The average web application contains 20 security vulnerabilities, most resulting from basic oversights rather than advanced threats, according to a study by Barracuda.
Their findings, drawn from hundreds of scans over five months in 2026, show that nearly 90% of detected flaws fall into seven categories. All could be prevented with standard security measures.
Where the flaws hide
Information disclosure leads the list, accounting for 25% of vulnerabilities. These occur when applications reveal too much about their infrastructure—hidden pages, internal routes, or service details. Attackers use this information to map networks, find weak points, and plan targeted attacks without being noticed.
Brand impersonation and spoofing make up 23% of flaws. Weaknesses here let attackers copy trusted domains, duplicate websites, or redirect users to harmful pages. The aim is often stealing credentials or running phishing schemes by exploiting a brand’s trust.
Client-side attacks, which take advantage of how browsers process content, represent 14% of vulnerabilities. These can enable cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks, where malicious scripts steal session cookies, change page content, or trick users into actions they didn’t intend.
Data exposure—10% of detected flaws—involves unnecessary leaks of sensitive information through APIs, logs, or misconfigured responses. Attackers use these to gather personal data, tokens, or business secrets, often without the user knowing.
The rest include weak encryption (6%), outdated software (6%), and poor session management (5%). While each may seem minor, attackers often combine several to gain deeper access or extract data.
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Jesus Cordero-Guzman, Barracuda’s Director of Solution Architects for AppSec, NetSec, and XDR, said web applications are key business interfaces. “Twenty vulnerabilities per application give attackers many chances to probe and exploit weaknesses,” he explained. “Even minor issues can be chained together to compromise systems.”
How organizations can respond
The study suggests a layered security approach. Regular scans and quick patching of applications and dependencies are essential. Reducing information disclosure and strengthening encryption, authentication, and session controls can lower risks.
Continuous monitoring for suspicious activity is also important. Many flaws persist because they’re missed in routine checks—basic misconfigurations or outdated components that slip through security gaps.
Barracuda’s data indicates that while automated tools can find most flaws, human review is still necessary to fix them. Many organizations scan for vulnerabilities but don’t act on the results, leaving easy targets for attackers.
Basic security practices could remove most web application risks. The real challenge isn’t finding flaws—it’s addressing them before someone else does.
Companies often struggle to keep up with fixes, especially when tools speed up development but introduce new gaps.
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