Trustwave's 2024 Financial Services Threat Reports Highlight Alarming Trends in Insider Threats & Phishing-as-a-Service. Learn More

Trustwave's 2024 Financial Services Threat Reports Highlight Alarming Trends in Insider Threats & Phishing-as-a-Service. Learn More

Services
Managed Detection & Response

Eliminate active threats with 24/7 threat detection, investigation, and response.

Co-Managed SOC (SIEM)

Maximize your SIEM investment, stop alert fatigue, and enhance your team with hybrid security operations support.

Advisory & Diagnostics

Advance your cybersecurity program and get expert guidance where you need it most.

Penetration Testing

Test your physical locations and IT infrastructure to shore up weaknesses before exploitation.

Database Security

Prevent unauthorized access and exceed compliance requirements.

Email Security

Stop email threats others miss and secure your organization against the #1 ransomware attack vector.

Digital Forensics & Incident Response

Prepare for the inevitable with 24/7 global breach response in-region and available on-site.

Firewall & Technology Management

Mitigate risk of a cyberattack with 24/7 incident and health monitoring and the latest threat intelligence.

Solutions
BY TOPIC
Microsoft Security
Unlock the full power of Microsoft Security
Offensive Security
Solutions to maximize your security ROI
Rapidly Secure New Environments
Security for rapid response situations
Securing the Cloud
Safely navigate and stay protected
Securing the IoT Landscape
Test, monitor and secure network objects
Why Trustwave
About Us
Awards and Accolades
Trustwave SpiderLabs Team
Trustwave Fusion Security Operations Platform
Trustwave Security Colony
Partners
Technology Alliance Partners
Key alliances who align and support our ecosystem of security offerings
Trustwave PartnerOne Program
Join forces with Trustwave to protect against the most advance cybersecurity threats

Why 'Comprehensive' Application Security Is More Important Than Ever

Ask an IT person why they scan certain applications for vulnerabilities, and they'll most often reply: "Because of compliance."

Now if you ask those same IT people why they don't scan other apps, they'll often give you an identical response: "Because of compliance."

It's a sad fact that most security analysts and application production professionals feel so tight on time and resources that they stop at what they "must" do (for compliance) rather than what they believe they "should" do (for overall security).

But given the high visibility of web application breaches, many organizations are setting themselves up for disaster if they maintain that strategy.

While compliance mandates present a clear impetus to vulnerability scan any app that handles credit card or Social Security numbers, or personally identifiable medical information, most organizations have dozens or hundreds of other apps that are in need of protecting. Almost every app is capable of hurting your organization if it is compromised.

As such, consider the following four reasons why you should consider comprehensive app scanning.

 

Attacks against apps are increasing because vulnerabilities are increasing

Ninety-six percent of all applications tested in 2013 by Trustwave had one or more serious security vulnerabilities when first tested. The median number of vulnerabilities per app rose to 14. The application layer continues to be a soft target, which is why experts estimate a clear majority of attacks target it.

 

Any app with a login typically has data that should be protected

Apps may contain customer, employee or partner information that can be used for identity theft. Apps also may expose corporate technical, financial, legal, compensation, competitive or HR information.

 

Vulnerabilities can be exploited to conduct a range of actions

This can involve anything from crashing apps to taking shell control to corrupting databases. In short, an application compromise can spell big financial and reputational damage to a breached organization.

 

Because you can

Comprehensive application scanning is more attainable than ever and can range from automated scans to managed automated scans, and more advanced penetration testing. Solutions are better at letting you tune the effort, cost and security level to fit the needs of all of your applications, from "brochureware" to an e-commerce shopping cart.

ABOUT TRUSTWAVE

Trustwave is a globally recognized cybersecurity leader that reduces cyber risk and fortifies organizations against disruptive and damaging cyber threats. Our comprehensive offensive and defensive cybersecurity portfolio detects what others cannot, responds with greater speed and effectiveness, optimizes client investment, and improves security resilience. Learn more about us.

Latest Intelligence

Discover how our specialists can tailor a security program to fit the needs of
your organization.

Request a Demo