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Abuse Case

What is Abuse Case?

A security testing technique that identifies ways a system could be misused by threat actors, complementing traditional use case analysis.

Information Security

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as abuse case. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on abuse case

Requirements naming abuse case across 3 standards, quoted from the control text.

OWASP ASVS1 control

Per OWASP ASVS V11: verify business logic. Requirements include (a) identify + threat-model business logic flows including sensitive operations + multi-step workflows + (b) implement business logic security controls including step ordering + state validation +...

OWASPASVS-11 · Business Logic Verification (V11)
OWASP SAMM1 control

Per OWASP SAMM v2 Verification business function: verify security through assessment + testing. Security Practices: (1) Architecture Assessment including architecture validation + compliance + (2) Requirements-Driven Testing including security testing per requ...

OWASPSAMM-4 · Verification: Architecture Assessment, Requirements-Driven Testing, Security Testing

Address OWASP Top 10 A04 Insecure Design + A11 API Abuse and Business Logic Attacks per OWASP Top 10:2025. Insecure Design reflects missing or inadequate security design including missing threat modelling + missing security requirements + insecure reference ar...

OWASPTOP10-4 · A04:2025 Insecure Design and Business Logic (incl. A11 API Abuse)

Questions people ask about abuse case

What is Abuse Case?
A security testing technique that identifies ways a system could be misused by threat actors, complementing traditional use case analysis.
Why is Abuse Case important for compliance?
Abuse Case is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding abuse case helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Abuse Case?
Abuse Case appears in the requirement text of OWASP ASVS, OWASP SAMM, OWASP Top 10:2025. Across these standards we have identified 3 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Abuse Case?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how abuse case applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Abuse Case applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.