The Main Security Challenge During 2022 Was the Breach of Access Controls

During 2022, organisations faced a constant threat in the form of breaches in their access controls, opening the door to potential attacks and information leaks. This not only affects a company’s reputation, but can also result in financial losses and damage to customer confidence.

According to an analysis that took into account 14,800 vulnerabilities discovered by the ethical hacker Synack Red Team (SRT) in 2022, Broken Access Control is the most frequent risk, accounting for 39% of the vulnerabilities found during pentesting tests. These flaws give attackers higher privileges than expected. In second place are injection flaws, including XSS and SQL vulnerabilities, responsible for total network compromise in many cases. Both categories account for 75% of vulnerabilities.

Identification and authentication vulnerabilities come in third place with 6 %, allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users. The report highlights that 40% of vulnerabilities are of “high” or “critical” severity according to the Common Vulnerability Scoring System. XSS vulnerabilities decreased by 44% from 2021 to 2022 due to more effective defensive techniques. Finally, exploitable API vulnerabilities are a growing risk.

Variety in access control breaches

Access control breaches can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. From exploiting vulnerabilities in authentication systems to unauthorised obtaining of user credentials, cybercriminals use ingenious methods to infiltrate protected systems. The rise of teleworking and the multiplicity of connected devices have expanded the attack surface, providing attackers with more possible entry points.

The consequences of a breach of access controls can be devastating. Confidential data, trade secrets and personal details can fall into the wrong hands, leading to extortion, identity theft or even large-scale sabotage. In addition, increasing privacy and data security regulation imposes significant penalties on organisations that fail to adequately protect confidential information.

To counter this persistent threat, it is essential that businesses take a proactive approach to cyber security. This involves implementing robust security measures, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and constant review of access controls. In addition, employee education and awareness play a key role in preventing breaches. Simple human error, such as using weak passwords or falling into a phishing trap, can open the door to an attack.

Collaboration with trusted security vendors is also essential. Businesses should invest in technology solutions that offer comprehensive protection against cyber threats, including the breach of access controls. Adopting real-time monitoring and behavioural analysis tools can help identify suspicious patterns and prevent attacks before they occur.