If you have a website, an online store, or any internet application, the OWASP Top 10 affects you directly — even if you've never heard the name. In this article, we explain what it is, what each point means, and most importantly, what you can do about it without being a developer.
What is OWASP?
OWASP (Open Worldwide Application Security Project) is a nonprofit foundation that has been documenting the most serious security problems in web applications since 2001. Its best-known document is the OWASP Top 10: an updated list of the ten most critical and frequent vulnerability categories in real websites.
It's not a theoretical list. It is built from real data from thousands of applications analyzed worldwide. When a security auditor reviews your website, the OWASP Top 10 is their mandatory starting point.
The 10 vulnerabilities, explained without jargon
Your website doesn't properly control who can see what. A normal user could access other clients' data, the admin panel, or private files simply by changing a number in the URL.
Sensitive data (passwords, cards, personal data) stored or transmitted without proper encryption. Includes websites without HTTPS, passwords saved in plain text, or unprotected databases.
The server executes malicious code because it didn't clean the data sent by the user. SQL injection can give full access to the database.
Security wasn't considered during the application's design. It's not a specific bug: it's an architecture that makes attacks easy because it was never meant to protect itself.
Exposed admin panels, error messages with visible technical info, incorrect permissions, unnecessary active services. It is the most common flaw in SME websites.
WordPress, plugins, JavaScript libraries, frameworks... If they aren't updated, they have known and documented vulnerabilities that anyone can exploit with automated tools.
Weak passwords allowed, no login attempt limits, non-expiring sessions, predictable tokens. It makes it easy for someone to take control of user accounts or the admin panel.
The software loads external resources (scripts, libraries) without verifying they haven't been modified. An attacker could inject malicious code into an external library your website uses.
Your website doesn't log who accesses what or detect anomalous behaviors. If you suffer an attack, you'll have no way to know what happened, when, or what data was compromised.
Your website makes requests to external URLs based on user data, without filtering them. An attacker can use this to access internal systems, cloud metadata, or services that shouldn't be accessible.
What can I do as a company manager?
You don't need to be technical to make the right decisions about your website's security. These are the most important actions:
- Demand your developer or agency follow OWASP guidelines during development, not just at the end.
- Hire a web security audit before launching any critical project or when it hasn't been reviewed in over a year.
- Make sure your website has HTTPS on all pages, not just at checkout.
- Keep your CMS (WordPress, Prestashop...) and all plugins updated. Every update fixes vulnerabilities.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on all admin panels.
Want to know if your website has any of these vulnerabilities?
We perform web audits using OWASP methodology. Executive and technical report, with exact remediation steps.
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