Identity Management / Weak Password Rules

Description

Weak password rules is a vulnerability in identity management that occurs when a system allows users to set weak passwords, such as those that are too short or do not contain the required complexity. This vulnerability has been assigned the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) ID 521. According to the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Testing Guide, weak password rules can be tested by attempting to create a password that do not meet the complexity requirements set by the system.

Risk

Weak password rules can allow malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to a system. In addition, if the passwords are stored in an insecure manner, the attacker can easily obtain the passwords. This can lead to a significant data breach, which can have serious financial and reputational consequences for the organization.

Solution

Organizations should implement strong password policies for their users. This should include a minimum password length, a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters, and a limit on the number of incorrect attempts. Additionally, passwords should be stored in an encrypted format and should not be stored in plain text.