Securing Web Applications | 2021 OWASP Top Ten and Beyond (Language Neutral)

Course Objectives

This course will walk you through how to recognize actual and potential software vulnerabilities and implement defenses for those vulnerabilities.  You will explore most common security vulnerabilities faced by web applications today, examining each vulnerability from a coding perspective through a process of describing the threat and attack mechanisms, recognizing associated vulnerabilities, and, finally, designing and implementing effective defenses.

Guided by our application security expert, you will explore how to:

• Understand the concepts and terminology behind defensive, secure coding including the phases and goals of a typical exploit
• Establish the first axiom in security analysis of ALL web applications for this course and beyond
• Establish the first axiom in addressing ALL security concerns for this course and beyond
• Ensure that any hacking and bug hunting is performed in a safe and appropriate manner
• Identify defect/bug reporting mechanisms within their organizations
• Avoid common mistakes that are made in bug hunting and vulnerability testing
• Develop an appreciation for the need and value of a multilayered defense in depth
• Understand potential sources for untrusted data
• Understand the consequences for not properly handling untrusted data such as denial of service, cross-site scripting, and injections
• Understand the vulnerabilities of associated with authentication and authorization
• Detect, attack, and implement defenses for authentication and authorization functionality and services
• Understand the dangers and mechanisms behind Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and Injection attacks
• Detect, attack, and implement defenses against XSS and Injection attacks
• Understand the risks associated with XML processing, software uploads, and deserialization and how to best eliminate or  mitigate those risks
• Learn the strengths, limitations, and use for tools such as code scanners, dynamic scanners, and web application firewalls (WAFs)
• Understand techniques and measures that can used to harden web and application servers as well as other components in your infrastructure
• Identify resources to use for ongoing threat intelligence
• Plan next steps after completion of this training

Need different skills or topics?  If your team requires different topics or tools, additional skills or custom approach, this course may be further adjusted to accommodate.  We offer additional programming, secure coding, secure software development, hacking, database security, bug hunting and other related topics that may be blended with this course for a track that best suits your needs. Our team will collaborate with you to understand your needs and will target the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals.

Course Prerequisites

This is an overview-level , lecture and demonstration style course, designed to provide technical application project stakeholders with a first-look or baseline understanding of how to develop well defended web applications.  Real-world programming experience is highly recommended for code reviews, but not required.

Take After: We offer a variety of introductory through advanced security, development, project management, engineering, architecture and design courses that serve as an excellent follow on to this course.  Please inquire for details.

• Java, Node.js, C++ or .Net oriented Web Application Security hands-on training
• Refresher training for updated skills or to fulfill PCI compliant requirements

Please see the Related Courses tab for specific Pre-Requisite courses, Related Courses that offer similar skills or topics, and next-step Learning Path recommendations.

Course Agenda

Session: Bug Hunting Foundation

Lesson: Why Hunt Bugs?

• The Language of Cybersecurity
• The Changing Cybersecurity Landscape
• AppSec Dissection of SolarWinds
• The Human Perimeter
• Interpreting the 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report
• First Axiom in Web Application Security Analysis
• First Axiom in Addressing ALL Security Concerns
• Lab: Case Study in Failure

Lesson: Safe and Appropriate Bug Hunting/Hacking

• Working Ethically
• Respecting Privacy
• Bug/Defect Notification
• Bug Bounty Programs
• Bug Hunting Mistakes to Avoid

Session: Moving Forward From Hunting Bugs

Lesson: Removing Bugs

• Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
• OWASP Top Ten Overview
• Web Application Security Consortium (WASC)
• CERT Secure Coding Standards
• Microsoft Security Response Center
• Software-Specific Threat Intelligence

Session: Foundation for Securing Web Applications

Lesson: Principles of Information Security

• Security is a Lifecycle Issue
• Minimize Attack Surface Area
• Layers of Defense: Tenacious D
• Compartmentalize
• Consider All Application States
• Do NOT Trust the Untrusted
• AppSec Dissection of the Verkada Exploit

Session: Bug Stomping 101

Lesson: Unvalidated Data

• Buffer Overflows
• Integer Arithmetic Vulnerabilities
• Defining and Defending Trust Boundaries
• Rigorous., Positive Specifications
• Whitelisting vs Blacklisting
• Challenges: Free-Form Text, Email Addresses, and Uploaded Files

Lesson: A01: Broken Access Control

• Elevation of Privileges
• Insufficient Flow Control
• Unprotected URL/Resource Access/Forceful Browsing
• Metadata Manipulation (JWTs)
• CORS Misconfiguration Issues
• Cross Site Request Forgeries (CSRF)
• CSRF Defenses
• Lab: Spotlight: Verizon

Lesson: A02: Cryptographic Failures

• Identifing Protection Needs
• Evolving Privacy Considerations
• Options for Protecting Data
• Transport/Message Level Security
• Weak Cryptographic Processing
• Keys and Key Management
• NIST Recommendations

Lesson: A03: Injection

• Injection Flaws
• SQL Injection Attacks Evolve
• Drill Down on Stored Procedures
• Other Forms of Server-Side Injection
• Minimizing Injection Flaws
• Client-side Injection: XSS
• Persistent, Reflective, and DOM-Based XSS
• Best Practices for Untrusted Data

Lesson: A04: Insecure Design

• Secure Software Development Processes
• Shifting Left
• Cost of Continually Reinventing
• Leveraging Common AppSec Practices and Control
• Paralysis by Analysis
• Actionable Application Security
• Additional Tools for the Toolbox
• Lab: Actionable AppSec

Lesson: A05: Security Misconfiguration

• System Hardening
• Risks with Internet-Connected Resources (Servers to Cloud)
• Minimalist Configurations
• Application Whitelisting
• Secure Baseline
• Segmentation with Containers and Cloud
• Demo / Lab: Configuration Guidance
• Resolution of External References
• Safe XML Processing

Session: Bug Stomping 102

Lesson: A06: Vulnerable and Outdated Components

• Vulnerable Components
• Software Inventory
• Managing Updates: Balancing Risk and Timeliness
• AppSec Dissection of Ongoing Microsoft Exchange Exploits
• Lab: Spotlight: Equifax

Lesson: A07: Identification and Authentication Failures

• Quality and Protection of Authentication Data
• Proper hashing of passwords
• Handling Passwords on Server Side
• Session Management
• HttpOnly and Security Headers

Lesson: A08: Software and Data Integrity Failures

• Serialization / Deserialization
• Issues with Consuming Vulnerable Software
• Using Trusted Repositories
• CI/CD Pipeline Issues
• Protecting Software Development Resources

Lesson: A09: Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

• Detecting Threats and Active Attacks
• Best Practices for Determining What to Log
• Safe Logging in Support of Forensics
• Lab: Auditing and Logging Guidance

Lesson: A10: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

• Understanding SSRF
• Remote Resource Access Scenarios
• Complexity of Cloud Services
• SSRF Defense in Depth
• Positive Allow Lists

Session: Moving Forward

Lesson: Applications: What Next?

• Common Vulnerabilities and Exposure
• CWE/SANS Top 25 Most Dangerous SW Errors
• Strength Training: Project Teams/Developers
• Strength Training: IT Organizations
• Lab: Spotlight: Capital One

Additional Topics: Time Permitting

Lesson: SDL Overview

• Attack Phases: Offensive Actions and Defensive Controls
• Secure Software Development Processes
• Shifting Left
• Actionable Items Moving Forward

Lesson: SDL in Action

• Risk Escalators
• Risk Escalator Mitigation
• SDL Phases
• Actions for each SDL Phase
• SDL Best Practices

Course Materials

Student Materials: Each participant will receive a digital Student Guide and/or Course Notes, code samples, software tutorials, step-by-step written lab instructions (as applicable), diagrams and related reference materials and resource links. Students will also receive the project files (or code, if applicable) and solutions required for the hands-on work.

Hands-On Setup Made Simple! Our dedicated tech team will work with you to ensure our ‘easy-access’ cloud-based course environment, or local installation, is accessible, fully-tested and verified as ready to go well in advance of the course start date, ensuring a smooth start to class and effective learning experience for all participants. In some cases we can also help you install this course locally if preferred. Please inquire for details and options.

Every-Course Extras = High-Value & Long-Term Learning Support! All Public Schedule courses include our unique EveryCourse Extras package (Course Recordings, Live Instructor Follow-on Support, Free *Live* Course Refresh Re-Takes, early access to Special Offers, Free Courses & more). Please inquire for details.