What is Application Security?
According to vmware website, application security is the process of developing, adding, and testing security features along within an application to prevent security vulnerabilities against threats such as unauthorized access and modification. The application security has become very important because most of the applications are available in different networks and connected to the cloud. It could be application security in the cloud, mobile application security, and web application security. Thus, network security and cloud security has become equally important in order to protect application. The other reason to protect the application because the hackers/attackers are going after apps. Therefore, the application security testing process can reveal how weak and vulnerable to the threats. There are different types of application security features including authentication, authorization, encryption, logging, and application security testing.
What are possible threats to Application Security?
1. SQL injection attack
A SQL/SQLi is a type of attack by which cybercriminals exploit software vulnerabilities in web applications for the purpose of stealing, deleting, or modifying data, or gaining administrative control over the systems running the affected applications.
2. Cross-Site scripting attack (XSS)
The vulnerability is similar to SQL injection, instead of getting data from databases, the attack is done in the browser itself, making it redirect users to websites where attackers can steal data. Most attacks happen when writing JavaScript code into input text fields of web applications.
3. Buffer overflows
Buffer overflow attacks occur when the volume of data exceeds the storage capacity of the memory buffer. Attackers exploit buffer overflow and change the execution path of the program, triggering a response that damages files or exposes sensitive data.
4. Session Hijacking
In order to perform session hijacking, an attacker has stolen the session cookie or a prepared session ID. When a user login to any websites, the server sets a temporary session cookie to remember that the user has been currently logged in.When the user is authenticated on the server, the attacker hijacks the session by using the same session ID for their own browser session. Therefore, the server gets confused and then fooled into treating the attacker’s connection as the original user’s valid session.
5. Broken Access Control
Broken Access Control happens when an attacker is able to access a web application resource by just knowing the URL. The attacker can access sensitive data by just accessing directly to the backend.
What are tools used for Application Security?
There are many tools used for application security and it depends on how you decide what you need to protect your app portfolio such as static, dynamic testing, iterative testing and mobile testing. Also it depends on how the tools are delivered, either via an on-premises tool or via SaaS-based subscription or even both. There is another app shielding tools to harden the applicants for less possible attacks. Products such as Runtime application self-protection (RASP), Code obfuscation, Encryption and anti-tampering tools, and threat detection tools are to test for vulnerabilities and actively prevent apps from corruption or compromise.
To learn and protect applications from possible attacks, there is an open community called The Open Application Security Project (OWASP) foundation. The OWASP is a non-profit organization to improve the security of software, which provides tools and resources, community and networking, and education and training.
