What Is Broken Authentication?

Broken authentication happens when an application does not properly protect the process of confirming a user's identity. This means attackers can exploit flaws to pretend to be someone else, often by stealing or guessing login credentials.

Why Is Broken Authentication a Common Security Risk?

• Many applications use weak or outdated methods for managing user sessions and passwords;
• Developers sometimes make mistakes in how they handle login, logout, or password reset features;
• Attackers actively search for these weaknesses because they often lead directly to sensitive user data.

How Attackers Gain Unauthorized Access

When authentication is broken, attackers might:

• Guess or steal passwords to log in as other users;
• Use automated tools to try many username and password combinations quickly;
• Hijack session tokens to take over active user sessions.

If successful, attackers can access private information, perform actions as the victim, or even take control of the entire application. Protecting authentication processes is critical for keeping user accounts and data secure.

Typical Issues in Broken Authentication

Authentication is the process that verifies your identity before granting access to an application. Broken authentication happens when this process is flawed, making it easy for attackers to impersonate legitimate users. Here are the most common issues:

• Weak passwords: users often choose passwords that are short, common, or easy to guess; attackers can crack these using brute force or dictionary attacks;
• Session management flaws: applications sometimes fail to properly manage user sessions, allowing attackers to hijack or reuse session identifiers;
• Missing multi-factor authentication (MFA): without MFA, attackers only need a single compromised password to gain access, making accounts much easier to breach.

Understanding these issues helps you identify and address vulnerabilities that could otherwise expose sensitive data or systems.