Authentication / No Usage Limits

Description

No usage limits is an authentication vulnerability that occurs when authentication mechanisms do not enforce a limit on the number of failed attempts before locking a user account (CWE-532). This vulnerability can be found in web and API applications and can result in unauthorized access. According to the OWASP Testing Guide, attackers can leverage this vulnerability to guess usernames and passwords for accounts, or use a brute-force attack to attempt multiple combinations of usernames and passwords.

Risk

The risk associated with this vulnerability is high as it allows attackers to gain access to an application. This can lead to data breaches, malicious code execution, and other malicious activities that can compromise the security of an application.

Solution

Organizations can mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability by implementing a usage limit on authentication attempts. This can be done by setting a limit on the number of failed login attempts before completely locking a user account. Additionally, organizations can also implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to increase the security of authentication.