Blog | G5 Cyber Security

Weak Authentication: Common Risks & Fixes

G5 Cyber Security

TL;DR

Your authentication system is likely vulnerable if it relies on simple passwords, doesn’t use multi-factor authentication (MFA), or stores passwords insecurely. This guide shows you how to spot these weaknesses and improve your cyber security.

Identifying Authentication Vulnerabilities

  1. Weak Password Policies: The most common issue.
    • Short Passwords: Passwords less than 12 characters are easily cracked.
    • Common Words/Patterns: Avoid dictionary words, names, dates of birth etc.
    • No Complexity Requirements: Require a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers and symbols.
  2. Lack of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): If someone gets hold of a password, they can still get in.
    • What is MFA? Requires something the user *has* (e.g., code from an app) as well as something they *know* (password).
  3. Insecure Password Storage: Storing passwords in plain text or using weak hashing algorithms.
    • Plain Text: Never store passwords directly. This is a massive security risk.
    • Weak Hashing: Older algorithms like MD5 and SHA1 are easily broken. Use modern algorithms like bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt.
  4. Session Management Issues: How your system handles logged-in users.
    • Session Fixation: Attackers can hijack a valid session ID.
    • Session Hijacking: Stealing a user’s session cookie.
    • Long Session Times: The longer a session lasts, the more opportunity for misuse.

Fixing Authentication Vulnerabilities

  1. Implement Strong Password Policies:
    • Minimum Length: Enforce passwords of at least 12 characters, preferably more.
    • Complexity Requirements: Require a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
    • Password History: Prevent users from reusing recent passwords.
    • Regular Password Changes: Encourage (but don’t *force* too often – it can lead to weak passwords) periodic changes.
  2. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA):
    • Options: SMS codes, authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy), hardware tokens, email verification.
    • Implementation: Most modern systems have built-in MFA options or support third-party integrations.
  3. Secure Password Storage:
    • Hashing Algorithms: Use bcrypt, Argon2, or scrypt with a unique salt for each password. 
      # Example using Python and the 'bcrypt' library
      import bcrypt

hashed_password = bcrypt.hashpw(b"mysecretpassword", bcrypt.gensalt())
print(hashed_password)

# To verify:
if bcrypt.checkpw(b"mysecretpassword", hashed_password):
    print("Password matches!")
else:
    print("Incorrect password.")
    • Salting: A random string added to each password before hashing, making rainbow table attacks much harder.
  4. Improve Session Management:
    • Session ID Regeneration: Generate a new session ID after login and on important actions.
    • Secure Cookies: Use the HttpOnly and Secure flags for session cookies. 
      # Example setting secure cookie in PHP:
setcookie("session_id", $session_id, ["secure" => true, "httponly" => true]);
    • Session Timeout: Implement reasonable session timeouts (e.g., 30 minutes of inactivity).
  5. Regular Security Audits & Penetration Testing:
    • Automated Scanners: Use tools to identify common vulnerabilities.
    • Manual Review: Have a cyber security professional review your code and configuration.
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