OWASP Top 10

The OWASP Top 10 is a widely used awareness document that helps teams recognize common classes of web application security risk. As of 2026, the most recent published list is OWASP Top 10:2025. Its categories include broken access control, security misconfiguration, software supply chain failures, cryptographic failures, injection and other systemic weaknesses. The list is not a guarantee that these ten items cover every vulnerability a specific application may face.

A practical team can use the framework to organize secure design reviews, developer training and testing priorities. For a content-managed website, for example, access control, dependency hygiene and configuration review may be especially relevant. The list should inform an application-specific threat model and security plan rather than becoming a box-ticking exercise. Testing tools can identify symptoms but cannot replace correct architecture, reviews and patch management.

Different OWASP projects address different topics, including APIs, mobile systems and testing methodology. Do not confuse the Top 10 with a certification that a website can purchase or a formal statement that the site is secure. When referencing individual category rankings, cite the publication year because categories and order can change between editions. Security decisions require ongoing maintenance beyond the release date of any list.