White Papers for Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)

Understanding Web 2.0 Technologies, Risks, and Best Practices

Imperva

Companies of all sizes are leveraging Web 2.0 technologies to improve Web site usability and to open new channels of communication. Web 2.0 refers to today’s “second generation” of Web technologies, which includes AJAX, RSS feeds, online forums, and mashups. The Web 2.0 term also captures broader development trends, such as:
• Making applications more functionality-rich and responsive
• Generating and sharing content in real time
• Welcoming end user participation
This technical brief examines the underlying technologies used in Web 2.0 applications. It also explains how Web 2.0 introduces some daunting security challenges. New application coding hazards produced by Web 2.0 can elevate the risk of cross-site scripting (XSS) injections, cross-site request forgery (CSRF), unauthorized access, and other Web-based attacks. Lastly, this brief illustrates a number of defense strategies that businesses can use to safely roll out Web 2.0 applications, including application development best practices and dedicated Web application security solutions.

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