Definition
The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving software security. It operates under an “open community” model, which means that anyone can participate in and contribute to OWASP-related online chats, projects, and more. For everything from online tools and videos to forums and events, the OWASP ensures that its offerings remain free and easily accessible through its website.
The OWASP Top 10 provides rankings of—and remediation guidance for—the top 10 most critical web application security risks. Leveraging the extensive knowledge and experience of the OWASP’s open community contributors, the report is based on a consensus among security experts from around the world. Risks are ranked according to the frequency of discovered security defects, the severity of the uncovered vulnerabilities, and the magnitude of their potential impacts. The purpose of the report is to offer developers and web application security professionals insight into the most prevalent security risks so that they may fold the report’s findings and recommendations into their own security practices, thereby minimizing the presence of known risks in their applications.