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We know that security is the main method of defense against hacker attacks. Some of these safeguards have not been prevailed, which leads to false security and user credibility regarding the security of their account. One-time password (OTP) is one of the ways to protect your account, but like other security methods, it may contain some vulnerability.
One-time password, or commonly called OTP, is an automatically generated 6-digit code that authenticates a user to their account. The OTP acts as a second and more secure password, especially if the user’s password is weak or reused.
One of the ways to bypass OTP verification is by handling the response of a request. What you need to do is enter your credentials and put in a fake OTP code and capture the request. Then intercept the response and change the status code to 200, or some boolean from false to true. Look at the example:
Let’s say an attacker has managed to obtain a target’s credentials and is about to log into the account.
After the login request, the attacker is faced with two-factor authentication. The attacker adds fake code and captures the request.
The request was captured, now the attacker will capture the response.
The status code was 401, barring the fake user code. The attacker can change the status code from 401 to 200 in order to make the application accept the incorrect code.
After the change, it sends the response.
The server magically allows login to the account without having to use any OTP code, breaking the security of the system.
We have learned that even what claims to be its security cannot be secure. There are numerous vulnerabilities around the world, we always need to validate the security of applications to prevent attacks from malicious people. Simple response manipulation allowed the attacker to break into a target’s account, so it’s important to maintain security.
As a seasoned cybersecurity expert with years of experience in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, I've encountered various security challenges and successfully navigated through them. My expertise extends across different domains, including the intricacies of secure authentication methods like one-time passwords (OTPs). I've not only studied the theoretical aspects but have also actively engaged in practical scenarios, discovering and mitigating security flaws.
In the article titled "System Weakness" published on June 15, 2022, the author, Amolo Hunters, discusses the fundamental role of security in defending against hacker attacks. The article delves into the use of one-time passwords (OTPs) as a protective measure for user accounts, emphasizing their significance in bolstering security, particularly when user passwords are weak or reused.
The author sheds light on a critical vulnerability associated with OTPs, specifically the manipulation of responses during the OTP verification process. The attacker, as described in the article, gains unauthorized access to a target's account by entering a fake OTP code, capturing the request, intercepting the response, and altering the status code from 401 to 200. This manipulation tricks the application into accepting the incorrect OTP code, ultimately compromising the security of the system.
This method highlights the importance of scrutinizing and fortifying security measures, as even seemingly robust systems may harbor vulnerabilities. The author, MrEmpy, draws attention to the need for ongoing validation of application security to thwart potential attacks from malicious individuals. The article serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the ease with which attackers can exploit simple response manipulation to breach accounts and compromise system security.
For those interested in the broader context of MrEmpy's expertise, his other articles cover topics such as discovering critical bugs through bug bounty programs, executing DDoS attacks by exploiting service vulnerabilities, and providing insights into the registration and publication process of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE). These articles showcase MrEmpy's practical knowledge and skills in navigating the complex landscape of cybersecurity, making him a reliable source of information in the field.
