Application Layer Attacks

Application layer attacks are attempts to gain unauthorized access to an organization’s servers through software vulnerabilities. These attacks vary in severity, complexity, and technique, depending on the type of application you use. These attacks can be numerous and diverse, so there is no single entry point for hackers to exploit. Therefore, the number of attacks on the application layer is as high as the number of vulnerabilities in your organization’s network infrastructure. Application layer attacks can result from web-based scripts that trick users into clicking, or malicious documents sent by email or infected via a USB flash drive. There are thousands of ways to find and exploit vulnerabilities to access insecure networks.

Types of Application Layer Attacks:

Attackers develop new attack types and vectors that will be used to launch a new rise of attacks. When the defender is good at blocking these new attacks, the attacker develops a new type of attack and repeats this cycle. The growth of insecure IoT devices in recent years has benefited DDoS attackers, as the number of smart devices that can be used for more advanced application layer attacks is nearly unlimited.

Some common types of application layer attacks are as follows:

Application layer attacks

Methods of detection:

Key points:

Countermeasures: