Identity Management / Guessable User Accounts

Description

Guessable user accounts, is an identity management vulnerability that occurs when user accounts are configured with easily guessable usernames or passwords. This vulnerability can occur in web and API applications, and can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to resources. According to the OWASP Testing Guide, the easiest way to detect guessable user accounts is to search for weak credentials in the application's source code, configuration files, or user-generated data. This vulnerability can be further classified as an authentication weakness.

Risk

The exploitation of guessable user accounts can lead to a wide range of risks, including data loss, system compromise, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers may also be able to gain privileged access to a system, allowing them to modify or delete data, or perform malicious activities. A risk assessment should be performed to determine the impact of this vulnerability on an organization.

Solution

Fortunately, guessable user accounts can be prevented by following best practices for user account management. Organizations should require strong passwords for all users, and should enforce a policy of regularly changing passwords. Additionally, user accounts should be disabled after a certain number of failed login attempts, and user access should be regularly monitored.