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As the digital landscape evolves, so do the vulnerabilities that threaten the security of web applications. Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) plays a crucial role in identifying real-time vulnerabilities within an applications environment. With cybercriminals becoming more sophisticated in their techniques, 2024 sees the rise of critical vulnerabilities that organizations must be aware of to safeguard their systems.
In this blog, Ill walk you through the Top 10 DAST Vulnerabilities in 2024, how theyre impacting businesses, and the steps you can take to protect your infrastructure.
Before diving into the vulnerabilities, its essential to understand what DAST is and why it's a vital component of your security stack. Unlike Static Application Security Testing (SAST), which reviews code in a non-runtime environment, DAST focuses on detecting vulnerabilities while the application is running. This real-time testing is invaluable as it mimics real-world attacks and helps discover vulnerabilities that are difficult to spot otherwise.
Cybercriminals exploit weaknesses in software, often leading to data breaches, financial loss, and damage to an organization's reputation. DAST can detect several critical vulnerabilities early, helping mitigate the damage. This year, as businesses continue to transition to cloud- based infrastructure and embrace AI-driven solutions, the number and complexity of vulnerabilities have increased.
What is it?
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web applications. These scripts execute in a users browser, enabling the attacker to steal session tokens, manipulate web pages, or gain unauthorized access.
Impact in 2024: XSS remains a top threat as 58% of web applications are still vulnerable to this attack.
What is it?
SQL Injection (SQLi) is a technique attackers use to inject malicious SQL code into queries, potentially allowing unauthorized access to databases.
Impact in 2024: SQL Injection attacks account for 20% of all web app breaches, though their frequency has decreased compared to previous years.
What is it?
Insecure deserialization occurs when user-supplied data is deserialized by an application without verification, leading to remote code execution.
Impact in 2024: With the rise of APIs and cloud environments, insecure deserialization has become a critical issue for organizations handling serialized data.
What is it?
Security misconfigurations occur when security settings are improperly configured or left in their default state.
Impact in 2024: Misconfigurations continue to affect 35% of organizations, especially in cloud environments.
What is it?
Sensitive data exposure happens when an application fails to adequately protect sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, or personally identifiable information (PII). Attackers can easily intercept or access this data, leading to data breaches.
Impact in 2024: With rising global data privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, protecting sensitive data has become paramount. Unfortunately, 41% of companies still struggle with encrypting sensitive data.
What is it?
CSRF is an attack where a user is tricked into performing actions on behalf of an attacker. This often occurs when the user is authenticated on a site, and malicious requests are sent without their knowledge.
Impact in 2024: Although many frameworks now include built-in defenses against CSRF, 15% of web applications remain vulnerable, particularly in older or unpatched systems.
What is it?
Remote Code Execution (RCE) is a critical vulnerability where an attacker can remotely execute malicious code within a target system. This can lead to full system compromise, data theft, and denial-of-service attacks.
Impact in 2024: The rise in IoT and connected devices has made RCE an even greater threat in 2024. In fact, 30% of reported security incidents this year involved RCE.
What is it?
Directory traversal allows attackers to access directories and files that should be inaccessible, potentially exposing sensitive data or system files.
Impact in 2024: Though older, this vulnerability remains relevant. In 2024, 22% of reported DAST vulnerabilities involve some form of directory traversal.
What is it?
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) occurs when an attacker manipulates server requests to access unauthorized data or systems.
Impact in 2024: SSRF has gained prominence, especially in cloud-based applications. With 20% of companies relying on APIs and microservices, SSRF has become a key area of concern in 2024.
What is it?
Broken authentication occurs when attackers exploit vulnerabilities in login mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to user accounts.
Impact in 2024: With the shift to remote work and cloud-based platforms, broken authentication has skyrocketed, affecting 40% of reported breaches in 2024.
Now that weve walked through the top vulnerabilities, its clear how critical Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) is for any organization in 2024. Businesses across various sectors are vulnerable to these attacks, and having a robust DAST strategy in place ensures that real-time weaknesses are identified before they can be exploited.
At Cyserch, we specialize in providing comprehensive DAST services to identify these vulnerabilities, offering tailored security testing solutions that fit the needs of your business, whether youre in healthcare, finance, or tech. Partnering with us ensures that your applications are always ahead of emerging threats.
As we move further into 2024, the importance of addressing vulnerabilities through DAST cannot be overstated. Cyberattacks are evolving, and businesses must stay ahead by continuously testing and securing their applications. The Top 10 DAST vulnerabilities discussed above—ranging from SQL Injection to Broken Authentication—pose serious threats to organizations if left unchecked.
Partnering with a cybersecurity provider like Cyserch is your best defense against these vulnerabilities. With our cutting-edge DAST services, we provide in-depth analysis, advanced security measures, and actionable insights, ensuring that your applications remain secure against evolving cyber threats.
A1: DAST tests for vulnerabilities in real-time while the application is running, mimicking how a hacker would exploit weaknesses. In contrast, SAST analyzes code in a non-runtime environment to find issues before deployment.
A2: Cloud applications face unique threats, especially due to their distributed nature and reliance on external APIs. DAST services help detect and mitigate vulnerabilities that could compromise cloud infrastructure, keeping your business secure.
A3: While DAST is highly effective in identifying known vulnerabilities, zero-day vulnerabilities are harder to detect since they are unknown to security professionals at the time of testing. However, regular DAST testing helps to fortify overall application security, reducing the risk of exploitation.