🛡️OWASP 2 : Crptographic Failures

Cryptographic Failures: Why Cryptographic Failures Are Dangerous

Cryptography is the backbone of modern digital security. It protects our sensitive data—banking transactions, passwords, personal information, and confidential business records—from prying eyes. However, when cryptographic implementations are misconfigured, outdated, or simply neglected, they lead to cryptographic failures—a major risk outlined in the OWASP Top 10.

What Are Cryptographic Failures?

Cryptographic failures happen when an application:

• Uses weak or obsolete encryption algorithms.

• Transmits sensitive data in plaintext without encryption.

• Stores confidential information without salting or hashing.

• Mismanages keys, certificates, or secrets.

• Lacks proper controls for TLS/SSL implementation.

In short, cryptographic failures expose data either at rest or in transit, making it vulnerable to attackers.

Common Examples of Cryptographic Failures

1. Plaintext Transmission

   • Sending login credentials over HTTP instead of HTTPS.

   • Example: Usernames and passwords being visible in intercepted traffic.

2. Weak Encryption

   • Using MD5, SHA-1, or outdated ciphers instead of modern algorithms like AES-256 or SHA-256.

3. Improper Key Management

   • Hardcoding cryptographic keys in source code.

   • Storing encryption keys in public repositories (e.g., GitHub leaks).

4. Insecure Protocols

   • Using FTP, Telnet, or outdated SSL versions that attackers can easily exploit.

5. Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks

   • Poor TLS configurations allow attackers to intercept and alter communication between a sender and recipient.
     

Real-World Incidents

• Yahoo Data Breach (2013–2014): Over 3 billion accounts compromised partly due to weak hashing (MD5).

• Equifax Breach (2017): Poor encryption and expired certificates exposed sensitive financial records of 147 million people.
  

Recommendations to Prevent Cryptographic Failures

✅ Always use strong, modern encryption – AES-256, RSA-2048+, and SHA-256. ✅ Enforce HTTPS/TLS for all data in transit. ✅ Do not store passwords in plaintext – use salted hashing (e.g., bcrypt, Argon2). ✅ Secure key management – rotate keys, avoid hardcoding, and use vault solutions. ✅ Regularly update and patch cryptographic libraries and certificates. ✅ Disable weak ciphers and protocols (SSL, TLS 1.0/1.1, RC4, MD5, SHA-1).

Visualizing Cryptographic Failures

• Broken Encryption Process: Key → Broken Lock → Plaintext exposure.

• Ciphertext Example: Encrypted text (XOGC PWTP CZQR XZPM) being broken into readable data.

• MITM Attack Diagram: An attacker intercepting traffic between a sender and recipient.
  

Final Thoughts

Cryptography is only as strong as its implementation. Organizations often focus on adopting the latest security features but overlook basic encryption hygiene. By addressing cryptographic failures—through strong algorithms, proper key management, and secure protocols—you can safeguard sensitive information against one of the most devastating cybersecurity threats.