Skip to content

Authentication System - Security Posture

Security controls, compliance, and risk management for the authentication system.

Security Overview

The authentication system implements defense-in-depth with multiple layers of security controls.

Security Layers

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Layer 1: Network & Infrastructure                          │
│  - HTTPS only (TLS 1.3)                                     │
│  - Container networking (service-to-service)                │
│  - Redis/PostgreSQL private networks                        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Layer 2: Application Security                              │
│  - Input validation (Pydantic)                              │
│  - Output encoding (PII filtering)                          │
│  - SQL injection prevention (parameterized queries)         │
│  - XSS prevention (content security policy)                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Layer 3: Authentication & Authorization                    │
│  - Strong password hashing (bcrypt, rounds=12)              │
│  - JWT tokens (HS256, short-lived access)                  │
│  - RBAC (wildcard + exact match)                           │
│  - Session timeouts (idle + absolute)                      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Layer 4: Advanced Security                                 │
│  - CSRF protection (double-submit)                          │
│  - Rate limiting (Redis-backed)                             │
│  - Device approval (OTP)                                    │
│  - Suspicious login detection (Geo-IP)                      │
│  - Concurrent login control                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Layer 5: Monitoring & Response                             │
│  - Auth violation logging                                   │
│  - Abuse signal detection                                   │
│  - Audit trail (login activity)                             │
│  - Alerting (suspicious logins, rate limits)               │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Security Controls

Password Security

Control Implementation Strength
Hashing Algorithm bcrypt with 12 rounds ✅ Strong
Salt Built-in to bcrypt ✅ Per-password unique
Password Policy Min 8 chars (enforced at UI) ⚠️ Could be stronger
Password Reset Single-use tokens, 1h TTL ✅ Secure
Password History Not implemented ❌ Gap

Token Security

Control Implementation Strength
Access Token TTL 6 hours ✅ Appropriate
Refresh Token TTL 7 days (remember), 1 day (normal) ✅ Configurable
Token Storage HttpOnly cookies ✅ XSS protected
Token Blacklisting Redis-backed, immediate ✅ Secure logout
Token Revocation Timestamp-based check ✅ Server-side invalidation

Session Security

Control Implementation Strength
Idle Timeout 60 minutes (configurable) ✅ Appropriate
Absolute Timeout 7 days / 1 day ✅ Configurable
Single Session One active session per user ✅ Enforcement
Concurrent Login Approve/deny workflow ✅ Security control
Device Tracking Fingerprint + IP + UA ✅ Audit trail

Network Security

Control Implementation Strength
TLS Required (HTTPS) ✅ Encrypted in transit
Cookie Security Secure flag, SameSite ✅ HttpOnly + CSRF
CSRF Protection Double-submit cookie ✅ Prevents CSRF
Rate Limiting Per-IP, Redis-backed ✅ Brute force protection

OWASP Top 10 Coverage

Risk Status Mitigation
A01: Broken Access Control ✅ Mitigated RBAC, permission checks, session scoping
A02: Cryptographic Failures ✅ Mitigated Bcrypt, TLS, Fernet encryption
A03: Injection ✅ Mitigated Parameterized queries, Pydantic validation
A04: Insecure Design ✅ Mitigated Defense-in-depth, security by design
A05: Security Misconfiguration ⚠️ Partial Secure defaults, some hardening needed
A06: Vulnerable Components ✅ Mitigated Dependency audits, constraints file
A07: Auth Failures ✅ Mitigated Rate limiting, account lockout
A08: Data Failures ✅ Mitigated PII filtering, encryption at rest
A09: Security Logging ✅ Mitigated Auth violations, abuse signals
A10: Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) N/A Not applicable to auth system

Compliance Considerations

SOC 2 Type II Readiness

Control Status Evidence
Access Control ✅ Ready RBAC, least privilege, audit logging
Change Management ⚠️ Partial Git history, but need formal process
Incident Response ✅ Ready Alerting, logging, documented procedures
Data Encryption ✅ Ready TLS 1.3, Fernet at rest
Monitoring ✅ Ready Structured logging, abuse detection
Penetration Testing ⚠️ Pending Scheduled for Q1 2025

GDPR Considerations

Requirement Status Implementation
Right to Access ✅ /api/v1/auth/me endpoint
Right to Deletion ⚠️ Partial User deletion in progress
Right to Portability ⚠️ Partial Need data export endpoint
Consent Management ✅ Email verification, privacy acceptance
Data Breach Notification ✅ Logging + alerting

Threat Model

Attack Vectors & Mitigations

Attack Vector Likelihood Impact Mitigation
Brute Force (Credentials) High Medium Rate limiting, bcrypt
Session Hijacking Low High HttpOnly, TLS, idle timeout
CSRF Medium Medium Double-submit cookie
XSS Low Medium Input validation, CSP
SQL Injection Low High Parameterized queries
Token Theft Low High HttpOnly, short TTL, blacklist
Replay Attack Low Medium JTI, expiration, blacklist
Email Interception Low Medium Time-limited tokens
Man-in-the-Middle Low High TLS 1.3, certificate pinning

Incident Response

Security Incident Types

Incident Type Detection Response Escalation
Brute Force Attack Rate limit alerts Block IP, notify user → Security Team
Suspicious Login Geo-IP mismatch Email user, block until approve → Security Team
Token Leak Abuse signals, logs Blacklist tokens, revoke sessions → Security Team
Data Breach Monitoring alerts Incident response plan → Executive Team

Response Playbooks

High Failed Login Rate

  1. Alert triggered (failed login rate > threshold)
  2. Investigate source IP(s)
  3. Block abusive IPs via firewall
  4. Notify affected users
  5. Document incident

Suspicious Login Detected

  1. System detects anomaly (new geo/IP/device)
  2. Login state set to pending
  3. Email sent to user with approve/deny
  4. User decision processed
  5. Audit trail updated

Token Compromise Suspected

  1. Identify affected user(s)
  2. Blacklist all JTIs
  3. Revoke ActiveSession records
  4. Force password reset
  5. Notify user
  6. Document incident

Security Recommendations

Short Term (1-3 Months)

Priority Recommendation Effort
High Implement password history (prevent reuse) Medium
High Add CAPTCHA to login (abusive IPs) Low
Medium Strengthen password policy (complexity) Low
Medium Implement account lockout (failed attempts) Medium
Medium Add WebAuthn/passwordless auth option High

Long Term (3-12 Months)

Priority Recommendation Effort
High Complete penetration testing High
High Implement adaptive MFA (risk-based) High
Medium Add security headers (CSP, HSTS) Low
Medium Implement certificate pinning Medium
Medium Add biometric auth options High