OWASP Top 10 vs CWE Top 25: what is the difference?
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The OWASP Top 10 and the CWE Top 25 are both prioritization lists, but they differ in scope, method, and unit. The OWASP Top 10 is a consensus-and-data list of risk categories specific to web applications, maintained by OWASP. The CWE Top 25 is a data-driven ranking of individual weakness types across all software, published annually by MITRE from CVE, NVD, and KEV data. OWASP categories map down to underlying CWEs, so the lists are complementary, not competing.
OWASP Top 10 vs CWE Top 25 at a glance
The quickest way to keep them straight: the OWASP Top 10 groups web-application risks into broad categories chosen by consensus and contributed data, while the CWE Top 25 ranks specific weakness types across all software using a data-driven formula. One frames programs; the other prioritizes patterns.
| Aspect | OWASP Top 10 | CWE Top 25 |
|---|---|---|
| Maintained by | OWASP (Open Worldwide Application Security Project) | MITRE, sponsored by CISA |
| Scope | Web applications | All software (and hardware) weaknesses |
| Unit of the list | Risk categories (group related weaknesses) | Individual weakness types (specific CWEs) |
| How it is built | Consensus plus contributed data and surveys | Data-driven scoring from CVE, NVD, and KEV data |
| Number of entries | 10 | 25 |
| Update cadence | Periodic (e.g. 2017, 2021) | Annual |
| Example entry | A03 Injection | CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write |
| Best used for | Framing web app security programs and training | Prioritizing weakness patterns across a portfolio |
The OWASP Top 10: web-app risk categories
The OWASP Top 10 is a standard awareness document for web application security, maintained by the Open Worldwide Application Security Project. Each entry is a risk category rather than a single weakness, so a category like A03 Injection groups several related CWEs, including CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and CWE-89 (SQL Injection).
The 2021 edition is led by A01 Broken Access Control and is built from a mix of contributed data and a community survey, which is why it captures perceived risk and not just raw frequency.
The CWE Top 25: data-driven weakness ranking
The CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses is published annually by MITRE. It is data-driven: MITRE analyzes CVE records from the NVD over a recent window, maps each CVE to its CWE, and combines how often each weakness appears with the average severity of its CVEs, with recent editions also weighting weaknesses that appear in the CISA KEV catalog.
The result is a ranked list of specific weakness types, such as CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) or CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting), reflecting which root causes are driving dangerous real-world vulnerabilities across all software.
How the two lists connect
They are not rivals. Because OWASP categories are backed by sets of CWEs, the same weakness can appear in both lists at different altitudes: CWE-79 is a standalone entry on the CWE Top 25 and also sits under OWASP A03 Injection. Using them together gives you both a high-level program frame and a precise prioritization target.
- Use the OWASP Top 10 to structure web application security programs, developer training, and design review.
- Use the CWE Top 25 to prioritize concrete weakness patterns across your whole software portfolio, including non-web code.
- Map your own CVEs to their CWEs to see which OWASP categories and Top 25 weaknesses dominate your environment.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the main difference between the OWASP Top 10 and the CWE Top 25?
- The OWASP Top 10 is a consensus-and-data list of web application risk categories, while the CWE Top 25 is a data-driven ranking of specific weakness types across all software derived from CVE, NVD, and KEV data.
- Are the OWASP Top 10 and CWE Top 25 maintained by the same organization?
- No. The OWASP Top 10 is maintained by OWASP, the Open Worldwide Application Security Project. The CWE Top 25 is published by MITRE with sponsorship from CISA.
- Do the two lists overlap?
- Yes. OWASP categories are backed by underlying CWEs, so weaknesses like CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) appear on the CWE Top 25 and also sit under an OWASP category such as A03 Injection.
- Which list should I use?
- Use both. The OWASP Top 10 is best for framing web application security programs and training, while the CWE Top 25 is best for prioritizing specific weakness patterns across all your software.