🛡️OWASP 7 : Identification and Authentication Failures

Authentication and identification are the cornerstones of web application security. Without proper mechanisms, malicious actors can easily impersonate legitimate users, steal sensitive data, and gain unauthorized access to systems. According to the OWASP Top 10, Identification and Authentication Failures continue to be one of the most exploited vulnerabilities in modern applications.

In this post, we’ll break down what this vulnerability means, the different types of authentication flaws, real-world examples, and actionable recommendations for securing your applications.

What are Identification and Authentication Failures?

Authentication failures occur when applications improperly implement login, session management, or credential handling mechanisms. Attackers exploit these flaws to:

• Bypass login screens

• Steal or brute-force credentials

• Hijack user sessions

• Escalate privileges to admin accounts
  

In essence, these failures weaken the “who you are” and “are you really who you claim to be” validation processes.

Types of Identification and Authentication Failures

1. Weak or Guessable Passwords

• Users are allowed to set passwords like 123456, password, or their own username.

• No enforcement of complexity, length, or rotation policies.

2. Brute Force and Credential Stuffing

• Applications fail to detect repeated login attempts.

• Attackers use leaked credentials from other sites to gain access.

3. Session Management Flaws

• Session IDs exposed in URLs or logs.

• Session IDs not rotated after login or logout.

• Long-lived or never-expiring session tokens.

4. Missing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

• Only a single factor (password) is required to authenticate, leaving accounts highly vulnerable if credentials are leaked.

5. Password Recovery Weaknesses

• Applications allow password reset using easily guessable security questions (“What’s your pet’s name?”).

• Password reset links do not expire or are not predictable.

6. Default or Hardcoded Credentials

• Default admin/admin, root/root, or vendor-supplied credentials left unchanged.

• Hardcoded API keys or credentials in source code.

Real-World Examples

1. Facebook (2019) – Stored Passwords in Plaintext

   • Millions of user passwords were stored in plaintext and accessible to employees.

   • While no external breach was confirmed, it highlighted poor authentication data handling.

2. Colonial Pipeline Breach (2021)

   • Attackers used a compromised VPN account that lacked MFA.

   • Resulted in one of the most disruptive cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure.

3. GitHub Personal Access Token Leaks

   • Hardcoded credentials and tokens in public repositories often lead to account takeovers.
     

Recommendations for Mitigation

To protect against Identification and Authentication Failures, organizations should adopt a defense-in-depth approach:

🔐 Authentication Best Practices

• Enforce strong password policies (minimum length, complexity, no dictionary words).

• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all high-value accounts.

• Use modern authentication frameworks (OAuth 2.0, OpenID Connect, SAML).

🛡️ Session Management

• Generate strong, random session IDs.

• Rotate session tokens after login, privilege escalation, or password reset.

• Implement session timeouts and automatic logout after inactivity.

🚫 Blocking Attacks

• Implement rate limiting and account lockouts for repeated login attempts.

• Use CAPTCHA or other challenge-response mechanisms to prevent brute-force attacks.

• Monitor login activity for anomalies (e.g., multiple failed attempts, unusual geolocations).

🔍 Secure Credential Handling

• Hash and salt passwords using Argon2, bcrypt, or PBKDF2.

• Never store plaintext passwords.

• Regularly scan code repositories for leaked API keys or credentials.

🧑‍💻 Operational Security

• Remove default accounts and credentials before production deployment.

• Regularly audit authentication mechanisms.

• Train users and developers on secure password hygiene.
  

Final Thoughts

Identification and Authentication Failures remain a top security concern because they are easy to exploit and often lead directly to account takeover or privilege escalation. By implementing strong authentication mechanisms, secure session management, and layered defenses, organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface.

Authentication is not just about logging in — it’s about trusting identity. Securing it should always be a top priority.