Application & Cloud SecurityJun 16, 2026 · 13 min read
OWASP Top 10: the most common web application vulnerabilities
The OWASP Top 10 is the list of the most serious security risks in web applications. Here is what each category means, why it matters, and how to address it in development.
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Raptoric Application & Cloud
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The OWASP Top 10 is the best known list in web application security. It is published by the Open Worldwide Application Security Project, a non-profit community of practitioners from around the world, and it summarizes the ten most serious categories of risk for web applications.1 For development teams and the people who commission software, it is a starting reference: an application that addresses these ten areas well avoids a large share of the most common attacks. This post explains each category in plain terms and connects it to what a company should actually do.
OWASP is an open community that publishes tools, guides, and standards for software security free of charge. The Top 10 is not an exhaustive list of every vulnerability, but an overview of the most widespread and impactful categories, based on real-world data and the judgment of the field. It serves as a common language between development teams, testers, and the people who commission software, and as a starting point for security testing.
The ten categories of risk
The categories shift over time, but the core stays similar. Here is an overview of the most important areas.1
Category
What it means
Broken access control
A user reaches data or actions that do not belong to them.
Cryptographic failures
Sensitive data is not properly protected in transit or at rest.
Injection
Untrusted input changes a query or command, for example SQL injection.
Insecure design
Security is not built into the architecture from the start.
Security misconfiguration
Default settings, open services, or exposed data.
Vulnerable and outdated components
Using libraries and frameworks with known vulnerabilities.
Identification and authentication failures
Poor handling of login, passwords, and sessions.
Software and data integrity failures
Untrusted sources of code or updates accepted without verification.
Security logging and monitoring failures
An attack goes unnoticed because there are no logs or alerts.
Server-side request forgery (SSRF)
The application is tricked into sending a request to an unintended destination.
Overview of the OWASP Top 10 risk categories.
Why the list matters to a company
A large share of real attacks on web applications exploit exactly these categories. Broken access control and injection have been among the most common causes of data breaches for years. For a company, that means investing in these ten areas removes a disproportionately large share of the risk. The list is also useful as a criterion when commissioning software: you can ask a vendor how they address the OWASP Top 10.
How to address the risks
Covering the OWASP Top 10 is not a one-off task. It is part of how you work.
01
Build security into the design
Think about threats before writing code, not after an incident.
02
Validate input and access
Treat every external input as untrusted and check authorization on every action.
03
Maintain your components
Track and update libraries and frameworks with known vulnerabilities.
04
Test the application
Combine automated scanning with manual penetration testing.
05
Log and monitor
Keep logs and set up alerts so you notice an attack in time.
Is the OWASP Top 10 a standard we have to comply with?+
It is not a law or a certification, but a reference the field uses widely. Many contracts and security requirements refer to it, so it is worth treating as a baseline quality criterion for web applications.
Does scanning cover all OWASP risks?+
No. Automated tools find some risks, but flaws in access control and application logic are most often discovered only through manual penetration testing that understands the application's context.
How often does the OWASP Top 10 change?+
OWASP updates the list periodically to reflect new data and threats. Categories get renamed or merged, but the core stays similar, so the list remains useful between editions.
Does the OWASP Top 10 apply to APIs too?+
The web list covers some API risks, but OWASP also maintains a separate list for API security. For applications that rely heavily on APIs, it is worth looking at both.
Sources
1OWASP. OWASP Top 10. Open Worldwide Application Security Project, 2021. Link
2NIST. SP 800-218: Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF). National Institute of Standards and Technology, 2022. Link
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