OWASP: Open Worldwide Application Security Project in Cybersecurity
Like 'oh' plus 'wasp' (the insect).
OWASP stands for Open Worldwide Application Security Project. OWASP is the nonprofit foundation that produces freely available resources for application security, including the OWASP Top 10 list of critical web application vulnerabilities. It maintains testing guides, tools, and community-driven projects used globally.
How OWASP Is Used in Cybersecurity
Penetration testers follow the OWASP Testing Guide and target Top 10 vulnerabilities during web application assessments. Security engineers reference OWASP standards when building secure development pipelines and code review checklists. The OWASP Top 10 is a baseline requirement in most application security programs and frequently appears in compliance mandates.
Read the full glossary entry: OWASP Top 10 in Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity Roles That Work with OWASP
Related Cybersecurity Acronyms
Frequently asked questions
What does OWASP stand for?
OWASP stands for Open Worldwide Application Security Project. OWASP is the nonprofit foundation that produces freely available resources for application security, including the OWASP Top 10 list of critical web application vulnerabilities. It maintains testing guides, tools, and community-driven projects used globally.
What is OWASP used for in cybersecurity?
Penetration testers follow the OWASP Testing Guide and target Top 10 vulnerabilities during web application assessments. Security engineers reference OWASP standards when building secure development pipelines and code review checklists. The OWASP Top 10 is a baseline requirement in most application security programs and frequently appears in compliance mandates.
Definitions are original explanations written for career development purposes. For authoritative technical definitions, refer to NIST, ISO, or the relevant standards body.