Access control permits the required access only to authorized users. Access control is one of the principles of information security. Access control guarantees that the appropriate information is provided to the right individual at the right time. The absence or malfunctioning of an access control system may result in data loss or sensitive information being leaked.
What is Broken Access Control?
Broken access control represents a computer security vulnerability whereby a user may perform operations they are not authorized to do. This is commonly referred to as privilege abuse and occurs as a result of loopholes in the system’s authentication and authorization settings.
Control is managing and controlling who is permitted to enter a particular system. It includes processes such as authentication, which identifies the individual using the system, and authorization, which determines what actions can be performed within a given scope of powers.
Importance of Access Control in Application Security
Whenever sensitive data is protected, access control measures must be incorporated as an integral part of the application’s security structure. These measures assume even greater significance nowadays as cybersecurity threats have escalated.
- Protection Against Unauthorized Access: Access control seeks to limit unauthorized access to both physical and logical systems.
- Mitigation of Data Breaches: The consequences of data breaches can be very far-reaching, having financial and reputational impacts or even leading to legal action.
Difference between Authentication and Authorization
Understanding the difference between authentication and authorization is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring secure access to systems. While these terms are often used interchangeably, they represent fundamentally different processes that play vital roles in protecting digital assets.
Authentication:
Authentication is the act of confirming the identity of an individual or a particular system. This process ascertains that the intended party of a resource is indeed authentic. The process usually employs some form of credentials, including:
- Passwords are the most common form of authentication, requiring users to enter a secret password associated with their account.
- Biometric Data: Methods such as fingerprint scans, facial recognition, or retina scans that verify identity-based on unique physical characteristics.
- One-Time Passwords (OTPs): Temporary codes sent to users via SMS or email that must be entered in addition to their regular password.
Authorization:
Authorization, on the other hand, occurs after authentication and determines what resources a user can access and what actions they are permitted to perform within those resources. Key aspects of authorization include:
- Access Control Lists (ACLs) define which users or groups have permission to access specific resources or perform certain actions.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): A method where users are assigned roles that dictate their level of access based on their job functions. For instance, an HR manager may access employee records while a regular employee does not.
Principle of Least Privilege and its Significance
The principle of least privilege (PoLP) is a core concept of information security that states that all users, applications, and systems should be given the least privilege necessary to perform their designated tasks.
Key Components of the Principle of Least Privilege:
- Minimal Access:Data users should have limited access to information strictly necessary to perform their business functions. This reduces the likelihood of intentional and unintentional actions that harm the organization’s information and resources.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): RBAC is essential for ensuring that users only have access to the resources they are authorized to use based on their roles. Secure RBAC implementation prevents unauthorized users from gaining access to sensitive data or performing unauthorized actions, thereby reducing security risks.
How to Implement RBAC Securely
Code Snippet Example (Python with Flask):
In this example, we will demonstrate how to implement RBAC securely using Python with the Flask web framework.
from flask import Flask, request, abort
from functools import wraps
app = Flask(__name__)
# Mocked roles and permissions
roles_permissions = {
"admin": ["create", "read", "update", "delete"],
"manager": ["read", "update"],
"user": ["read"]
}
# Example users
users = {
"admin_user": {"role": "admin"},
"manager_user": {"role": "manager"},
"regular_user": {"role": "user"}
}
# Decorator to check for role and permission
def requires_permission(permission):
def decorator(f):
@wraps(f)
def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
user = request.args.get("user") # In a real application, this could come from a session or JWT token
if not user or users[user]["role"] not in roles_permissions or permission not in roles_permissions[users[user]["role"]]:
abort(403) # Forbidden if permission is not granted
return f(*args, **kwargs)
return wrapper
return decorator
@app.route('/create', methods=['POST'])
@requires_permission("create")
def create_resource():
return "Resource Created"
@app.route('/read', methods=['GET'])
@requires_permission("read")
def read_resource():
return "Resource Read"
@app.route('/update', methods=['PUT'])
@requires_permission("update")
def update_resource():
return "Resource Updated"
@app.route('/delete', methods=['DELETE'])
@requires_permission("delete")
def delete_resource():
return "Resource Deleted"
if __name__ == "__main__":
app.run(debug=True)How Does Broken Access Control Work?
Broken access control is a significant security vulnerability that arises when an application fails to enforce permissions and restrictions governing user actions properly. This failure can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, allowing users to view, modify, or delete information they should not have access to.
How broken access control vulnerabilities manifest in applications
- URL Manipulation: Attackers can exploit broken access control by altering URLs to bypass security measures. Users can access restricted resources simply by changing the URL parameters if an application relies solely on client-side controls and does not implement server-side checks.
- Parameter Tampering: Involves modifying API requests or form parameters to gain unauthorized access. For instance, if an API endpoint does not enforce proper access controls, an attacker could manipulate request parameters to escalate their privileges or access restricted data.
Common Scenarios where Access Control Fails
Access control is a fundamental aspect of application security, ensuring that users can only access resources and perform actions for which they have been authorized. Several common scenarios exist where access control mechanisms can fail, leading to significant security vulnerabilities.
- URL manipulation: Some attackers might modify a URL to gain access to restricted/ covered resources, known as URL manipulation. Specific web applications use URLs to gain access to documents and user profiles, which, if not adequately controlled by an application, can be easily exploited by altering server-side checks.
- Parameter tampering: Parameter tampering is gaining unauthorized access to resources and manipulating application behavior using altered parameters in HTTP requests (GET or POST).
- Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR): IDOR stands for Insecure Direct Object References, a situation where an application allows a reference to an internal object without validating it.
- Missing function-level access control: Missing function-level access control occurs when an application fails to enforce permissions on specific functions or endpoints.
How URL Manipulation Works
URL manipulation is a form of attack where an attacker modifies parameters in the URL to gain unauthorized access to resources. This can lead to security breaches such as data exposure, unauthorized actions, or privilege escalation.
Insecure URL Handling Example (Flask)
In this insecure example, the user ID is directly included in the URL path without proper access validation.
from flask import Flask, request
app = Flask(__name__)
# Mocked user data
users = {
"1": {"name": "Alice", "role": "admin"},
"2": {"name": "Bob", "role": "user"},
}
# Insecure endpoint that fetches user data based on user_id from the URL
@app.route('/user/<user_id>', methods=['GET'])
def get_user(user_id):
user = users.get(user_id)
if user:
return f"User info: {user['name']} with role {user['role']}"
return "User not found", 404
if __name__ == "__main__":
app.run(debug=True)Vulnerability:
This application allows any user to access any user’s information simply by changing the user_id in the URL. For example, changing the URL from /user/1 to /user/2 would let the attacker access Bob’s information, even though they might not have permission to do so.
Secure URL Handling Example (Flask)
Now, let’s demonstrate a more secure approach where we check if the logged-in user has permission to access the specific user’s data.
from flask import Flask, request, abort
app = Flask(__name__)
# Mocked user data
users = {
"1": {"name": "Alice", "role": "admin"},
"2": {"name": "Bob", "role": "user"},
}
# Mocked current logged-in user
logged_in_user_id = "1" # In a real app, this would be retrieved from session or JWT token
# Secure endpoint that checks if the logged-in user is allowed to access the user data
@app.route('/user/<user_id>', methods=['GET'])
def get_user(user_id):
# Prevent URL manipulation by checking if the logged-in user is accessing their own data
if user_id != logged_in_user_id:
abort(403) # Forbidden: Access denied
user = users.get(user_id)
if user:
return f"User info: {user['name']} with role {user['role']}"
return "User not found", 404
if __name__ == "__main__":
app.run(debug=True)Types of Broken Access Control Vulnerabilities
Broken access controls can cause untold damage because they allow untrustworthy actors to manipulate data that they should not have access to using an application. The severity of broken access controls can vary, but the most harmful would be privilege escalation, which is further divided into vertical or horizontal privilege escalation.
Vertical Privilege Escalation
Vertical escalations allow a weaker-level user to access stuff configured for a more superior user. This means that actions intended for users of higher rank can be compromised and achieved by lower-ranking users.
Examples:
- Exploiting APIs: Some applications expose APIs that may not enforce strict access controls. An attacker could call an API endpoint intended for admin users while authenticated as a regular user, thus gaining unauthorized access to privileged actions like creating new user accounts or altering permissions.
- Social Engineering: Attackers may use social engineering techniques to trick users into revealing their credentials. Once they obtain the credentials of a higher-privileged account, they can perform any action available to that account.
Impact on user data and system integrity
The consequences of vertical privilege escalation can be severe and far-reaching:
- Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to higher-level privileges can lead to significant data breaches. Attackers can view, modify, or delete sensitive information such as personally identifiable information (PII), financial records, or confidential business data.
- Financial Losses: Organizations may face substantial economic losses due to the fallout from privilege escalation attacks. Costs can arise from incident response efforts, legal fees associated with data breaches, and regulatory fines for non-compliance with data protection laws.
Horizontal Privilege Escalation
Horizontal privilege escalation is a critical information security weakness that happens when an attacker can obtain a set of privileges that allows him to act as a different user in the system and perform unwanted actions as a different user.
Explanation and Implications for User Accounts
During horizontal privilege escalation, the attacker employs techniques that take advantage of flaws in the application’s access control implementation, enabling the attacker to take on the identity of someone with the same privileges.
Implications for User Accounts:
- Data Breach Risks: Horizontal privilege escalation can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information, such as personal identifiable information (PII), financial records, or confidential business data.
- Loss of Trust: When users discover that others can access their accounts without authorization, trust in the application and the organization is eroded. This loss of confidence can lead to customer attrition and reputational damage.
Real-world attack scenarios
Understanding real-world scenarios where horizontal privilege escalation has occurred can help illustrate its impact and the importance of robust security measures:
- Social Media Account Takeover: An attacker might gain access to a social media platform where users have similar permissions. By exploiting a vulnerability that allows them to change user IDs in requests, they could impersonate another user and post content on their behalf or access private messages.
- Content Management Systems (CMS): In a CMS environment, if users can edit content without proper checks on ownership, an attacker with access to one account could modify or delete content created by other users simply by accessing the appropriate URLs or endpoints.
Mass Assignment Vulnerabilities
Mass assignment vulnerabilities are a critical security concern in web applications. They occur when an application automatically assigns user input to model properties without proper filtering or validation.
How Mass Assignment Vulnerabilities Exploited
Mass assignment vulnerabilities arise from how many modern web frameworks handle user input. When an application does not differentiate between which parameters a user should modify directly and which should not, it creates a vector for attack. Malicious actors can exploit broken access control. Some standard methods include:
- Direct Object Reference: This technique involves manipulating the unique identifiers for objects or resources within a system to gain unauthorized access.
- Forceful Browsing: In this method, attackers use known URLs or directory paths to directly access restricted content or functionality without proper authentication.
Security Misconfiguration
Security misconfiguration is a prevalent vulnerability in cybersecurity. It arises when security settings are improperly defined or maintained. This can occur during the initial configuration of systems, applications, or networks and may also result from changes made over time that fail to adhere to security best practices.
Common misconfigurations leading to broken access control
Several common misconfigurations can lead to broken access control vulnerabilities:
- Improper Access Controls: This occurs when systems fail to adequately restrict user access based on defined roles or security policies. Examples include cloud storage buckets configured for public access and applications lacking rigorous role-based access control (RBAC) mechanisms.
- Default Credentials: Many systems have default usernames and passwords that are often not changed during deployment. Attackers frequently exploit these easily accessible credentials to gain unauthorized access to systems.
Risks and Implications of Broken Access Control
Broken access control remains one of the most common yet misunderstood security weaknesses where an application cannot successfully limit users within appropriate control boundaries. As a result, these actions can easily lead to intrusion, hacking, and numerous other problems.
Potential Consequences of Broken Access Control
Consequences stemming from broken access control can lead to irreversible problems regarding the safety and accuracy of organizational data, systems, and assets. These issues can cause minor problems or more serious ones, like loss of finances or damaged reputation.
- Data breaches and unauthorized data exposure: The greatest threat to any type of organization due to broken access control systems is a data breach. If the access controls are not continuously reviewed, updated, or upgraded, they become simple points of entry that are much easier for hackers or malicious insiders to abuse.
- Reputational damage to organizations: A data breach stemming from faulty administrator privileges has the potential to impact an organization’s image. If customers or stakeholders discover that their sensitive information has been accessed due to poor administrator privilege fastening, they are likely to lose confidence in the organization.
- Financial losses associated with breaches: The most evident effect of a data breach due to poor access control is the financial debt faced after the breach. The costs may include fees for assessing what caused the breach, contacting the concerned people or authorities.
How to Detect Broken Access Control Vulnerabilities
Detecting broken access control vulnerabilities is crucial for maintaining application security and protecting sensitive data. These vulnerabilities can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and significant reputational damage. Various methods can be employed to identify these vulnerabilities effectively.
Methods for identifying vulnerabilities
Risk assessments, penetration testing, and code reviews are methods for identifying vulnerabilities in broken access control. Each technique plays a crucial role in detecting weaknesses in the access control system and addressing them before malicious actors can exploit them.
- Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Static Application Security Testing (SAST) involves analyzing source code and configuration files for potential security vulnerabilities without executing the program.
- Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) involves testing a running application to identify vulnerabilities by simulating real-time attacks.
- Manual penetration testing techniques: Manual penetration testing involves ethical hackers simulating real-world attacks on applications to identify security weaknesses, including broken access control vulnerabilities.
Best Practices to Prevent Broken Access Control
Preventing broken access control is essential for safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring users can only perform their authorized actions. Implementing robust access control mechanisms is a foundational step in mitigating the risks associated with unauthorized access. Below are key best practices for preventing broken access control, including implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), regular reviews of access permissions, and enforcing the principle of least privilege.
Implementing Robust Access Control Mechanisms
Access control is a crucial aspect of any information security infrastructure. It refers to restricting access to sensitive data and resources within an organization. The main objective of access control is to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to confidential information while preventing unauthorized users from gaining entry.
Regularly Reviewing Access Permissions
Regular reviews of access permissions are critical for maintaining effective access control. Organizations should conduct periodic audits to ensure user roles and permissions align with current job responsibilities.
Enforcing the Principle of Least Privilege
The principle of least privilege (PoLP) dictates that users should only be granted the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job functions. Implementing PoLP is a fundamental best practice for preventing broken access control vulnerabilities.
Organizations should carefully assess the permissions required for each role and limit access accordingly. For example, users should not be granted edit or delete permissions if they only need to view data.
Importance of Security Training for Developers
In today’s digital landscape, where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and prevalent, security training for developers has become a critical necessity. With the responsibility of writing secure code resting heavily on their shoulders, developers must have the knowledge and skills to implement secure coding practices effectively.
Ensuring Secure Coding Practices are Followed
Ensuring secure coding practices are followed is crucial in preventing broken access control. Broken access control occurs when exploitable defects in the code allow unauthorized users to gain access to sensitive information or functionalities. These defects can be caused by various factors, such as a lack of proper validation checks, incorrect implementation of user permissions, or misconfigured security settings.
Case Studies: Real-World Examples of Broken Access Control
Case studies are real-world examples that illustrate the severity and impact of broken access control. These cases serve as cautionary tales, highlighting how easily a seemingly minor vulnerability in access control can lead to significant security breaches.
One such case is the Equifax data breach in 2017, which compromised the sensitive personal information of over 143 million consumers. The primary cause of this breach was a flaw in their web application’s access control system, specifically a misconfigured Apache Struts framework. This allowed cybercriminals easy access to their databases and resulted in one of the most significant data breaches in history.
Analysis of notable incidents where broken access control led to significant breaches:
- Facebook Data Breach (2021)
- Uber Data Breach (2016)
Facebook Data Breach (2021)
In April 2021, it was revealed that the personal information of approximately 533 million Facebook users from over 106 countries was leaked online. The breach was attributed to exploiting Facebook’s contact importer feature, which malicious actors had misused to scrape public profiles for information before the vulnerability was patched in 2019. The exposed data included phone numbers, full names, locations, birthdates, and other personal details.
Key Points:
- Nature of the Breach: The breach was not a direct hack of Facebook’s systems but rather a misuse of an existing feature that allowed for extensive data scraping.
- Impact: The breach affected around 20% of Facebook’s user base, raising serious concerns about user privacy and data protection.
Uber Data Breach (2016)
In 2016, Uber suffered a significant data breach when hackers accessed the personal information of 57 million users and drivers. The breach occurred due to inadequate access controls on Uber’s cloud service provider account. Attackers gained access to sensitive data, including the names, email addresses, and phone numbers of riders and the driver’s license numbers of about 600,000 drivers.
Key Points:
- Nature of the Breach: The attackers exploited weak security measures and accessed sensitive data stored in an unsecured cloud environment.
- Response: Uber faced criticism for its delayed disclosure of the breach and for paying the hackers to delete the stolen data without informing affected users or authorities.
Lessons Learned From these Incidents
- Importance of Strong Access Controls: Both incidents underscore the necessity for robust access control mechanisms. Organizations must ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive features and data.
- Regular Security Audits: Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments are crucial for identifying potential weaknesses in access controls.
Conclusion
Broken Access Control is one of the most critical security vulnerabilities that can expose organizations to unauthorized access, data breaches, and severe financial and reputational losses. When access control mechanisms are improperly configured or entirely missing, malicious actors can exploit these weaknesses to manipulate, view, or delete sensitive information.
By understanding the different types of access control failures – such as vertical and horizontal privilege escalation, mass assignment vulnerabilities, and security misconfigurations – organizations can proactively implement robust security measures. These include enforcing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), conducting regular audits, adhering to the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP), and ensuring developers are trained in secure coding practices.
Real-world incidents, like the Facebook and Uber data breaches, serve as stark reminders of the consequences of weak access control. The lessons learned from these cases highlight the importance of strong authentication and authorization mechanisms, continuous security audits, and compliance with regulatory standards to safeguard sensitive data.
Don’t let broken access controls put your organization at risk. SecureLayer7 specializes in identifying and mitigating access control vulnerabilities through comprehensive security assessments, penetration testing, and proactive remediation strategies. Our experts help businesses strengthen authentication mechanisms, enforce least privilege access, and ensure compliance with industry regulations.
Get in touch with SecureLayer7 today to secure your digital assets and prevent unauthorized access.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Broken access control is a security vulnerability that occurs when an application fails to properly enforce restrictions on user actions. This allows unauthorized users to access, modify, or delete data they should not have access to, potentially leading to severe security breaches.
Broken access control poses a significant risk because it can allow attackers to bypass authentication and authorization mechanisms, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, privilege escalation, and even full system compromise. This can result in data breaches, financial losses, reputational damage, and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
Broken access control usually occurs due to misconfigured permissions, weak or missing authentication and authorization checks, reliance on client-side security controls, improper implementation of session management, or lack of proper role-based access control (RBAC). Attackers exploit these weaknesses to gain unauthorized privileges.
Some common examples of broken access control include:
● URL Manipulation: Changing parameters in the URL to access unauthorized resources.
● Parameter Tampering: Modifying form fields or API requests to escalate privileges.
● Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR): Gaining access to restricted data by altering object references.
● Missing Function-Level Access Control: Users executing admin-level actions without proper authorization.
