OWASP
OWASP (Open Worldwide Application Security Project) is a nonprofit foundation that works to improve the security of software through community-led open-source projects, tools, documentation, and standards, most notably the OWASP Top 10 list of critical web application security risks.
Founded in 2001, OWASP operates as a global community of security professionals, developers, and educators dedicated to improving software security. The organization produces freely available resources that help organizations design, develop, deploy, operate, and maintain secure applications. All OWASP materials are available under open-source licenses, making them accessible to anyone.
The OWASP Top 10 is the organization's most widely recognized publication. Updated periodically, it identifies the ten most critical security risks to web applications based on consensus from security experts worldwide. The 2021 edition includes risks such as Broken Access Control, Cryptographic Failures, Injection, Insecure Design, and Security Misconfiguration. Many regulatory frameworks and security standards reference the OWASP Top 10 as a baseline for application security testing.
Beyond the Top 10, OWASP maintains numerous projects that serve the security community. The OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) provides a basis for testing web application security controls. The OWASP Testing Guide offers a comprehensive methodology for web application security testing. OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) is one of the most widely used open-source security testing tools for finding vulnerabilities in web applications.
OWASP also publishes specialized top 10 lists for API Security, Mobile Security, and other domains. The organization holds regular conferences, supports local chapters worldwide, and provides training resources that help security professionals and developers stay current with evolving threats and defensive techniques.