Career Technology Cyber Security INDIA

Threat Overview: Failure to validate and sanitize user input and output can expose mobile apps to critical attacks like SQL injection, command injection, and XSS. This can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, system compromise, and application disruption. Attack Vectors: Exploitability: Difficult Prevalence: Common Detectability: Easy Impacts: Technical: Code execution, data breaches, system compromise, and app crashes. Business: Reputation damage, legal liabilities, regulatory penalties, and financial losses. Vulnerability Indicators: Lack of input validation and output sanitization Context-specific validation neglect (e.g., path traversal) Weak secure coding practices (e.g., missing parameterized queries) Prevention: Validate and sanitize all inputs/outputs. Use output encoding to prevent XSS. Implement strict context-based validation. Ensure data integrity checks. Follow secure coding practices like prepared statements. Conduct regular security testing. Example Attack Sc...

Threat Agents & Attack Vectors Attackers exploit weak authentication and authorization through automated tools, malware, or botnets. They may bypass authentication or escalate privileges via direct server requests. Security Weakness: Common & Detectable: Attackers exploit offline authentication flaws and privilege escalation. Risk Factors: Storing passwords locally, weak PINs, reliance on client-side checks, and insecure API endpoints. Impacts: Technical: Unauthorized access, compromised data, and lack of user tracking. Business: Reputation damage, data breaches, and fraud. Prevention Measures: Authentication: Use server-side authentication, avoid local password storage, and implement strong password policies. Authorization: Validate roles server-side, avoid transmitting user permissions, and enforce integrity checks. Example Attacks: Hidden Service Requests: Backend fails to verify users, allowing anonymous service execution. Interface Reliance: Low-privilege users acc...

Threat Agents & Attack Vectors. Attackers can manipulate mobile applications by injecting malicious code into the supply chain, modifying code during development, or exploiting vulnerabilities in third-party libraries and SDKs. This can lead to data theft, device compromise, or backend server breaches. Exploitability & Security Weakness: Exploitability: AVERAGE – Attackers can inject malicious code during development, compromise app signing keys, or exploit third-party components. Prevalence: COMMON – Poor coding practices, weak app signing processes, and insecure third-party libraries contribute to this risk. Detectability: DIFFICULT – These attacks can be hard to identify without strong security measures. Technical & Business Impacts: Impact: SEVERE Data Breach: Theft of login credentials, financial data, and personal information. Malware Infection: Attackers can introduce malware into apps, causing device compromise. Unauthorized Access: Attackers can modify or...

 WHAT IS INJECTION ATTACK? WHAT IS INJECTION ATTACK? An injection attack is a cyberattack that occurs when an attacker inserts malicious code into a program. The attacker exploits vulnerabilities in the program to gain unauthorized access to data or manipulate the system.  In this type of attack, an attacker exploits the failure of the web application to filter data provided by users before it inserts that data into a server-side interpreted HTML file. Exploits web sites that allow an attacker to inject data into an application in order to execute XPath queries. TYPES OF INJECTION ATTACKS: SQL injection The attacker includes an SQL statement in data sent via a web form, comment field, or query string.  CRLF injection The attacker injects an unexpected CRLF (Carriage Return and Line Feed) character sequence.  Mail command injection The attacker injects malicious code via email messages.  Prompt injection The attacker exploits the fact that LLM applications do not...

Threat Agents Application Specific Threat agents exploiting hardcoded credentials and improper credential usage in mobile applications can include automated attacks using publicly available or custom-built tools. Such agents could potentially locate and exploit hardcoded credentials or exploit weaknesses due to improper credential usage. Attack Vectors Exploitability EASY Adversaries can exploit vulnerabilities in both hardcoded credentials and improper credential usage. Once these vulnerabilities are identified, an attacker can use hardcoded credentials to gain unauthorized access to sensitive functionalities of the mobile app. They can also misuse credentials, for instance by gaining access through improperly validated or stored credentials, thereby bypassing the need for legitimate access. Security Weakness Prevalence COMMON Detectability EASY Poor implementation of credential management, such as using hardcoded credentials and improper handling, can lead to severe security weakness...

 WHAT IS CRYPTOGRAPHIC FAILURE? Cryptographic failures are where attackers often target sensitive data, such as passwords, credit card numbers, and personal information, when you do not properly protect them. This is the root cause of sensitive data exposure. Cryptographic failures are vulnerabilities in cryptographic systems that can expose sensitive data.  Cryptographic errors are mistakes or weaknesses in the design, implementation, or usage of cryptographic algorithms, protocols, or systems. They can compromise the security, privacy, or integrity of data and communications, and expose them to attacks such as eavesdropping, tampering, or forgery. TYPES OF CRYPTOGRAPHIC FAILURE: Weak encryption: Using weak encryption algorithms or outdated cryptographic libraries  Poor key management: Using hard-coded passwords, or having poor practices for managing cryptographic keys  Insecure hashing: Using insecure hashing algorithms or deprecated hash functions  Insufficie...

Imagine walking into a bank and handing the cashier a note that says: "Transfer 1 crore to my account." Instead of verifying, the cashier just does it. Sounds ridiculous, right? That’s exactly how injection attacks work. Hackers send harmful code to websites, tricking them into revealing data, deleting records, or even taking control. This is why  injection attacks rank in the top 3 of OWASP's top 10 (2025) . Let’s break it down. What is an Injection Attack? Injection attacks happen when a hacker inputs malicious code into a website’s login box, search bar, or form , making the system execute dangerous commands . Hackers can: 🔹 Steal personal data (passwords, credit cards, etc.). 🔹 Modify or delete important records . 🔹 Gain full control of a website or system. Types of Injection Attacks  🔹 SQL Injection (SQLi) – Hackers steal or delete data from databases. 🔹 Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) – Hackers inject harmful scripts into websites to attack users. 🔹 ...

What is Mobile OWASP? OWASP mobile is a set of guidelines and best practices for securing mobile applications. It includes the Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS), the OWASP Top 10 Mobile Risks, and other resources. OWASP Mobile Top 10 Risks for 2024: 1. Improper Credential Usage – Storing, transmitting, or managing credentials insecurely, leading to unauthorized access. 2. Inadequate Supply Chain Security – Using third-party components with vulnerabilities, leading to security risks. 3. Insecure Authentication/Authorization – Weak authentication mechanisms allowing attackers to bypass login or access controls. 4. Insufficient Input/Output Validation – Failing to validate or sanitize user input, making the app vulnerable to injection attacks. 5. Insecure Communication – Not properly encrypting or securing data transmitted between the app and servers, leading to data interception risks. 6. Inadequate Privacy Controls – Improper handling of user data, leading to u...

What Are Cryptographic Failures? Cryptographic failures happen when sensitive data isn’t properly encrypted, leaving it vulnerable. It’s not just about weak encryption—misconfigurations, poor key management, and outdated protocols also play a big role. Common Causes & Their Impact 1.  Weak or Deprecated Algorithms – Older encryption methods like MD5 or SHA-1 are easily cracked. 2.  Poor Key Management – Storing encryption keys in easily accessible locations makes them an easy target. 3.  Unencrypted Data – Sensitive data like passwords and credit card details should never be stored in plain text. 4.  Insecure Communication – Using HTTP instead of HTTPS exposes data to interception. How to Prevent Cryptographic Failures ✅ Use Modern Encryption – Implement  AES-256 & SHA-256 .  ✅ Secure Key Management – Store keys in a secure vault, not in your code.  ✅ Encrypt Everything – Both at rest and in transit.  ✅ Regular Security Audits ...

 WHAT IS BROKEN ACCESS CONTROL? Broken access control vulnerability is a security flaw that allows unauthorized users to access, modify, or delete data they shouldn’t have access to. This vulnerability is considered one of the most critical web application security risks. It occurs when an application fails to properly enforce access controls, allowing attackers to bypass authorization and perform tasks as if they were a legitimate user. This vulnerability can exist in various forms, such as inadequate session management, improper enforcement of role-based access controls, or insecure direct object references (IDOR). Developers and security professionals have a responsibility to understand the risks associated with broken access control and take necessary steps to mitigate them. HOW DOES IT HAPPEN? Inadequate access control: When access control mechanisms are not implemented correctly, such as missing or inadequate checks  Insecure direct object references: When an application...

Imagine the internet as a huge digital city . Some neighborhoods are safe, but others? c rawling with cybercriminals . Every day, hackers look for weak spots—stealing passwords, breaking into websites, and causing digital chaos.  Enter OWASP , the ultimate security guide that helps websites stay protected from cyber threats . Let’s break it down in a way that actually makes sense! What is OWASP?  OWASP ( Open Web Application Security Project ) is a non-profit organization that studies how hackers attack websites . Every few years, they publish the Top 10 biggest security risks , so developers and businesses can fix them before hackers strike . If you own a website, work in tech, or just use the internet , this matters to you . Myth vs. Fact: Are You at Risk? 🚫 Myth: "Hackers only attack big companies." ✅ Fact: 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses —because they often lack security. 🚫 Myth: "My website doesn’t store sensitive data, so I’m safe." ✅ Fact...

 WHAT IS OWASP TOP 10? The Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) is a non-profit foundation that works to improve the security of software. The "OWASP Top 10 2025" refers to the latest iteration of the Open Web Application Security Project's list of the ten most critical security vulnerabilities for web applications, specifically focusing on risks related to Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI WHY WE USE OWASP: OWASP is used extensively within the software development and cybersecurity communities for several crucial reasons. Here's a breakdown of why it's so valuable:    Key Reasons for Using OWASP: Improving Software Security: OWASP provides a wealth of resources, tools, and documentation that help developers and security professionals identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in software applications.     Staying Up-to-Date on Security Risks: The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving. OWASP keeps professionals infor...

WHAT IS OWASP? The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a non-profit foundation dedicated to improving the security of software. It provides unbiased, practical resources to the security community, including tools, documentation, and standards. Top 10 Web Application Security Risks A01:2021-Broken Access Control  moves up from the fifth position to the category with the most serious web application security risk; the contributed data indicates that on average, 3.81% of applications tested had one or more Common Weakness Enumerations (CWEs) with more than 318k occurrences of CWEs in this risk category. The 34 CWEs mapped to Broken Access Control had more occurrences in applications than any other category. A02:2021-Cryptographic Failures  shifts up one position to #2, previously known as  A3:2017-Sensitive Data Exposure , which was broad symptom rather than a root cause. The renewed name focuses on failures related to cryptography as it has been implicitly befo...