Mitigating OWASP Web Application Security Top 10 Risks – 2021 using F5 BIG-IP

Introduction

In our digital age, web applications form the core of most business activity, customer engagement, and service delivery. As these systems become more complex and interconnected with everyday aspects of our lives, the threats against them rise as well. Even with increasing awareness and improvements to development practices, we see far too many applications suffering from simple security vulnerabilities, some of which have been described for many years.

To aid organizations in properly prioritizing remediation of core application security vulnerabilities, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) maintains the OWASP Top 10 list. This list is frequently adjusted with the most common and most impactful security risks to web applications. This list is a recommended framework for secure development and a baseline for assessing current systems.

Here is a summary of current OWASP Top 10 security risks and how we can mitigate each of them using F5 BIG-IP.

 

1. Broken Access Control

Access control ensures users can only perform actions and access data they are authorized to. When this control is weak or improperly implemented, users may gain unauthorized access to resources, such as other users’ accounts, sensitive records, or administrative functions. Common causes include missing permission checks or manipulating URLs to bypass restrictions.

For detailed information and mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

2. Cryptographic Failures

Formerly known as “Sensitive Data Exposure,” this category covers the improper handling of data that should be protected, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal information. This can include weak encryption, storing data in plain text, or using outdated cryptographic protocols. Secure applications should always use strong, modern encryption and avoid exposing sensitive data unnecessarily.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

3. Injection

Injection flaws occur when untrusted data is sent to a system component (like a database or command shell) without proper validation. A common example is SQL injection, where attackers manipulate input fields to execute unintended database commands. The result can be data leakage, corruption, or even a full system compromise. Using parameterized queries or ORM tools can mitigate this risk.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

 4. Insecure Design

Insecure design highlights flaws in the application’s architecture or workflow that expose it to risk—even if the code functions correctly. For example, failing to consider misuse cases, not applying security principles like "least privilege," or not implementing necessary controls can lead to exploitable weaknesses. Secure design requires thoughtful planning and proactive threat modeling early in the development cycle.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

5. Security Misconfiguration

Misconfigurations are one of the most common causes of breaches. These may include unnecessary features being enabled, default accounts or passwords not being changed, or overly verbose error messages. Properly configuring systems, automating secure deployments, and regularly reviewing settings can help eliminate such exposures.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

 6. Vulnerable and Outdated Components

Modern applications depend heavily on third-party libraries and frameworks. When these components are outdated or include known vulnerabilities, they become a risk factor. Without proper inventory and update management, applications can unknowingly incorporate and expose weaknesses from external code.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

7. Identification and Authentication Failures

This category involves weaknesses in the mechanisms that verify user identity. Poor password handling, ineffective multi-factor authentication, and insufficient protection against brute-force attacks can allow attackers to impersonate legitimate users. Strong password policies, secure session management, and robust authentication mechanisms are essential safeguards.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

 8. Software and Data Integrity Failures

Trusting unverified code or data can lead to security compromises. This includes downloading dependencies from untrusted sources or applying software updates without verifying their integrity. Applications should ensure software components are signed and verified, and integrity checks should be enforced throughout deployment pipelines.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

 9. Security Logging and Monitoring Failures

Without proper logging and monitoring, it’s difficult to detect and respond to attacks. This can lead to prolonged breaches and greater damage. Applications should generate logs for critical events, store them securely, and have alert mechanisms in place to detect suspicious behavior.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

10. Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

SSRF vulnerabilities arise when a web server is tricked into making requests to unintended destinations—often internal systems that aren’t normally exposed to users. This can lead to data disclosure or allow attackers to scan internal networks. Validating and restricting outgoing requests is key to mitigating this risk.

For detailed information on mitigation strategies for this attack using F5 BIG-IP, please refer to this article.

 

Conclusion

Mitigating OWASP Top 10 risks requires both secure coding and strong infrastructure controls. F5 BIG-IP offers advanced features like Web Application Firewall (WAF), access control, and traffic inspection. These features help block common attack vectors such as injection, access control bypass, and authentication flaws. By integrating F5 BIG-IP into your security stack, you add a robust layer of protection that complements application-level defenses and strengthens your overall security posture.

 

Additional Resources:

Mitigating OWASP Web Application Security Top 10 – 2021 risks using F5 Distributed Cloud Platform

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