2021 OWASP Top Ten: Identification and Authentication Failures

Summary

In this informative video, John Wagner discusses the seventh entry on the 2021 OWASP Top 10 security risks: identification and authentication failures. He explains the importance of secure user authentication and session management, highlighting vulnerabilities such as credential stuffing, weak password policies, and inadequate recovery methods. The video outlines effective mitigation strategies, including the implementation of multi-factor authentication, robust password policies, and secure session handling. Despite its drop in ranking, this risk remains critical for developers to address in order to protect user identities and sensitive data.

Takeaways

• 😀 Identification and Authentication Failures rank as the 7th risk in the 2021 OWASP Top 10 Security Risks.
• 🔒 This risk was previously known as Broken Authentication and has fallen from the 2nd position in 2017.
• 👥 The primary focus of this risk is on user identity, authentication, and session management.
• 🛡️ Credential stuffing attacks exploit reused usernames and passwords across multiple platforms, making users vulnerable.
• 🔍 The password recovery process can be insecure, especially if it relies on easily discoverable knowledge-based answers.
• 🔑 Lack of multi-factor authentication increases the risk of unauthorized access to applications.
• ⏳ Session timeouts are crucial; failing to log out properly can allow others to hijack a user's session.
• 🚫 Avoid using default credentials in applications to enhance security before production deployment.
• ⚠️ Implementing strong password policies and checking against common weak passwords can prevent account compromise.
• ⚙️ Using secure session management practices, such as random session IDs and proper invalidation, helps protect against session-related attacks.

Q & A

What is the seventh risk on the OWASP Top 10 list for 2021?

The seventh risk is identification and authentication failures, which focuses on issues related to verifying user identities and managing user sessions.

How has the ranking of identification and authentication failures changed since 2017?

In 2017, this risk was ranked second, but it has since slid down to seventh place on the 2021 list.

What are credential stuffing attacks?

Credential stuffing attacks occur when an attacker uses stolen username and password combinations to gain unauthorized access to accounts, often exploiting users' tendency to reuse credentials across multiple sites.

Why is weak password recovery a security concern?

Weak password recovery processes, such as easily guessable security questions, can be exploited by attackers to reset user passwords and gain unauthorized access to accounts.

What measures can be taken to protect against credential stuffing?

Implementing multi-factor authentication, enforcing strong password policies, and avoiding default credentials can help protect against credential stuffing attacks.

What role do session timeouts play in security?

Session timeouts help prevent unauthorized users from hijacking an active session if a legitimate user forgets to log out, thus protecting sensitive information.

What is the recommended approach to password policies?

Developers should align password policies with strong standards, such as the NIST guidelines, to ensure passwords are complex and regularly updated.

How can applications limit the risk of brute force attacks?

Applications can implement delays on failed login attempts to discourage repeated automated attempts to guess passwords.

What is the importance of server-side session management?

Server-side session management helps generate high-entropy session IDs and ensures they are securely managed and invalidated after logout or inactivity.

What should developers avoid when shipping applications?

Developers should avoid shipping applications with default credentials, as this can leave systems vulnerable to attacks from users who exploit these weaknesses.