OWASP Documentation Project

Application Security Verification Standards (ASVS)

The ASVS defines four levels of application-level security verification for Web applications. Application-level security focuses on the analysis of components that comprise the application layer of the Open Systems Interconnection Reference Model (OSI Model), rather than focusing on for example the underlying operating system or connected networks. Each level described in this document includes a set of requirements for verifying the effectiveness of security controls that protect Web applications. For more information, please contact us. You can download it here.

Latest News

• Nixu added to list of ASVS users!
• Interested in translating ASVS into another language? We'd like to hear from you! Read more, here.
• Have you used ASVS? Please let us know your stories!
• ASVS News Archives
• ASVS Announcement Feed
• ASVS Mailing List

Start Here

1. About ASVS

• Introduction to ASVS (PDF, Word)
• Project Presentation (PowerPoint)

2. Get ASVS

• ASVS in English
  

3. Learn ASVS

• ASVS Article: Getting Started Using ASVS (PDF)
• ASVS Article: Code Reviews and Other Verification Activities: USELESS Unless Acted Upon IMMEDIATELY (Wiki)
• ASVS Article: Agile Software Development: Don't Forget EVIL User Stories (Wiki)
• ASVS Article: Man vs. Code (Wiki)
• ASVS Article: Getting started designing for a level of assurance (PDF)
• ASVS Template: Sample verification fee schedule template (Excel)
• ASVS Template: Sample verification report template (Word)
• ASVS Training: An ASVS training presentation (PowerPoint)
• ASVS Presentation: Executive-Level Presentation (PowerPoint)
• ASVS Presentation: Presentation Abstract (Word)
• Articles (More About ASVS and Using It)

Related Resources

• OWASP Top Ten
• OWASP Legal Project
• OWASP ESAPI

Let's Talk Here

ASVS Communities

Further development of ASVS occurs through mailing list discussions and occasional workshops, and suggestions for improvement are welcome. For more information, please contact us.

• owasp-application-security-verification-standard mailing list (this is the main list)

Got Translation Cycles?

The ASVS project is always on the lookout for volunteers who are interested in translating ASVS into another language.

• Translation Onboarding Instructions.

Glossary

• Access Control – A means of restricting access to files, referenced functions, URLs, and data based on the identity of users and/or groups to which they belong.
• Application Component – An individual or group of source files, libraries, and/or executables, as defined by the verifier for a particular application.
• Application Security – Application-level security focuses on the analysis of components that comprise the application layer of the Open Systems Interconnection Reference Model (OSI Model), rather than focusing on for example the underlying operating system or connected networks.
• Application Security Verification – The technical assessment of an application against the OWASP ASVS.
• Application Security Verification Report – A report that documents the overall results and supporting analysis produced by the verifier for a particular application.
• Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) – An OWASP standard that defines four levels of application security verification for applications.
• Authentication – The verification of the claimed identity of an application user.
• Automated Verification – The use of automated tools (either dynamic analysis tools, static analysis tools, or both) that use vulnerability signatures to find problems.
• Back Doors – A type of malicious code that allows unauthorized access to an application.
• Blacklist – A list of data or operations that are not permitted, for example a list of characters that are not allowed as input.
• Common Criteria (CC) – A multipart standard that can be used as the basis for the verification of the design and implementation of security controls in IT products.
• Communication Security – The protection of application data when it is transmitted between application components, between clients and servers, and between external systems and the application.
• Design Verification – The technical assessment of the security architecture of an application.
• Internal Verification – The technical assessment of specific aspects of the security architecture of an application as defined in the OWASP ASVS.
• Cryptographic module – Hardware, software, and/or firmware that implements cryptographic algorithms and/or generates cryptographic keys.
• Denial of Service (DOS) Attacks – The flooding of an application with more requests than it can handle.
• Dynamic Verification – The use of automated tools that use vulnerability signatures to find problems during the execution of an application.
• Easter Eggs – A type of malicious code that does not run until a specific user input event occurs.
• External Systems – A server-side application or service that is not part of the application.
• FIPS 140-2 – A standard that can be used as the basis for the verification of the design and implementation of cryptographic modules
• Input Validation – The canonicalization and validation of untrusted user input.
• Malicious Code – Code introduced into an application during its development unbeknownst to the application owner which circumvents the application’s intended security policy. Not the same as malware such as a virus or worm!
• Malware – Executable code that is introduced into an application during runtime without the knowledge of the application user or administrator.
• Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) – The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a worldwide free and open community focused on improving the security of application software. Our mission is to make application security "visible," so that people and organizations can make informed decisions about application security risks. See: http://www.owasp.org/
• Output Validation – The canonicalization and validation of application output to Web browsers and to external systems.
• OWASP Enterprise Security API (ESAPI) – A free and open collection of all the security methods that developers need to build secure Web applications. See: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/ESAPI
• OWASP Risk Rating Methodology – A risk rating methodology that has been customized for application security. See: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/How_to_value_the_real_risk
• OWASP Testing Guide – A document designed to help organizations understand what comprises a testing program, and to help them identify the steps needed to build and operate that testing program. See: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/Category:OWASP_Testing_Project

OWASP Top Ten – A document that represents a broad consensus about what the most critical Web application security flaws are. See: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/Top10

• Positive – See whitelist.
• Salami Attack – A type of malicious code that is used to redirect small amounts of money without detection in financial transactions.
• Security Architecture – An abstraction of an application’s design that identifies and describes where and how security controls are used, and also identifies and describes the location and sensitivity of both user and application data.
• Security Control – A function or component that performs a security check (e.g. an access control check) or when called results in a security effect (e.g. generating an audit record).
• Security Configuration – The runtime configuration of an application that affects how security controls are used.
• Static Verification – The use of automated tools that use vulnerability signatures to find problems in application source code.
• Target of Verification (TOV) – If you are performing an application security verification according to the OWASP ASVS requirements, the verification will be of a particular application. This application is called the “Target of Verification” or simply the TOV.
• Threat Modeling - A technique consisting of developing increasingly refined security architectures to identify threat agents, security zones, security controls, and important technical and business assets.
• Time Bomb – A type of malicious code that does not run until a preconfigured time or date elapses.
• Verifier - The person or team that is reviewing an application against the OWASP ASVS requirements.
• Whitelist – A list of permitted data or operations, for example a list of characters that are allowed to perform input validation.

Project Leader

• Mike Boberski

Project Contributors

• Jeff Williams
• Dave Wichers

Project Sponsorship

Users

A broad range of companies and agencies around the globe have added ASVS to their software assurance tool boxes, including:

• Aspect Security
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• Casaba Security
• CGI Federal
• Denim Group
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
• Minded Security
• Nixu
• ps_testware
• Quince Associates Limited (SeeMyData)
• Serviço Federal de Processamento de Dados (SERPRO)

Organizations listed above are not accredited by OWASP. Neither their products or services have been endorsed by OWASP. Use of ASVS may include for example providing verification services using the standard. Use of ASVS may also include for example performing internal evaluation of products with the OWASP ASVS in mind, and NOT making any claims of meeting any given level in the standard.

Please let us know how your organization is using OWASP ASVS. Include your name, organization's name, and brief description of how you use the standard. The project lead can be reached here.