Introducing Web Application Security - Secure Java: For Web Application Development - page 38

Internet

Client-Web
Browser

Web Server

Database

Figure 3.1 Basic Web application architecture.

1. Web application on a server

2. Browser application on a client

3. Database application on a server

Web application essentially constitutes a set of static and/or dynamically generated Web pages
that allow a user of the application to do a speciic task. Unlike the conventional desktop
applications, Web applications are accessible from anywhere, irrespective of the geographi-
cal boundaries, and the users of these applications should be able to access information from
anywhere. Examples of most commonly used Web applications are email clients (software to
receive, process, and send electronic mails), contact management systems (software to keep
details of business contacts), online banking and share/stock transaction systems, social net-
working applications, and so on.

3.1.2 Ubiquity of Web Applications

he Web and the Internet were introduced to the world in the early 1990s. he Internet
has become part of everyday life for almost all activities and is used by almost everyone—
regardless of background and age. he dramatic impact of the Web on information search,
communication, shopping, and receiving and providing services has had far-reaching implica-
tions for the end users of the Web. his is the way the Web is proving itself to be indispensible
for professional, personal, and community-oriented activities. Web applications are increas-
ingly gaining importance in the enterprises, as the Internet and the Web are becoming the de
facto medium for carrying out business transactions all over the world. Web applications are
capable of performing almost any imaginable tasks desired by enterprises, professionals, and
even the general public. hey are capable of facilitating the simplest tasks, such as searching
for speciic information, and are also capable of performing highly complex operations, which
are the cornerstone for critical personal and organizational activities on a daily basis.
his ability of Web applications has caused the Web to be ubiquitous in nature and, therefore,
has enabled enterprises, professionals, organizations, governments, and even individuals to orient/
reorient themselves toward the Web environment. Almost all the top business houses, government
departments, educational institutions, scientiic and research organizations, and so on around the
world have a major Web presence. Even small and medium enterprises, educational institutions,
service providers, and semi-government and NGOs in local states and countries are now being
attracted to the medium of the Web, as the Web now provides a truly ubiquitous medium of infor-
mation interchange and business transactions.