The primary aim of the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) Project is to normalize the range in the coverage and level of rigor available in the market when it comes to performing Web application security verification using a commercially-workable open standard. The standard provides a basis for testing application technical security controls, as well as any technical security controls in the environment, that are relied on to protect against vulnerabilities such as Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. This standard can be used to establish a level of confidence in the security of Web applications. The requirements were developed with the following objectives in mind:

• Use as a metric - Provide application developers and application owners with a yardstick with which to assess the degree of trust that can be placed in their Web applications,
• Use as guidance - Provide guidance to security control developers as to what to build into security controls in order to satisfy application security requirements, and
• Use during procurement - Provide a basis for specifying application security verification requirements in contracts.

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ASVS Users

A broad range of companies and agencies around the globe have added ASVS to their software assurance tool boxes, including Aspect Security, Astyran, Booz Allen Hamilton, Casaba Security, CGI Federal, Denim Group, Etebaran Informatics, Minded Security, Nixu, ps_testware, Proactive Risk, Quince Associates Limited (SeeMyData), Serviço Federal de Processamento de Dados (SERPRO), Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas Organizations listed 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.

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?

ASVS Translation

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

• Translation Onboarding Instructions.

Related resources

OWASP Resources

• OWASP Top Ten
• OWASP Development Guide
• OWASP Legal Project
• OWASP ESAPI
• OWASP Common Numbering
• OWASP Press Releases