A look at Security Vulnerabilities in Code
Security Vulnerabilities are errors found within a security system that has the potential to be leveraged by a threat agent.
Operating systems and apps are linked over the internet and are updated regularly. These updates are done to address issues rather than introduce new features. As a result, the system is more resistant to newly installed viruses and malware.
Unfortunately, most software lacks this sort of connection, making it open to hackers. There are two ways to make sure that your program isn’t hacked:
- Accessing it on every system and changing the code whenever an attacker appears.
- Or by reducing the vulnerability of your code throughout the development process.
What Are Vulnerabilities?
In the process of developing and coding technology, mistakes sometimes occur. A bug is the result of these mistakes. While bugs aren’t necessarily dangerous, many of them may be exploited by malicious actors, which are referred to as vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities can induce software to behave unexpectedly, such as gathering information on the existing security defenses.
When a bug is proven to be a vulnerability, MITRE classifies it as a CVEor common vulnerability or exposure. Then it assigns a CVSS (Common Vulnerability Score System) score to represent the risk it poses to your business. Vulnerability scanners use this central list of CVEs as a reference point.
A vulnerability scanner will generally scan your environment and compare it to a vulnerability database. The more information the scanner has, its results will be more accurate. Developers may utilize penetration testing to determine where the flaws are. By doing so, the problem can be repaired, and future mistakes can be prevented.
Vulnerabilities Due to Coding Errors
Software developers start with a specification that explains what the software will do. For example, the account information is displayed when button A is pressed. Functional requirements serve as the foundation for developers’ work. A functional “bug” is created when a functional need does not operate as expected.
When features aren’t implemented correctly, security vulnerabilities or defects might arise. When button A is pressed, all account information is displayed. Alternatively, the functionality may operate, but it can be used by threat actors to get access to sensitive data. Unexpected usage scenarios that cause the program to “break” or behave unexpectedly must be accounted for through security.
Software security is rarely part of the functional specification, and requiring that the software be “secure” isn’t enough. Previously, software developers were evaluated on a functional basis. They were doing their jobs correctly if they provided features timely. Security was never addressed until roughly 20 years ago, and secure coding is taught in computer science curricula only occasionally.
Must read: 5 Cybersecurity Threats You Must Know As A Web Developer
What are the main security vulnerabilities?
A security vulnerability is a defect, mistake, or weakness discovered in a security system that might be exploited by a threat agent to penetrate a protected network. There are some of the most frequent types of security vulnerabilities:
Broken Authentication: When authentication credentials are stolen, malicious actors can hijack user sessions and identities to impersonate the original user.
SQL Injection: SQL injections can access database content by injecting malicious code. It can allow attackers to steal sensitive data, fake identities, and engage in various other malicious actions.
Cross-Site Scripting: A Cross-site scripting (XSS) attack, like a SQL Injection, injects malicious code into a website. It targets users rather than the website, putting sensitive user information at risk.
Cross-Site Request Forgery(CSRF): This attack aims to mislead an authorized user into doing something they prefer not to do. This, along with social engineering, has the potential to mislead people into revealing their personal information.
Security Misconfiguration: A “Security Misconfiguration” is any component of a security system that can be exploited by attackers due to a configuration error.
Lack of Focus on Security, Leads to Code Exposure
Mistakes or vulnerabilities made by developers in software solutions when creating code are one cause of code vulnerability. Bad coding habits, practices, and different policies are the reasons for defects in our code.Threat actors frequently focus on identifying and exploiting these vulnerabilities for financial gain.
Professional & Managed Tools like Codegrip to help solve them
Using application security testing (AST) solutions across the SDLC to control the risks associated with code exposure. Here are some of the most important software security solutions that may assist your team in resolving code exposure.
Static Application Security Testing– capacity to automatically check uncompiled/unbuilt code for vulnerabilities in the most common coding languages.
Interactive Application Security Testing– the capability of constantly monitoring application activity and detecting vulnerabilities that can only be identified on a running application
Open Source Analysis– capacity to include open-source analysis in the SDLC and manage open-source components while ensuring that susceptible components are removed or changed before they cause an issue
Developer Software Security Education– a comprehensive, interactive, and engaging software security training platform that sharpens developers’ skills to prevent security risks, repair vulnerabilities, and build secure code.
Using an automated code review tool like Codegrip, which analyses your code and checks it for any security problems, is a better alternative. It identifies code defects and displays them apart from other concerns, such as code smells and bugs. All code vulnerabilities are shown in a separate tab and highlighted in your code. You may use the proposed solution to eliminate the security vulnerabilities to determine what modifications are needed. Codegrip ensures that your code remains secure throughout assaults and is free of security vulnerabilities.
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Conclusion
Vulnerabilities harm all the entities that are connected to a web application. To offer a safe and secure environment, these vulnerabilities must be addressed. Attackers can use these weaknesses to access a system, breach it, and escalate privileges. Depending on the demands and attack vectors of malicious actors, the consequences of a hacked web application can range from stolen credit card credentials and identity theft to the leakage of extremely private information.
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