Penetration Testing Archives

Multi-Stage Cyber Attacks: Understanding Their Sophistication and Building Robust Defences

20 January 2025 by

Cyber attacks have evolved into intricate operations, often executed in multiple stages to achieve maximum impact while evading detection. Multi-stage cyber attacks leverage complex execution chains to mislead victims, bypass traditional defences, and deliver devastating outcomes. For organisations and individuals alike, understanding the mechanics of these attacks is essential for crafting effective defence strategies.

Multi-stage cyber attacks are a formidable challenge, but with offensive security techniques, organisations can move from reactive to proactive defence. By adopting vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, cyber forensics, malware analysis, and reverse engineering, businesses can detect and neutralise threats before they escalate.

Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF): A Deep Dive into Risks and Mitigations for Software and Web Developers

19 January 2025 by

SSRF occurs when an attacker exploits a server-side vulnerability to send crafted requests from a vulnerable web server to unintended locations. These requests can be directed to internal services, cloud metadata APIs, or other network resources that would otherwise be inaccessible to external users. Essentially, SSRF enables attackers to leverage the server’s trust in internal resources and APIs to bypass firewalls, access private services, and gather sensitive data.

Security Logging and Monitoring Failures: A Comprehensive Guide for Software Developers, Architects, and Security Analysts

18 January 2025 by

Security logging involves the systematic recording of events within a system, application, or network. Monitoring, on the other hand, refers to actively reviewing and analysing these logs to detect anomalies or malicious activities.

Software and Data Integrity Failures: A Critical Concern for Developers

17 January 202517 January 2025 by

Software and data integrity failures refer to vulnerabilities that arise when untrusted or unverified components are introduced into software systems. These failures occur when attackers manipulate software or data to exploit weak points, potentially leading to unauthorised control, data breaches, or malicious activities within applications.

Vulnerable and Outdated Components: A Comprehensive Guide for Software Developers

15 January 2025 by

Modern software development depends on a complex ecosystem of third-party components. Frameworks, libraries, and plugins streamline coding tasks, enabling developers to focus on building application-specific features. However, when these components become outdated or contain vulnerabilities, they pose a serious risk to application security, potentially leading to data breaches, service interruptions, or legal liabilities.
Vulnerable and Outdated Components is one of the categories in the OWASP Top 10, a widely recognised standard for the most critical security risks to web applications. Specifically, it relates to the category “A06:2021 – Vulnerable and Outdated Components,” which highlights the risks posed by outdated libraries, frameworks, and software components.