Summary ASVS
Summary ASVS
Summary ASVS
controls that focus on defining the functional and non-functional security controls required when
designing, developing and testing modern web applications and web services.
ASVS has two main goals:
to help organizations develop and maintain secure applications.
to allow security service vendors, security tools vendors, and consumers to align their
requirements and offerings.
3 levels in ASVS:
1. ASVS Level 1 is for low assurance levels, and is completely penetration testable
2. ASVS Level 2 is for applications that contain sensitive data, which requires protection
and is the recommended level for most apps
3. ASVS Level 3 is for the most critical applications - applications that perform high value
transactions, contain sensitive medical data, or any application that requires the highest
level of trust.
14 requirements in ASVS:
1. Architecture, Design and Threat Modeling Requirements
Security architecture is identical, we need authentication today, we will require
authentication tomorrow, and we will need it five years from now. In this chapter, the
ASVS covers off the primary aspects of any sound security architecture: availability,
confidentiality, processing integrity, non-repudiation, and privacy. Each of these security
principles must be built in
and be innate to all applications.
2. Authentication Verification Requirements
Advancements in modern authentication are necessary, so we have to introduce terminology that
will become commonplace in the future. In this case, ASVS covers off password security standards,
general authenticator, credential recovery, MFA mandatory, and cryptographic software
requirements.
3. Session Management Verification Requirements
Ensure that a verified application satisfies the following high-level session management requirements:
• Sessions are unique to each individual and cannot be guessed or shared.
• Sessions are invalidated when no longer required and timed out during periods of inactivity.
these requirements have been adapted to be a compliant subset of selected NIST 800-63b
controls, focused around common threats and commonly exploited authentication weaknesses.
4. Access Control Verification Requirements
Authorization is the concept of allowing access to resources only to those permitted to use them. Ensure
that a verified application satisfies the following high-level requirements:
• Persons accessing resources hold valid credentials to do so.
• Users are associated with a well-defined set of roles and privileges.
• Role and permission metadata is protected from replay or tampering.