Identity Management / Missing Email Verification

Description

Missing email verification is a type of IT vulnerability that falls under the category of Identity Management (CWE-347). It occurs when an application does not require users to confirm their email address when registering for an account. This lack of verification allows malicious actors to easily create accounts with fake email addresses, which can be used for malicious purposes such as phishing and identity theft. The OWASP Testing Guide lists this vulnerability among its top 10 security risks.

Risk

The risk associated with this vulnerability is high, as it allows malicious actors to easily create accounts that can be used to perform malicious activities. This can lead to confidential data being stolen, as well as a loss of user trust and reputation.

Solution

The best way to fix this vulnerability is to ensure that all new user accounts require email verification before they can be used. This can be done by sending a unique code to the user's email address and requiring the user to enter the code before they can access their account.