OAT-007 Credential Cracking

Credential Cracking is an automated threat. The OWASP Automated Threat Handbook - Web Applications (pdf, print), an output of the OWASP Automated Threats to Web Applications Project, provides a fuller guide to each threat, detection methods and countermeasures. The threat identification chart helps to correctly identify the automated threat.

Definition

OWASP Automated Threat (OAT) Identity Number

OAT-007

Threat Event Name

Credential Cracking

Summary Defining Characteristics

Identify valid login credentials by trying different values for usernames and/or passwords.

Indicative Diagram

Description

Brute force, dictionary (word list) and guessing attacks used against authentication processes of the application to identify valid account credentials. This may utilise common usernames or passwords, or involve initial username evaluation. It may abuse functionality not always considered authentication directly, such as trying lists of email addresses to register for email subscriptions, on websites where usernames are email addresses.

The use of stolen credential sets (paired username and passwords) to authenticate at one or more services is OAT-008 Credential Stuffing. Use of processes simply to identify users (e.g. email addresses) for use elsewhere is OAT-011 Scraping.

Other Names and Examples

Brute forcing log-in credentials; Brute-force password cracking; Cracking login credentials; Mailing list stuffing; Password brute-forcing; Password cracking; Password spraying; Reverse brute force attack; Username cracking; Username enumeration

See Also

• OAT-002 Token Cracking
• OAT-008 Credential Stuffing
• OAT-019 Account Creation
• OAT-020 Account Aggregation

Cross-References

CAPEC Category / Attack Pattern IDs

• 16 Dictionary-based Password Attack
• 49 Password Brute Forcing
• 70 Try Common or Default Usernames and Passwords
• 112 Brute Force

CWE Base / Class / Variant IDs

• 307 Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts
• 799 Improper Control of Interaction Frequency
• 837 Improper Enforcement of a Single, Unique Action

WASC Threat IDs

• 11 Brute Force
• 21 Insufficient Anti-Automation
• 42 Abuse of Functionality

OWASP Attack Category / Attack IDs

• Brute Force Attack
• Password Spraying

Return to OWASP Automated Threats to Web Applications Project.