Sensitive data exposure is a significant concern when it comes to web application security. It often occurs due to failures related to cryptography and can lead to the exposure of confidential information. Common Weakness Enumerations (CWEs) like CWE-259, CWE-327, and CWE-331 highlight the vulnerabilities associated with this issue.
To prevent sensitive data exposure and related vulnerabilities, several measures should be implemented:
- Determine the protection needs of data in transit and at rest, especially for sensitive information subject to privacy laws and regulations.
- Encrypt all sensitive data at rest and in transit using up-to-date and strong algorithms and protocols.
- Implement secure protocols like TLS with forward secrecy for data in transit and enforce encryption using directives like HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS).
- Store passwords securely by using strong adaptive and salted hashing functions.
- Avoid using deprecated cryptographic functions and padding schemes.
- Ensure appropriate initialization vectors and authenticated encryption are used.
- Implement proper key management and avoid storing default or weak crypto keys.
- Regularly verify and assess the effectiveness of the security configuration.
By following these preventive measures, you can significantly reduce the risk of sensitive data exposure and enhance the security of your web application.
To assist you in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, you can leverage tools like INFRA www.infrascan.net and check.website. These services provide vulnerability scanning and assessment capabilities, helping you identify and address access control weaknesses and ensuring robust security for your application.