November 29, 2023 at 10:50AM
The increasing reliance on web-based apps for various tasks makes them prime targets for hackers due to multiple dependencies, valuable data storage, and insecure APIs. Successful breaches can cause data loss, reputational damage, and spread malware. Continuous monitoring, like Outpost24’s PTaaS, is crucial for real-time vulnerability identification and mitigation.
Meeting Takeaways:
1. Web-based applications are increasingly essential in our lives, and as a result, our dependency on them is growing.
2. These applications span across business, personal, and social functions, offering a wide array of services.
3. However, this ubiquity also makes web apps prime targets for cyberattacks.
Key Reasons for Targeting Web Apps:
– **Multiple Dependencies**: Hackers find web apps appealing due to their reliance on numerous third-party components. The more features an app has, the more it relies on external libraries and frameworks, expanding its vulnerability surface. On average, a software application could depend on over 500 open source components.
– **Valuable Data Access**: Web apps are repositories of valuable data, including personal information that can be exploited or sold. Studies show that a significant number of apps with personal data are susceptible to known exploits.
– **API Security Gaps**: APIs play a critical role in web apps, but often suffer from security issues, making them attractive targets. Problems like unsecured endpoints and weak authentication were reported in a high percentage of organizations.
Consequences of Web App Compromises:
– Costly data breaches with an average cost of $4.45 million per breach, excluding additional costs arising from reputation damage and legal actions.
– Downtime affecting vital societal functions increasingly dependent on web applications.
– Malware distribution platforms, facilitating further cyberattacks on users.
The Importance of Continuous Monitoring:
– Due to the dynamic nature of both web applications and cyber threats, ongoing monitoring is crucial.
– One-time security assessments are inadequate to keep up with emerging threats.
– Pen Testing as a Service (PTaaS) presents a real-time, continuous approach for security testing, allowing proactive vulnerability management.
– Outpost 24’s PTaaS offers a combination of manual penetration testing and vulnerability scanning to address web app security on a larger scale.
Outpost 24 Highlights:
– PTaaS provides a detailed and up-to-date perspective on application vulnerabilities, with over 20% of reported vulnerabilities in 2023 being high or critical severity.
– Further information can be found in the article “Can traditional pen testing keep up with modern AppSec? Ask the pen tester.”
Note: This meeting summary was based on a sponsored article by Outpost24.