Open In App

Insecure Cryptographic Storage Vulnerability

Last Updated : 21 Jul, 2022
Improve
Improve
Like Article
Like
Save
Share
Report

Insecure Cryptographic Storage vulnerability is a type of flaw in the way that data is being stored and secured online. It’s a problem that affects nearly all websites and online organizations, but it can be especially problematic with sensitive private data. Insecurity Cryptographic Storage allows an attacker to steal sensitive information like passwords, authentication tokens, credit cards, or login credentials by stealing cookies. 

Insecure Cryptographic Storage Vulnerability:

Insecure Cryptographic Storage vulnerability is a type of flaw in the way that data is being stored and secured online. It’s an issue that impacts nearly all websites and online organizations, but it can be especially problematic with sensitive private data.

In security, cryptography is a widely applicable set of mathematical techniques used to conceal information. The most widely known type is data encryption. In cryptography, encryption means to take some sensitive data, and convert it into an unintelligible format that only the owner of the original data can recover. This type of data protection is very important in web design because it’s the only way that sensitive information such as login credentials can be secured. However, this method comes at the cost of not being available when needed most when we need our money to be safe in our wallets or when sending personal messages to friends through social networks.

There are several types of security mechanisms in cryptography, including encryption, hashing, digital signature, and public key infrastructure. Data encryption is usually a method where a piece of information, like the credit card number or login credentials, is first encrypted before being sent to the website. After this data is encrypted and sent, it goes into the database, which can’t be accessed without knowing the secret password that decrypts all incoming information. This process works well as long as you always have access to your password or if no one else has access to your computer. The problem arises when someone else has access to your computer and gains privileged access by guessing or brute-forcing your password, such as through a keylogger installed on your computer. It is possible that an attacker can install keyloggers or backdoors in your computer to capture all information you type or copy. You will then lose all your password-protected data, including usernames and passwords, credit card numbers and login credentials, and even personal messages that were sent through social networks.

The issue here is not only lost data, but also the fact that cookies are stored on your computer in plain text format. These cookies allow the attacker to impersonate you freely on any website. For example, an attacker can steal your Facebook cookies and post messages as you on Facebook to defuse or discredit you.

Key points:

  • Insecure Cryptographic Storage vulnerability is a type of flaw in the way that data is being stored and secured online. It’s a problem that affects nearly all websites and online organizations, but it can be especially problematic with sensitive private data. Insecurity Cryptographic Storage allows an attacker to steal sensitive information like passwords, authentication tokens, credit cards, or login credentials by stealing cookies.
  • Cookies are small pieces of data that websites send back to your computer and browser when you visit the site. A cookie is used for authentication purposes, letting you log in to the website without having to use a username or password every time you visit it.
  • The issue is not only lost data, but also the fact that cookies are stored on your computer in plain text format. These cookies allow the attacker to impersonate you freely on any website. For example, an attacker can do this by stealing your Facebook cookies and posting messages as you on Facebook to defame or discredit you.
  • Several types of security mechanisms in cryptography, including encryption, hashing, digital signature, and public key infrastructure. Data encryption is usually a method where a piece of information, like the credit card number or login credentials, is first encrypted before being sent to the website. After this data is encrypted and sent, it goes into the database, which can’t be accessed without knowing the secret password that decrypts all incoming information.

Countermeasures:

  • Insecure Cryptographic Storage is possible because data encryption is not always performed by the web server. For example, many websites use a type of encryption called SSL (Secure Socket Layer) to secure sensitive information like login credentials and credit card numbers. This type of data encryption is commonly performed on the client side, which means that once your internet browser connects to the website, your data is encrypted before it reaches the web server.
  • One way to counter this vulnerability in ethical hacking 101 is to encrypt the entire disk volume of your computer using full disk encryption software like Microsoft’s BitLocker or Apple’s File Vault 2. This ensures that all files stored on your local drive are automatically encrypted.

Conclusion:

The Insecure Cryptographic Storage vulnerability affects almost all websites and online organizations, but it can be especially problematic with sensitive private data. Data encryption is usually a method where a piece of information, like the credit card number or login credentials, is first encrypted before being sent to the website. Once this data is encrypted and sent, it goes into the database, which can’t be accessed without knowing the secret password that decrypts all incoming information. However, this method comes at the cost of not being available when needed most when we need our money to be safe in our wallets or when sending personal messages to friends through social networks.


Like Article
Suggest improvement
Previous
Next
Share your thoughts in the comments

Similar Reads