The OWASP Top 10 is a "most wanted" list for the biggest security flaws hackers love to exploit. If you’re tired of slow, expensive pentests that find nothing, you're in the right place. We find these critical risks fast, with a clear report in your hands within a week.

What is the OWASP Top 10 List?

The OWASP Top 10 is a simple guide to the most common ways attackers break into websites and applications. It’s not just a technical list for developers. If you are an IT manager, CISO, or startup founder, this list shows you exactly where your business is at risk.

Ignoring these flaws is like leaving your front door unlocked. We use the OWASP Top 10 as our playbook for affordable manual pentests. Our OSCP, CEH, and CREST certified pentesters find the real-world risks so you can fix what matters. Before diving in, it is helpful to start with understanding overall security best practices.

The Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) updates this list every few years to keep up with new threats. The latest version from 2021 helps our experts focus on what hackers are doing right now. Our goal is to give you a fast, affordable report that you can actually use.

Why We Use OWASP Top 10

It's a mistake to see the OWASP Top 10 as just a technical checklist. It is a straightforward list of business risks that can hurt your reputation, finances, and customer trust. For founders, CISOs, and IT managers, every item on this list is a clear and present danger.

Ignoring these common flaws is like inviting trouble. A single vulnerability can lead to a major data breach, big compliance fines, or a complete loss of customer confidence.

Let’s take a flaw like Broken Access Control. It just means a user can see things they shouldn’t. Imagine an employee being able to access everyone's salary. The business impact is immediate.

These are not rare problems. A huge 94% of applications have some form of Broken Access Control. You can see the data for yourself in the full OWASP report findings.

OWASP Top 10:

Many pentesting firms make security feel complicated and expensive. This causes businesses to delay essential testing. They deliver slow reports filled with jargon, leaving you confused about what to fix.

We are the affordable alternative. Our OSCP, CEH, and CREST certified experts focus on affordable manual pentests. We use the OWASP Top 10 as our guide to find your critical security gaps and deliver a clear, actionable report within a week.

A01: Broken Access Control Explained

Broken Access Control is number one for a reason. It is the most common and critical security risk. Imagine a hotel where one key card can open every single door. That is what this vulnerability is like.

In your app, this could mean a regular user can see sensitive customer data or change admin settings. Our certified pentesters are experts at finding these flaws that automated scanners almost always miss.

A02: Cryptographic Failures Explained

This is all about protecting sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers. Think of it like sending a postcard with your bank details written on the back for everyone to see.

If an attacker gets this data, the damage is huge. It can lead to identity theft and a total loss of customer trust. Our pentest verifies that your encryption is set up correctly and actually working.

A03: Injection Flaws Explained Simply

Injection flaws are like tricking a system by giving it unexpected commands. Imagine a vending machine where you can type in a secret code to make it give you all the snacks for free.

An attacker sends malicious code disguised as normal data to your application. If your app is not careful, it might run that code, allowing the attacker to steal or delete your entire database. For a deeper dive, you can learn about understanding web security risks and key vulnerabilities.

A04: Insecure Design Explained Simply

Insecure Design means security was not planned from the start. This is like building a house and only thinking about where to put the locks after it is fully built.

Trying to add security later is always more expensive and less effective. Our web app pentesting services can find these design-level weaknesses early, saving you a lot of time and money.

A05: Security Misconfiguration Explained

Security Misconfiguration is one of the easiest ways for attackers to get in. This happens when security settings are left on their insecure, default values.

It is like buying a security system for your office but leaving the default password as "admin". Our expert pentesters have a sharp eye for these misconfigurations. Getting a fast, affordable pentest report from us means you can quickly close these open doors.

A06: Vulnerable and Outdated Components

Using outdated components is like building a new bank vault but using a rusty old padlock. Every hacker knows how to break that lock.

Apps use hundreds of third-party libraries as building blocks. If just one of those blocks has a known flaw, your whole application is at risk. Attackers actively search for outdated software because it is an easy way in.

A07: Identification and Authentication Failures

This is about all the ways an app can fail to confirm who a user is. It is like a security guard accepting a fake ID without looking twice.

This includes allowing weak passwords like "password123" or not protecting against password-guessing attacks. Our OSCP and CEH certified experts are trained to test these systems for the subtle flaws that automated scanners miss.

A08: Software and Data Integrity Failures

This risk asks a simple question: can you trust your software and data? These failures happen when you have no checks to prevent unauthorized changes.

Imagine a car maker that does not inspect parts from suppliers. If a bad part is secretly swapped in, the car will fail. This is especially dangerous in automated update pipelines. You can learn more about secure code review practices to prevent this.

A09: Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

This is one of the most overlooked weaknesses. It is like having a security alarm but never turning it on. Without proper logging and monitoring, you are flying blind.

If an attacker gets in, you will not know they are there or what they are doing. This gives them weeks or months to steal your data without anyone noticing.

A10: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

SSRF is a dangerous threat that lets an attacker trick your server into making requests to internal systems. Think of your server as a trusted employee inside your secure network.

An attacker on the outside tricks that employee into getting internal files for them. This completely bypasses your main defenses and is a key focus of our affordable pentesting service.

How to Use OWASP Top 10 for Pentesting

Knowing the OWASP Top 10 is one thing, but finding those flaws is what really matters. Too many pentesting firms are slow and expensive. That’s not how we work. Our approach is built on a simple promise: affordable, fast, and effective manual pentesting.

Our Expert-Driven Manual Testing Process

The secret to our speed is a focus on manual pentesting by certified experts. Automated scanners miss the complex flaws that skilled attackers hunt for. Our team thinks like real-world attackers because they are.

Our pentesters hold top certifications like OSCP, CEH, and CREST. They have the hands-on expertise to find critical risks that automated tools cannot see. This is different from the role of web application scanning, which often finds only low-hanging fruit.

Fast Turnaround with Actionable Reports

We believe security testing should speed up your business, not slow it down. We have streamlined our process to deliver a comprehensive, easy-to-read report in just one week. No long waits and no confusing jargon.

Our reports give you clear, actionable steps to fix every vulnerability we find. This speed and clarity empower you to get straight to work. If you’re tired of slow timelines and high prices, we are the affordable alternative.

How Often to Test for OWASP Top 10

You should test for these vulnerabilities at least once a year. If you handle sensitive data for compliance like SOC 2 or push major updates, you should test more often. Our pentests are affordable enough to make regular check-ins a reality.

Are Automated Scanners Good Enough?

In a word, no. Automated scanners are a useful first pass, but they are blind to complex business logic flaws. For example, a scanner cannot tell if a regular user can access an admin's private data.

This is why our approach is built around manual pentesting. Our certified experts find the clever vulnerabilities that actually lead to data breaches.

Does OWASP Apply to Small Businesses?

Absolutely. Attackers often target small businesses because they assume security is weaker. The OWASP Top 10 is a list of how hackers break into systems, no matter the company's size.

Our fast and affordable pentests are built to give startups and SMBs the security they need. We deliver reports in about a week to fit your timeline and budget.

How OWASP Relates to Compliance Needs

The OWASP Top 10 is a guide, not a formal compliance standard. OWASP tells you what the biggest threats are. Compliance frameworks like PCI DSS define how you must prove your security controls are working.

Passing an audit almost always requires showing your application is protected against the OWASP Top 10. Our pentest reports give you the clear evidence you need to show auditors you have a secure system.

Ready to find and fix your vulnerabilities without the high costs and long waits? At Affordable Pentesting, we deliver expert manual pentesting with actionable reports in just one week. Contact us through our form to get started.