Application Security Vulnerability: Code Flaws, Insecure Code

Understanding Application Vulnerabilities

What is an Application Vulnerability?

An application vulnerability is a system flaw or weakness in an application that could be exploited to compromise the security of the application. Once an attacker has found a flaw, or application vulnerability, and determined how to access it, the attacker has the potential to exploit the application vulnerability to facilitate a cyber crime. These crimes target the confidentiality, integrity, or availability (known as the “CIA triad”) of resources possessed by an application, its creators, and its users. Attackers typically rely on specific tools or methods to perform application vulnerability discovery and compromise. According to Gartner Security, the application layer currently contains 90% of all vulnerabilities.

Common Application Vulnerability Exploits

While there are many different tools and techniques for exploiting application vulnerabilities, there are a handful that are much more common than others. These include:

Application Vulnerability Management

It is common for software and application developers to use vulnerability scanning software to detect and remedy application vulnerabilities in code, but this method is not entirely secure and can be costly and difficult to use. Furthermore, scanning software quickly becomes outdated and inaccurate, which only poses more issues for developers to address in trying to make their applications secure.

Reducing Application Vulnerability Risk

Veracode’s cloud-based service and systematic approach deliver a simpler and more scalable solution for reducing global application-layer risk across web, mobile and third-party applications. Recognized as a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader since 2010, Veracode provides on-demand application vulnerability testing to detect and offer solutions for vulnerabilities and other security issues. Since Veracode offers a service instead of a scanning tool, companies are able to save costs by having their applications tested at the highest level of accuracy without the need for purchasing and updating software or hiring specialists to operate and maintain the software.