Re: enumerating users and an AJAX example

[Pilon Mntry <pilonmntry () yahoo com>]

 My actual point wasn't trying to enumerate the users
(it was grabbing their credentials), however, these
are all good points. 
 A very interesting thing is that after I've read
Ryan's e-mail about the ways to enumerate users, I
came accross a link in java.sun.com with the title
"Realtime Form Validation Using AJAX". I am not sure
whether I am exaggerating or not, however, it seems
the example given is a vulnerable application which
provides another way to enumerate valid user ids in
real time. :))

The link is:
http://java.sun.com/developer/technicalArticles/J2EE/AJAX/RealtimeValidation/

-pilon

--- Hemil <hemil () net-square com> wrote:

> I think implementing CAPTCHA can be very handy in
> stopping all of these 
> bots and automated tools to do BF. No matter
> whatever error message web 
> application gives, whatever response code it
> returns, CAPTCHA will stop 
> automated scripts and tools.
>
> ---Hemil
> [Net-square]
> Rogan Dawes wrote:
> > Ryan Barnett wrote:
> > > Correct.  The returned HTTP status codes is but
> one of many methods of
> > > enumerating valid account credentials.  The most
> common mistake is
> > > differences in the error message details provided
> to the user upon
> > > successful/failed login attempts.  Web apps
> should not inform the user
> > > whether or not the problem was with the username
> or password, but
> > > rather that they failed to authenticate.  The 2nd
> most obvious sign is
> > > passing parameters in URL or cookie variables
> (such as
> > > STATUS=Authenticated).
> > >
> > > This being said, there are still problems with
> using 302 redirects and
> > > that it is still possible to enumerate
> successful/unsuccessful
> > > authentication attempts based on the Location
> header data returned
> > > with the 302 status code.  If the authentication
> fails, it will send a
> > > 302 and the location most likely will be back to
> the login page.  A
> > > successful attempt, however will send a 302 but
> the new Location will
> > > be something other than the login page.  This is
> enough data for a
> > > scanner/script to automate and trigger on.
> >
> > You mean, other than the fact that there is no
> longer a login form on 
> > the resulting page?
> >
> > Mmmm.
> >
> > Rogan
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