Correct-Auth-KrishnaG-CEO

Ensuring Trust Through Correct Authorisation: A Comprehensive Examination of CWE-863

CWE-863: Incorrect Authorisation occurs when an application fails to enforce correct authorisation measures, allowing unauthorised users or processes to access resources, perform operations, or retrieve data that should be off-limits. It is sometimes conflated with authentication flaws, but the essence of CWE-863 lies in improper or missing checks that would otherwise confirm if a user has the necessary permissions to perform a specific action.
From a technical standpoint, one might imagine an application employing robust identity verification (authentication) only to overlook critical checks about what a user is allowed to do once logged in (authorisation). This oversight can be the gateway to data leaks, privilege escalation, or even sabotage of core business processes.

API-Security-Misconfigurations-KrishnaG-CEO

The OWASP Top 10 API Security Risks – 2023: API8:2023 – Security Misconfiguration

At its core, **security misconfiguration** occurs when the security settings of an API or its supporting systems are improperly configured or left at their default settings. APIs often rely on a wide range of underlying infrastructure, including web servers, databases, cloud services, and identity management systems. Each of these elements needs to be configured in line with security best practices to ensure the overall security posture of the API.

Misconfigurations can arise at any stage in the API lifecycle, from development to deployment, and they are not limited to a single type of vulnerability. They may involve poorly configured authentication mechanisms, incorrect access control settings, or vulnerabilities in third-party services integrated into the API ecosystem.

Insufficient-Cryptography-KrishnaG-CEO

OWASP Top 10 for Mobile Apps: M5 – Insufficient Cryptography

Cryptography, at its core, is the practice of securing communication and data through the use of algorithms and keys. For mobile apps, cryptography plays a crucial role in securing sensitive data, ensuring privacy, and maintaining the integrity of user interactions. However, *insufficient cryptography* occurs when an app fails to implement cryptographic algorithms or methods correctly, resulting in data being exposed or vulnerable to unauthorised access.

The issue of insufficient cryptography is particularly critical in mobile applications because of the increasing amount of sensitive information that these apps handle, such as financial data, personal identification information, passwords, and private conversations. Insufficient cryptography in this context means that sensitive data is not encrypted properly, or that weak or deprecated encryption methods are used, leaving the data open to attackers who can intercept, manipulate, or steal it.

Insecure -Data-Storage-KrishnaG-CEO

M2: Insecure Data Storage – A Penetration Tester’s Guide

Insecure data storage refers to the practice of storing data in a manner that makes it vulnerable to unauthorised access, tampering, or theft. This can occur in various forms, such as improperly encrypted files, exposed databases, or unprotected cloud storage solutions. The consequences of insecure data storage can be far-reaching, ranging from financial losses to reputational damage and legal ramifications.

Penetration testers need to thoroughly evaluate an organisation’s data storage mechanisms to identify weaknesses and implement corrective measures before malicious actors can exploit them. This is particularly important as organisations increasingly store data in cloud environments, mobile applications, and third-party servers, each introducing unique security challenges.