Today we will cover Identification and Authentication Failures in our series on the OWASP Top Ten. Online security has become a crucial aspect of modern life. Today, every business is a tech business, and it becomes increasingly important to ensure that sensitive data and information are protected from unauthorized access. One of the most critical aspects of online security is identification and authentication, and it is also one of the most vulnerable. The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top Ten lists the most common vulnerabilities found in web applications, and Identification and Authentication Failures is one of the most significant risks.
Identification and Authentication Failures occur when web applications fail to properly authenticate users and therefore fail to protect sensitive data. This vulnerability can lead to a range of exploits, including unauthorized access to data, session hijacking, and brute-force attacks. In this blog post, we will explore the OWASP Top Ten entry Identification and Authentication Failures and how penetration testing can help detect these issues.
There have been several recent incidents where Identification and Authentication Failures have led to data breaches and significant financial losses. For example, in 2020, Marriott International suffered a data breach that exposed the personal information of over five million guests. The breach was caused by a vulnerability in a third-party application that Marriott used for guest reservations. Hackers were able to use stolen login credentials to gain access to the system and steal data.
In 2019, Capital One suffered a massive data breach that exposed the personal information of over 100 million customers. The breach was caused by a misconfigured firewall that allowed an attacker to gain access to sensitive data. The attacker was then able to use stolen login credentials to move laterally through the network and steal additional data.
Penetration testing, also known as ethical hacking, is a technique used to identify vulnerabilities in web applications and networks. Penetration testing is an effective way to detect Identification and Authentication Failures because it allows testers to simulate real-world attacks and identify weaknesses in the authentication process.
During a penetration test, the tester will attempt to gain access to the system using various methods, such as password guessing, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting attacks. The tester will also attempt to bypass authentication measures to gain access to sensitive data. By doing this, the tester can identify vulnerabilities in the authentication process and recommend improvements to prevent future attacks.
Identification and authentication failures are two areas where manually penetration testing rules supreme over automated solutions and vulnerability scanning. There are many nuances and subtleties to authentication that tooling just can’t simulate. Brackish Security testers have found numerous instances of these failures. Please reach out to us if you need some help.