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Input Validation

What is Input Validation?

The process of verifying that user-supplied data meets expected formats and constraints before processing, preventing injection attacks and data corruption.

Information Security

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

What the standards actually require on input validation

Requirements naming input validation across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

All input validation rules are documented, matched in code and tested with both positive and negative unit testing or integration testing.

ISM-2057 · All input validation rules are documented, matched in code and tested with both positive a

Rank 12 in the 2024 CWE Top 25 (frequency x severity of CVEs). The product does not validate, or incorrectly validates, input that affects the control flow or data flow of the program.

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

Requires the validity of organization-defined information inputs to be checked, so that data entering the system is verified for syntax, type and value before it is processed.

NIST800-SI-10 · Information input validation

Address API7:2023 Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF) + input validation per OWASP API Security Top 10 2023 + OWASP-API-PRG-05 Input and Output Validation.

OWASPAPI-5 · Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF) and Input Validation
OWASP ASVS2 controls

Per OWASP ASVS V13: secure APIs + web services. Requirements include (a) implement authentication + authorisation consistently across all API endpoints + (b) implement input validation + output encoding + against OWASP API Security Top 10 + (c) maintain API do...

OWASPASVS-13 · API and Web Service Security (V13)

Apply the Application Security and Development STIG and application-server STIGs, covering secure development, input validation, authentication and session management, and application logging.

STIG-SRG-APP · Application and application server STIG

Questions people ask about input validation

What is Input Validation?
The process of verifying that user-supplied data meets expected formats and constraints before processing, preventing injection attacks and data corruption.
Why is Input Validation important for compliance?
Input Validation is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding input validation 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 Input Validation?
Input Validation appears in the requirement text of Australian Information Security Manual, CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses (2024), NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5, OWASP API Security Top 10 - 2023, OWASP ASVS. Across these standards we have identified 7 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Input Validation?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how input validation 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 Input Validation 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.