Web Application Scanner Authentication Across Multiple Login Types
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Solution Overview
Problem
Web applications are vulnerable to attacks due to their exposure to public internet, and existing web application scans often require manual configuration of credentials for each authentication type, leading to inefficiencies and potential inaccuracies in identifying vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A method for web application scanning that automatically and selectively attempts multiple authentication types using a set of user credentials, allowing for efficient and accurate scanning by attempting different authentication methods until successful authentication is achieved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual configuration of credentials for each authentication type is required, then authentication accuracy can be maintained, but scanning efficiency and productivity deteriorate due to manual configuration overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning system automatically selects and attempts multiple authentication types without requiring manual configuration. The system self-determines which authentication methods to try based on the web application's response to probing requests, eliminating the need for users to manually configure credentials for each authentication type while maintaining comprehensive scanning capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary probing requests to the web application before actual scanning to determine which authentication types are supported. This preliminary action allows the system to pre-configure the appropriate authentication mechanisms based on the application's responses, avoiding manual configuration during the actual scanning process
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple authentication types are manually configured for each scan, then authentication versatility is improved, but device complexity and configuration time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its authentication approach by first probing the web application to determine which authentication types are supported. Based on the application's response, the system automatically selects and configures the appropriate authentication mechanisms, providing versatile authentication coverage without requiring static manual configuration for each possible type
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning system is designed to handle multiple authentication types (Basic, Digest, NTLM, Kerberos, forms, cookies, SSL certificates) through a unified automatic configuration mechanism. A single scanning operation can attempt various authentication types automatically, eliminating the need for separate manual configurations for each authentication method while maintaining comprehensive coverage
3Productivity
If automatic multiple authentication attempts are implemented, then scanning productivity is improved, but measurement precision requirements increase to verify authentication success
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from probing requests and authentication responses to determine success or failure of each authentication attempt. By analyzing the web application's response to probing requests and subsequent authentication attempts, the system can precisely verify whether authentication was successful, maintaining measurement precision while achieving high productivity through automatic multi-type attempts
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a component of a web application scanner for scanning of a web application obtains a set of user credentials during a scan configuration session, the set of user credentials associated with a plurality of authentication types, and generates a first configuration associated with a first authentication type of the plurality of authentication types based on the set of user credentials. The component performs a first attempt to authenticate the web application scanner with the web application based on the first configuration. The component automatically and selectively performs a second attempt to authenticate the web application scanner using the set of credentials via a different authentication type based on whether the first attempt is verified as successful.