What is OWASP Top 10 Security Risks Guide

The OWASP Top 10 represents the most critical security risks facing web applications today, serving as an essential roadmap for developers, security professionals, and business owners who want to protect their digital assets. Think of it as a "most wanted" list for web vulnerabilities—except instead of criminals, these are the security weaknesses that criminals exploit to break into websites and steal data.

OWASP, which stands for the Open Web Application Security Project, is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving software security. Every few years, they analyze millions of applications, security incidents, and vulnerability reports to identify the ten most dangerous and prevalent security risks. The OWASP Top 10 isn't just another technical document gathering dust on a shelf—it's a living guide that evolves with the threat landscape, helping organizations prioritize their security efforts where they matter most.

Imagine your web application as a house. The OWASP Top 10 identifies the ten most common ways burglars break into houses—unlocked doors, weak windows, hidden spare keys, and so on. Just as you'd want to secure these entry points in your home, the OWASP Top 10 helps you identify and fix the digital equivalents in your web applications. These vulnerabilities aren't theoretical; they're actively exploited every day, resulting in data breaches that cost companies millions of dollars and destroy customer trust.