What is a Broken Authentication Vulnerability?

Introduction to Broken Authentication

Broken authentication is a collective term for security vulnerabilities caused by a web application’s authentication process. In this cyber threat, a hacker can gain unauthorized access to the user’s system, compromising their sensitive business data.

Further, broken authentication occurs when a system fails to manage sessions and implement credentials correctly. This allows the attacker to access the user’s systems system and exploit user data for fraudulent activities.

Broken Authentication Attacks You Must Know About

Here are some of the most common broken authentication attacks.

1. Brute Force Attack

This attack uses the trial-and-error method to guess the victim’s password. This includes trying multiple combinations of usernames and passwords until they find the one that matches. It is one of the most common types of broken authentication vulnerability.

2. Session Hijacking

Session hijacking is a cyberattack where the attacker gets access to the user’s web session. They intercept communication between the user and the webserver to hijack cookies or session tokens and access the user’s personal or business-sensitive information.

3. Credential Stuffing

In this attack, the hacker uses the credentials collected from previous data breaches to attempt login combinations for other accounts. Credential stuffing is a common cyberattack because many people tend to use similar passwords.

Risks Associated with Broken Authentication Vulnerability

Let us shed light on some of the major risks of a broken authentication attack.

1. Access to Personal Information

An attacker executing broken authentication attacks can gain direct access to the user’s sensitive data. This can include personal contact information, financial documents, and more.

2. Data Manipulation

Another downside of data breaches caused by broken authentication is data manipulation. The hacker, based on their intention, could exploit, delete, or disrupt important business or personal information like credit card details, social, security, number, business account details, etc.

3. Financial Losses

Access to the victim’s sensitive data can lead to financial fraud. An attacker could use the information to conduct unauthorized transactions, leaving the victim with substantial financial losses.

Broken Authentication Prevention Measures

Check out the most prominent prevention strategies to tackle broken authentication vulnerabilities.

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

The first important prevention technique for broken authentication is implementing multi-factor authentication. This allows the user to strengthen overall security as it requires two or more forms of verification before a user can access protected information.

2. Secure Session Management

Make sure all session IDs are invalidated after every logout and that your application has session expiration policies in place. By doing so, you can prevent the risk of attackers exploiting your sessions to gain access to your system.

3. Use Stronger Passwords

Weak passwords can make executing a broken authentication attack easier. Therefore, users must create complex passwords using a mix of numbers, letters, and special characters so that they are not easy to crack.

4. Limited Failed Login Attempts

Set a limit on the number of failed login attempts from a single IP address. This will reduce the risk of an attacker forcing login and ensure that any suspicious activity is addressed on time.