Broken Authentication

Summary

Broken Authentication is a security vulnerability in applications where attackers exploit weaknesses in authentication mechanisms to impersonate users, gain unauthorized access, or escalate privileges. This attack often arises from poor session management, weak password policies, or inadequate credential protection.

Key Characteristics

• Exploitation of weak or missing authentication controls
• Session fixation, session hijacking, or credential stuffing attacks
• Use of stolen, guessed, or leaked credentials to bypass authentication
• Insecure password recovery or reset mechanisms
• Failure to properly invalidate sessions after logout or inactivity

Defensive Controls

• Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to strengthen user verification
• Enforce strong password policies and account lockout mechanisms
• Use secure, random session identifiers and properly manage session expiration
• Protect authentication credentials using hashing and encryption
• Regularly audit and monitor authentication logs for suspicious activity

Related Security Solutions

Broken Authentication can be mitigated using identity and access management (IAM) systems, web application firewalls (WAFs), secure coding practices, and authentication frameworks that support MFA and robust session management. Security testing tools such as penetration testing and automated vulnerability scanners also help identify these weaknesses.