OWASP Assessment Test

An OWASP Assessment Test evaluates a candidate’s understanding of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) guidelines and their ability to apply OWASP principles and practices to improve web application security. The OWASP Foundation is known for its work in improving software security through the publication of various resources, including the OWASP Top 10, which highlights the most critical web application security risks.

A OWASP Assessment Test evaluates candidates for:

1. Introduction to OWASP

• Overview of OWASP:
  • Understanding the mission and goals of OWASP, including its role in promoting web application security best practices.
• OWASP Projects:
  • Familiarity with key OWASP projects, including OWASP Top 10, OWASP ASVS (Application Security Verification Standard), and OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy).
• OWASP Top 10:
  • Knowledge of the OWASP Top 10 list of the most critical web application security risks and their characteristics.

2. OWASP Top 10 Risks

• Injection:
  • Understanding of injection attacks, such as SQL injection, and methods to prevent them.
• Broken Authentication:
  • Knowledge of risks related to authentication mechanisms, including password management and multi-factor authentication.
• Sensitive Data Exposure:
  • Familiarity with issues related to data protection, including encryption and secure data storage practices.
• XML External Entities (XXE):
  • Understanding of XXE attacks and methods to mitigate them.
• Broken Access Control:
  • Knowledge of access control issues, including authorization flaws and their mitigation.
• Security Misconfiguration:
  • Awareness of common security misconfigurations and best practices for configuration management.
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS):
  • Understanding of XSS attacks, including reflected, stored, and DOM-based XSS, and how to prevent them.
• Insecure Deserialization:
  • Knowledge of risks associated with insecure deserialization and techniques to protect against these vulnerabilities.
• Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities:
  • Familiarity with the risks of using outdated or vulnerable components and strategies for managing and updating dependencies.
• Insufficient Logging & Monitoring:
  • Understanding of the importance of logging and monitoring for detecting and responding to security incidents.

3. Secure Coding Practices

• Input Validation:
  • Techniques for validating and sanitizing user inputs to prevent injection and other attacks.
• Output Encoding:
  • Methods for encoding outputs to protect against XSS and other injection attacks.
• Error Handling:
  • Best practices for handling errors and exceptions securely to avoid revealing sensitive information.
• Authentication and Authorization:
  • Secure practices for implementing authentication and authorization mechanisms, including password policies and session management.

4. Security Testing and Tools

• Security Testing Methodologies:
  • Knowledge of various security testing methodologies, including static analysis, dynamic analysis, and penetration testing.
• OWASP ZAP:
  • Familiarity with OWASP ZAP, its features, and how to use it for automated security testing of web applications.
• Other Security Tools:
  • Understanding of other security tools and frameworks commonly used in web application security testing.

5. Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS)

• ASVS Overview:
  • Understanding the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) and its role in providing a framework for application security requirements.
• ASVS Levels:
  • Familiarity with the different levels of ASVS and their applicability to various types of applications.
• Security Controls:
  • Knowledge of the security controls defined by ASVS and how to implement them in applications.

6. Incident Response and Management

• Incident Response Plan:
  • Skills in developing and implementing an incident response plan for addressing security breaches and vulnerabilities.
• Forensic Analysis:
  • Understanding of basic forensic analysis techniques for investigating security incidents.
• Reporting:
  • Ability to document and report security findings and incidents effectively.

7. Regulatory and Compliance Requirements

• Compliance Frameworks:
  • Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements related to web application security, such as GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA.
• Security Policies:
  • Familiarity with developing and enforcing security policies and procedures in line with OWASP guidelines.

8. Advanced Security Topics

• Advanced Attacks:
  • Understanding of advanced attack techniques and how to defend against them, such as advanced persistent threats (APTs) and zero-day vulnerabilities.
• Emerging Threats:
  • Awareness of emerging threats and trends in web application security.
• Security Architecture:
  • Knowledge of secure software architecture principles and design patterns for building secure applications.

9. Case Studies and Practical Exercises

• Case Studies:
  • Analyzing real-world case studies of security breaches and understanding how OWASP principles could have mitigated those incidents.
• Practical Exercises:
  • Hands-on exercises in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities using OWASP tools and techniques.

The OWASP Assessment Test evaluates a candidate’s understanding of OWASP principles, including the OWASP Top 10 risks, secure coding practices, security testing, and compliance. It covers knowledge of key OWASP projects, tools, and methodologies, as well as practical skills in assessing and improving web application security.

Candidates should demonstrate their ability to apply OWASP guidelines to identify vulnerabilities, implement security controls, and manage security incidents effectively. The test ensures that candidates are equipped to enhance web application security and adhere to best practices in the field.