Key Takeaways
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For years, cybersecurity was often viewed as a technical hurdle, however with the release of the OWASP Top 10:2025, the global standard for web application risk signals a fundamental shift that requires executive attention.
The 2025 update moves away from simple coding errors and highlights systemic, architectural threats. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this is a critical change as they are often targeted specifically because they may lack the layered defenses of large corporations while relying on the same complex infrastructure.
The following is a guide translating the new technical risks into practical measures that can protect your organization’s bottom line.
1. The hidden risk in your supply chain (Software supply chain failures)
Technical Reference: A03: Software Supply Chain Failures
The business issue:
Modern software isn't written from scratch; it is assembled using hundreds of free, open-source building blocks to save time and money. The 2025 standards warn that your application is only as secure as the weakest component you "borrowed" from a third party.
The risk:
If a popular software library is compromised by a hacker, it can instantly infect thousands of businesses using it, including yours. Hackers are no longer just attacking your front door; they are poisoning the materials you use to build the house.
Executive action:
- Mandate inventory: You cannot protect what you don't know you have. Require a "Software Bill of Materials" (SBOM) which is essentially a detailed inventory list of every ingredient in your software.
- Verify integrity: Ensure your IT teams are scanning these third-party tools for integrity, not just downloading them blindly.
2. The danger of "default" settings (Security misconfiguration)
Technical Reference: A02: Security Misconfiguration
The business issue:
As SMEs rush to the cloud (AWS, Azure, etc.) to scale operations, complexity increases. The 2025 report highlights that "Security Misconfiguration" has surged to the #2 risk spot.
The risk:
Cloud environments are powerful but dangerous if not customized. Leaving systems on "default settings" or failing to lock down cloud storage is the digital equivalent of installing a high-tech bank vault but leaving the factory code as '0000.'
Executive action:
- Remove defaults: Enforce a policy where all default credentials and settings are changed immediately upon deployment.
- Automate compliance: Use automated tools to scan your cloud infrastructure to ensure it meets safety baselines before it goes live.
3. When systems fail, do they fail safely? (Mishandling of exceptional conditions)
Technical Reference: A10: Mishandling of Exceptional Conditions
The business issue:
This is a brand-new category for 2025. It asks a simple question: When your software crashes or encounters an error, what happens?
The risk:
When a system glitches, it often "spews" technical data, displaying error codes, database paths, or internal logic to the user. To a hacker, this is reconnaissance gold as it tells them exactly how your system is built and where the weak points are.
Executive action:
- The "fail-safe" mandate: Direct your development teams to ensure that all public-facing errors are generic and polite (e.g., "Something went wrong"), while the sensitive technical details remain locked in internal logs.
4. The "keys to the kingdom" (Broken Access Control)
Technical Reference: A01: Broken Access Control
The business issue:
Retaining the #1 spot, Broken Access Control remains the most common and dangerous vulnerability.
The risk:
This occurs when digital "ID badges" aren't checked properly as it allows a regular user to access admin features, or one client to view another client's sensitive data. It is strictly a failure of business logic of not enforcing who is allowed to do what.
Executive action:
- Deny by default: Adopt a "Zero Trust" mindset. Access should be denied by default and only granted explicitly based on role.
- Centralize checks: Ensure permissions are checked at every single entry point, not just at the login screen.
Strategic Next Steps: How UHY Can Help
Addressing these risks requires moving security from a "final check" to a core part of your design process. UHY’s Cyber Team focuses on four high-impact services tailored to these 2025 threats:
- Supply chain audits: We move beyond basic scanning to audit your third-party software usage and help you generate the critical Software Bill of Materials (SBOM).
- Cloud hardening: We help you establish secure configuration baselines for your cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) to prevent the "default settings" breaches.
- Threat modeling workshops: We work with your teams before they code to design safety features and access controls into the architecture, saving money on future patches.
- Targeted training: We provide modern training for your developers, specifically teaching them how to handle errors securely and manage access controls to meet the 2025 standards.
The threat landscape has shifted from "bad code" to "bad architecture." By prioritizing these four areas, you protect your company’s data, reputation, and operational continuity.
To learn more about what UHY can do to help safeguard your business, explore our Cybersecurity and Risk Services.
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Author
TY COFFEE
Principal, UHY Consulting
Ty Coffee is a Principal with UHY Consulting, providing solutions that strengthen organizations. He brings over 19 years of experience managing, performing, and delivering information technology security solutions. This experience includes technology risk management, IT audition, IT security assessments, internal auditing, attack‐and‐penetration testing services, and security analysis in domestic and global entities.