When an application fails to properly handle who can access what, you’ve got a recipe for serious vulnerabilities. Broken authentication and access control are not just OWASP buzzwords—they’re high-impact bounty opportunities.

🔑 What Is Broken Authentication?

Authentication flaws allow attackers to impersonate other users—or worse, admins. Some common mistakes:

• Weak session management (predictable tokens, missing expiration)
• Lack of MFA enforcement
• Login forms vulnerable to brute force
• Password reset tokens that never expire

🚪 Broken Access Control Explained

Access control determines what authenticated users can do. If it’s misconfigured, attackers can:

• Access admin dashboards without proper rights
• Modify other users’ data (Insecure Direct Object References / IDOR)
• Escalate privileges from normal user → admin
• Bypass restrictions with parameter tampering

🧰 How I Test for These Issues

At PowerHack Security, I keep it systematic:

• Check for IDORs by modifying IDs in API requests
• Look for session mismanagement using PowerShell scripts and manual inspection
• Test password reset and login endpoints for replay attacks
• Attempt privilege escalation through hidden parameters or endpoints

🚩 Why It Matters

Broken authentication and access control can lead to:

• Full account takeover
• Unauthorized admin access
• Complete compromise of sensitive data

These aren’t “nice-to-have” bugs—they’re critical. Programs often pay top bounties for them.

🎯 The Takeaway

Don’t just stop at recon or misconfigs. Once inside the application, always ask:

• “What if I were another user?”
• “What happens if I push this parameter further?”

“The most dangerous door isn’t the one that’s locked—it’s the one left half-open.”

📅 Posted by Krikas | PowerHack Security