OWASP Top 10:2025, explained

The OWASP Top 10 is the most widely referenced awareness list of web application security risks. The 2025 edition is the current release.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-18

#CategoryWhat it looks like on an SME site
A01Broken Access ControlAdmin pages reachable without login, other customers' bookings viewable by changing an ID in the URL. SSRF is now part of this category.
A02Security MisconfigurationMissing security headers, default credentials, directory listing, verbose error pages, public backup files.
A03Software Supply Chain FailuresOutdated plugins and themes, abandoned npm packages, third-party scripts loaded from unvetted CDNs.
A04Cryptographic FailuresForms over HTTP, weak TLS, passwords stored without proper hashing.
A05InjectionSQL injection in a search box; cross-site scripting (XSS) in a contact form or review widget.
A06Insecure DesignPassword reset flows that can be abused; no rate limits on booking or coupon endpoints.
A07Authentication FailuresNo MFA on the CMS admin, unlimited login attempts, shared admin accounts.
A08Software or Data Integrity FailuresScripts loaded without integrity checks; unsigned updates; insecure deserialisation.
A09Security Logging & Alerting FailuresNo logs of admin logins, or logs nobody reviews and no alerts.
A10Mishandling of Exceptional ConditionsErrors that leak stack traces, or failures that "fail open" and skip a security check.

What a passive scan can and can't see

Passive checks reliably surface parts of A02 (headers, disclosure), A04 (TLS/HTTPS), A03 (visible outdated libraries) and A08 (scripts without Subresource Integrity). A01, A05, A06 and A07 can't be judged from public signals; for those, consider asking a qualified security professional.

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