Java Application Security Cheat Sheet for CISOs

Securing Java applications has never been easy. The language’s ubiquity, extensive ecosystem and continued reliance on open source libraries make it a frequent target for attacks. Vulnerabilities like deserialization flaws, SQL injection, and code tampering pose substantial risks, making Java security a top priority for CISOs managing enterprise systems. Cultivating a strong, proactive security program in such an environment is immensely challenging. But it doesn’t have to be rocket science. By adhering to some standard best practices and enhancing tooling where possible, even a CISO with limited resources can dramatically reduce the risk of compromise within their Java ecosystem. 

The big question then becomes: how do you implement these tools and practices without disrupting operations and causing as many problems as you are solving? The purpose of your business is — obviously — to do business. So if your security program gets in the way of doing business, it’s not doing its job. This is where a lot of currently available solutions are not quite up to snuff. WAFs, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and traditional patching of CVEs are miles better than nothing. But they take a lot of time and resources, create false positives and force downtime, disrupting operational efficiency and costing companies millions of unnecessary dollars. Meanwhile, Waratek uses immutable security rules integrated into your code to shut down attacks in your applications before they can be executed or do damage. 

We’ve compiled a practical, technical cheat sheet outlining the essential steps to secure Java applications and how Waratek’s innovative Java security platform brings unique, proactive and cost-effective solutions to each stage.

1. Inventory & Assessment of Java Applications

• Checklist:
  • Catalog all Java applications, dependencies, and third-party libraries.
  • Map out these components to identify potential security gaps.
• Why it Matters:
  • A report by DataDog from 2024 found that “90% of Java services were susceptible to one or more critical or high-severity vulnerabilities introduced by a third-party library.” This contrasts harshly with the average for other languages, which is 47%.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek’s platform enhances visibility across Java applications, automatically tagging vulnerable libraries or dependencies and integrating seamlessly with vulnerability scanning tools to prevent gaps in your security inventory.

2. Apply Secure Coding Practices

• Checklist:
  • Enforce strict input validation to prevent injection attacks.
  • Use secure methods for handling sensitive data, like encryption.
  • Restrict potentially dangerous operations such as reflection and file I/O.
• Why it Matters:
  • According to OWASP, injection attacks are the #3 vulnerability across applications globally. Injection flaws can compromise data integrity and open pathways for unauthorized access.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek enforces strict input validation via data tainting, tracking any untrusted inputs and restricting unsafe operations within applications. Unlike traditional methods, Waratek’s approach is dynamic, applying secure coding standards across all entry points and maintaining vigilance automatically without the need for manual configuration.

3. Deserialization Safety

• Checklist:
  • Secure all deserialization processes by verifying data before execution.
  • Control deserialization entry points to minimize the risk of remote code execution.
• Why it Matters:
  • A study by SANS Institute found that deserialization vulnerabilities are the most common vulnerability in Java applications, accounting for 30% of all vulnerabilities detected. 
  • Another study by Veracode found that 88% of applications tested had deserialization vulnerabilities.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek provides an innovative solution by running deserialization operations in a secure, isolated environment. As new code enters your Java application, Waratek uses RASP to analyze and evaluate the deserialized data before allowing it to interact with the main application. Any anomalous behavior results in the code being quarantined before it can be executed within the application, neutralizing potential attacks at the entry point.

4. Secure Data Handling & Encryption

• Checklist:
  • Encrypt all data in transit and at rest using strong algorithms like AES-256.
  • Regularly rotate encryption keys and limit exposure to sensitive data.
• Why it Matters:
  • In 2024, data breaches cost enterprises an average of 4.88 million dollars, according to IBM’s annual Cost of a Data Breach Report. This is up 10% from 2023. Unencrypted sensitive data is a top target for attackers.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek’s unique RASP engine provides runtime monitoring that flags unencrypted data movement, enforcing encryption policies dynamically. For instance, if sensitive data is inadvertently sent in plaintext, Waratek’s system will immediately alert and restrict further transmission, protecting your organization’s information in real time.

5. Vulnerability Scanning & Virtual Patching

• Checklist:
  • Conduct regular scans for known vulnerabilities in your Java stack.
  • Implement “virtual patching” for rapid, non-intrusive security updates.
• Why it Matters:
  • Traditional patching takes an average of 12 days to deploy across enterprise environments, often requiring system downtime. It’s a matter of latency: after a vulnerability is discovered, a patch must be written, tested and then deployed. During this process, attackers have a window to exploit your system using a guaranteed opening for which you have no defenses, increasing the risk of exploitation and compromise.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek enables virtual patching that provides immediate protection for known and zero-day vulnerabilities. Virtual patches are implemented as simple, predefined security rules within Waratek’s RASP framework, allowing organizations to address vulnerabilities in real time without rebooting the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) or halting critical services.

6. Runtime Application Self Protection (RASP)

• Checklist:
  • Enable RASP to detect and neutralize threats at the application level.
  • Continuously monitor for code tampering and anomalous behavior.
• Why it Matters:
  • RASP technology embeds security directly into the application runtime, reducing reliance on external defenses like WAFs, which are often limited to network-level protection. It is also noteworthy that false positives, which are rampant among WAFs, are almost completely eliminated by RASP solutions. 
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek’s RASP operates inside the Java runtime, identifying potential threats based on behavioral analysis. If malicious code attempts to alter runtime behavior, Waratek intercepts it, quarantining harmful processes before they can execute. This approach is particularly effective for zero-day vulnerabilities where traditional tools might fall short. Meanwhile, Waratek produces zero false positives, as it has a significantly improved understanding of how data is used within an application compared to other solutions. 

7. Implementing Least Privilege & Access Controls

• Checklist:
  • Enforce role-based access control (RBAC) across applications.
  • Restrict access rights to critical Java applications and sensitive data.
• Why it Matters:
  • Least privilege principles reduce the attack surface, increase internal system resilience and prevent lateral movement within applications, which is a primary method attackers use to gain deeper access after an initial breach. A Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report shows that 61% of data breaches involve lateral movement.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek dynamically adjusts privilege levels during runtime, ensuring that applications run only with the minimum privileges needed. This approach prevents Java code from escalating privileges or accessing unauthorized resources, even if a zero-day vulnerability is exploited.

8. Incident Response & Forensic Capabilities

• Checklist:
  • Establish an incident response plan with defined escalation procedures for Java security incidents.
  • Collect and analyze detailed logs for forensic investigation.
• Why it Matters:
  • Palo Alto Networks reports that 38.6% of investigated attacks exploited software and API vulnerabilities, while 20.5% utilized previously compromised credentials. Incident response and logging are essential for identifying the source of an attack and understanding how an application was compromised, allowing organizations to enhance their defenses.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek provides extensive runtime logging that captures detailed information about security incidents, including any changes attempted within the Java environment. This data is invaluable for forensics, giving security teams insight into how an attack was executed and where improvements can be made to close security gaps.

9. Continuous Security Training and Awareness

• Checklist:
  • Implement regular training for developers and CISOs on Java security best practices.
  • Stay informed about evolving threats, particularly in the Java ecosystem.
• Why it Matters:
  • According to the 2024 Security Awareness Report by the SANS Institute, 89% of respondents identified social engineering attacks as their primary human-related concern. A security-savvy team is your first line of defense against many attack vectors. Understanding the complexities of Java security empowers teams to adopt best practices proactively.
• Waratek’s Role:
  • Waratek’s automated, zero-trust approach enforces security practices even in complex, highly dynamic environments. This level of automation minimizes human error, ensuring that the security standards set by CISOs are maintained across applications without constant oversight.

Get Started Today

Protecting Java applications is challenging but critical. Balancing out how to prevent attackers from gaining footholds in your system while maintaining a high level of operational efficiency can be a bear, especially with traditional tooling and patching methods. Waratek allows you to offload some of the stress of this balancing act onto automation. Let immutable security rules snuff out active attacks and vulnerabilities (both known and unknown) in real time without the need for patches, downtime or disruption

By incorporating Waratek’s virtual patching, deserialization safeguards, and continuous runtime monitoring, CISOs can ensure a robust security posture for their Java environments—saving time, resources, and safeguarding sensitive information.

Ready to see Waratek’s security in action? Explore our platform today and discover how Waratek can transform your organization’s approach to Java security.