryption rule can lead to Cryptographic failures. This may cause user data exploitation.

Example:

An application sends crucial customer data without securing it. This allows hackers to exploit it.

How to mitigate it:

• Encrypt critical data.
• Use modern cryptographic algorithms.
• Protect encryption keys.
• Avoid storing sensitive information unnecessarily.
• Review encryption practices regularly.

OWASP’s 2025 data report an average incidence rate of 3.80% for applications with one or more CWEs in this category.

A05: Injection

If the application considers user input as part of the developer’s query, it will combine that data with the configuration. This enables hackers to manipulate the database.

Typical injections include SQL code and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS).

Example:

Suppose an attacker enters special input in the search field to exploit the application’s database.

How to mitigate it:

• Validate input.
• Use parameterized queries.
• Encode output correctly.
• Apply context-aware escaping.
• Follow secure coding practices.
• Test applications for injection weaknesses.

In this scenario, OWASP WAF rules can secure applications if properly implemented.

It scans incoming requests, filters suspicious patterns and prevents them from reaching the application. But a WAF adds another layer of security. It cannot fix coding flaws.

A06: Insecure Design

Some security problems are created before the code is even written. Insecure Design occurs when security and abuse scenarios were not adequately considered during application design.

Example:

An online store allows users to repeatedly request password resets without rate limiting or other controls. The problem is not simply a coding error. The security requirement was missing from the original design.

How to mitigate it:

• Conduct threat modeling.
• Define security requirements early.
• Consider abuse cases.
• Build rate limiting into sensitive workflows.
• Review designs before development.
• Test business logic.

A WAF cannot solve every insecure design problem. So, application architecture and business logic need to be secure.

A07: Authentication Failures

Proper authentication is important to verify users. Any loopholes in this process can invite hackers to take over user accounts.

Example:

A website allows unlimited login attempts. An attacker can repeatedly try stolen or guessed passwords without meaningful restrictions.

How to mitigate it:

• Implement multi-factor authentication.
• Use strong password controls.
• Apply rate limiting.
• Secure session management.
• Monitor suspicious login activity.
• Protect password-reset processes.

Authentication should be treated as a combination of identity controls, secure application design, monitoring, and appropriate access policies.

A08: Software or Data Integrity Failures

Applications often authorize software, updates, data, and features without adequately verifying their source and nature.

Example:

Automated download of updates by an application without required validations.

How to mitigate it:

• Verify software updates.
• Secure CI/CD pipelines.
• Sign important releases.
• Validate data and software artifacts.
• Restrict access to build environments.
• Monitor changes to critical components.

The category focuses on maintaining trust in software, code, and data.

A09: Security Logging & Alerting Failures

All security incidents must be logged, and an alert must be raised. If not, the security team will not know about them, and malicious activities will continue to spread.

Example:

An account gets several failed login attempts. But the application doesn’t record them or generate an alert for the security team.

How to mitigate it:

• Log important security events.
• Centralize security logs.
• Monitor suspicious activity.
• Execute proper alert generation rules.
• Safeguard records from unapproved changes.
• Set incident-response procedures.

The 2025 list highlights both alerting and logging. It says that if the applications only record the incidents but don’t generate alerts, no action will be taken. Here, organizations can opt for Akamai managed security services for 24/7 monitoring and protection.

A10: Mishandling of Exceptional Conditions

Technology keeps evolving, so do attack patterns. Likewise, there may be changes in user habits and cloud services. All these can make your application behave in an unexpected way. Your security team needs to handle these unique situations with expertise to avoid security loopholes.

Example:

An application experiences an unusual error but ignores a verification and passes the request.

How to mitigate it:

• Handle errors securely.
• Test unusual application states.
• Validate unexpected inputs.
• Avoid exposing sensitive technical details.
• Assess exception-control rules.

This risk is a new addition in OWASP Top 10:2025. It highlights inadequate error responses, analytical faults, and corresponding weaknesses.

Where Does the OWASP Top 10 Fall Short?

The OWASP Top 10 is a worthwhile security guide. But it does not mention every possible application security threat. It also does not provide a comprehensive solution for resolving specific weaknesses. So, enterprises need to explore outside the list. They need to create a wider security system depending on their applications, setup, APIs, traffic patterns, and business needs.

Can a WAF Protect Applications against the OWASP Top 10 Threats?

A managed WAF is an extra layer of protection between traffic and web applications. It examines incoming requests and accepts or rejects them based on known patterns.

However, it cannot fix loopholes created during configuration.

For example, WAF controls can help detect and block certain:

• SQL injection attempts
• Cross-Site Scripting attacks
• Malicious HTTP requests
• Exploit attempts
• Automated attacks
• Known attack patterns

OWASP WAF rules can help identify traffic associated with common application attacks and prevent malicious requests from reaching the application.

But there is a significant limitation:

A WAF cannot replace:

• Secure coding
• Strong authentication
• Access controls
• Threat modeling
• Dependency management
• Encryption
• Secure application design
• Security testing

For example, if an application has broken access control, a WAF cannot automatically understand every business rule. It cannot determine when one user should get access and another should not.

The strongest approach combines secure application development with runtime DDoS protection, monitoring, and regular testing.

OWASP Top 10 and Application Security

The OWASP Top 10 can serve as a foundation for application security strategy. But it doesn’t cover every underlying risk. Technologies such as Akamai can provide additional protection at the application edge. Akamai security solutions can help organizations detect and mitigate malicious web and API traffic through its massive edge network. Its strong application-level controls address the underlying vulnerabilities.

Moreover, certified Akamai security Consultants like Evolvous help organizations assess and build a powerful layered security approach.

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How Evolvous Helps Organizations in OWASP Top 10 Mitigation

We consider OWASP risks as only the beginning. Organizations also need to translate those risks into practical security controls.

As a certified Akamai security consultant, we help organizations strengthen application and API security through a layered approach.

This can include:

• Application security assessments
• OWASP risk assessments
• Akamai WAF implementation
• WAF rule configuration and tuning
• API security through Akamai App and API Protector
• Bot and automated-traffic protection through Akamai Bot Manager
• Security policy optimization
• WAF migration services
• Ongoing assessment and improvements

Rather than relying only on standard WAF implementation controls, enterprises should set rules based on their applications, APIs, traffic patterns, and business needs.

An appropriate security strategy can follow the pathway: Evaluate → Configure→ Execute→ Tune → Monitor → Optimize

This method enables you to eliminate the gap between detecting an OWASP risk and reducing the actual weakness.

Read More:- WAF Pricing in 2026: What It Really Costs (With Ranges by Vendor)

Final Thoughts

The OWASP Top 10 brings a practical framework for raising application security risk awareness. The newest 2025 version further highlights constant changes in application risks. It puts more attention on software supply chains, error handling, configuration, and current development approaches.

But exploring the threats is only the initial action.

Enterprises must detect weaknesses, resolve their root causes, and secure applications against evolving attacks.

A WAF can add protection at the application edge. But platforms like Akamai can secure your entire infrastructure through App and API Protector, Guardicore, and Bot Manager.

Besides, Akamai security consultants like Evolvous help organizations build a more resilient security program through assessment, security configuration, testing, monitoring, and optimization.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the OWASP Top 10?

OWASP is the Open Web Application Security Project It is aimed to provide secure web application programming by documenting 10 most critical web application risks.

2. Is OWASP Top 10 a security measure?

No. It is a set of implementable guidelines that lays out practical paths for enterprises to help everyone build sufficiently secure web applications. It helps security teams, coding developers, and IT leaders to identify hidden vulnerabilities in systems.

3. Can a WAF defend against the OWASP Top 10?

A WAF can defend against attacks to some extent. However, it cannot manage every OWASP risk. Secure application requires proper coding, validation, authorization, testing, and ongoing monitoring.

4. Is OWASP Top 10 only for developers?

It is worthwhile for developers as well as security teams, and IT leaders to plan, develop, and strategically invest in enterprise application security.