Statista lists the following most downloaded apps for Windows (Microsoft apps) devices for Q3 2024, in millions:
- Microsoft Teams – 26.33M
- Microsoft Authenticator – 19.64M
- Microsoft Outlook – 16.91M
- Microsoft Word – 16.4M
- Microsoft 365 Office – 12.75M
- Microsoft Edge: AI Browser – 12.13M
- Microsoft Excel – 10.5M
- Microsoft OneDrive – 6.93M
- Microsoft PowerPoint – 6.65M
- Xbox – 6.04M
- Link to Windows – 4.25M
- Intune Company Portal – 3.03M
- Microsoft OneNote – 2.97M
Enhancing Application Security with ASPM
Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) is dramatically changing how organizations identify, analyze, and mitigate risks across the entire Windows ecosystem. ASPM offers a centralized platform that consolidates data from across the AppSec spectrum, including Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST).
The integration allows teams to prioritize vulnerabilities based on real-world impact scenarios. ASPM can leverage the development and runtime context and bridge the gap between preproduction security assessments and live application monitoring, ensuring a proactive approach to risk mitigation.
ASPM can seamlessly integrate into developer workflows. It supports a wide range of programming and language languages. But more than that, it supports cloud tools and frameworks. This makes it easy for organizations to embed security into the Windows Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
This is achieved by fostering collaboration between application security teams and developers. ASPM includes many unique features, including customizable policy management and aggregated risk scoring. By following this all-encompassing strategy, ASPM empowers enterprises to align their security posture with business objectives. It reduces the cost of ownership and enhances trust and resilience.
Why Windows AppSec is So Important
Now that we know how to safeguard against application security vulnerabilities in Windows let’s examine this topic in greater detail. The security of applications in Windows systems is sacrosanct.
It is essential to protect Windows operating systems against potential threats by protecting apps’ source code from inception to injection into the system. Below are the most common application security vulnerabilities in Windows OSX and effective ways to mitigate them.
Improper Authorization Vulnerabilities
This vulnerability occurs with weak file or folder permissions. The absence of the principle of least privilege, as well as improper user roles, can lead to unauthorized access through Windows apps. The best way to mitigate this type of threat is to implement the principle of least privilege through assignees who have permission for their roles.
It’s imperative to conduct regular audits and adjust file and folder permissions. This ensures that they are appropriately restricted. As an added measure, you can define and enforce clear user roles to guard against unauthorized access.
Security Misconfiguration Vulnerabilities
Weak operating system hardening, misconfigured group policies, or registry settings tend to characterize this type of error. Firewall rules can also expose weaknesses in the code. For mitigation purposes, it’s imperative to apply security hardening guidelines. These include disabling unnecessary services and configuring security settings.
IT security consultants stress the importance of regular reviews and updates vis-à-vis registry settings and firewall rules. Routine security assessments that can identify and remediate any configurations are also essential.
Outdated/Vulnerable Components
Whenever a Windows system utilizes outdated software components or fails to apply security patches, the entire system can be vulnerable. To mitigate against these threats, it’s imperative to establish regular patch management processing.
This ensures the timely application of security updates for the OSX. It’s also a fantastic remediation tool for installed applications. Always use automated tools to monitor for available updates, assess system, compliance, and replace/upgrade, unsupported software components.
Insecure Windows Services Vulnerabilities
Improper configurations, such as service paths or excessive privileges, can lead to insecure Windows services. Attackers routinely exploit these weaknesses for nefarious purposes. For mitigation, it’s crucial to audit services to identify paths and employ corrective services by enclosing paths in quotes.
All services should run with the minimum required privileges. This reduces the risk of peripheral weakness and susceptibility to attack. Disabling unnecessary services whenever possible reduces the overall attack surface.
Cross-Site Scripting in Applications
Windows Apps that don’t correctly validate or sanitize user input data can be susceptible to XSS attacks. These are known as cross-site scripting attacks. For mitigation purposes, input validation and output encoding. This prevents the execution of malicious scripts.
User security, frameworks, and libraries that offer protection against these types of vulnerabilities. Regular security testing is recommended, including code reviews and penetration testing. This helps to identify and remediate these types of vulnerabilities.
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1268166/most-downloaded-microsoft-apps-worldwide/