Challenges
The assessment showed that the application did not fully control who could view or change certain information.
Here are a few important issues the team discovered:
- One internal user could access or modify another user’s data by going directly to specific parts of the app, skipping the normal menus. This meant users could act outside their permissions, putting data accuracy and business processes at risk.
- Password and login rules were weak. Users could change passwords without entering the old one, login attempts were not limited, and password strength requirements were low. These issues made it easier for someone to guess or test passwords and then take over an account by changing its credentials.
- Logging out did not always end a session. Sessions lasted too long and they could be used from different places at the same time. An attacker with a valid session could stay hidden while the real user continued working.
All these issues reduced trust in the platform’s ability to protect data and enforce proper access controls.
Objectives
The client needed an objective look at how the application would appear to a potential attacker, specifically wanting to understand:
- How easily critical parts of the system could be targeted or broken into
- Whether user accounts and active sessions were secure and behaving as expected
- Which weaknesses were most serious and required fast action to reduce risk
Overall, they were looking for a realistic picture of their exposure and straightforward guidance on what to fix first.
Services Provided
The main service CyberGlobal provided was a web application security assessment, and the team had the following goals in mind:
- Find weaknesses in access control
- How the application behaved
- How private data was handled
CyberGlobal examined whether critical parts of the application could be found or taken advantage of by an attacker, and how the app’s configuration helped or hindered the protection of sensitive activities. The aim was to highlight risks that could impact the business, rather than simply meeting technical checkboxes.
Execution and Outcomes
CyberGlobal’s team began with the public login page and self-service features, then tested how far they could go beyond the permissions a normal user should have.
They checked how user data and important functions were exposed from the outside. By directly requesting certain parts of the app, the team confirmed that an ordinary user could access information belonging to others. This showed that the application was not consistently enforcing rules about who should see or change specific data.
Next, the team reviewed login and password features. They found that the app allowed unlimited login attempts, accepted weak passwords, and let users change passwords without entering the old one. Together, these weaknesses made it easier for an attacker to guess a password and quickly take over an account.
Session handling was also tested. Sessions stayed active for long periods, were not always closed at logout, and could be used from several browsers at once. This made it easier for an attacker to keep access once inside.
All findings were explained in business terms, helping the client understand the most serious issues and which improvements to focus on first.
Solutions
CyberGlobal recommended adding stronger controls around who can see or change specific information. To reduce the risk of account takeover, CyberGlobal suggested tightening the entire login process as follows:
- Requiring the current password (or another trusted verification step) before allowing a password change
- Enforcing stronger password rules
- Limiting repeated login attempts
These steps make it harder for attackers to guess passwords and take over accounts.
The team also advised improving session management through shorter session times and reliable logout behavior. Limiting the same account from being used in multiple places helps stop attackers from reusing stolen sessions and makes user activity easier to control.
Overall, these improvements strengthen access security and create a more predictable, protected environment for the web application.
Results
By fixing the problems found in the assessment, the company can greatly lower the chances of someone getting into accounts or sensitive parts of the system without permission. These improvements also help everyone trust the app more, knowing the information it handles is accurate, and the system is dependable.
CyberGlobal’s review gave the company a clear picture of its biggest security risks and a straightforward list of what to fix first.
Other tech companies in the United States can benefit from doing the same kind of check, especially when it comes to access control, passwords, and session handling. Finding these issues early makes it much easier to stop real attacks before they happen.
CyberGlobal is ready to help you strengthen your web application security through focused testing and ongoing improvements.