Authorization Testing is the systematic process of evaluating whether an application properly enforces access controls by verifying that users can only perform actions and access resources explicitly permitted by their assigned roles or privileges. It focuses on identifying vulnerabilities like insecure direct object references, privilege escalation, and authorization schema bypasses to ensure compliance with security policies.
Below you may find a list of Authorization security issues
Authorization Schema Bypass
Occurs when attackers circumvent role-based access controls by exploiting misconfigured permissions, missing server-side validation, or client-side trust (e.g., modifying requests to access restricted actions or data without proper authorization checks).
Privilege Escalation
A technique where attackers exploit vulnerabilities (e.g., misconfigurations, unpatched flaws) to gain elevated access:
- Vertical: Obtaining higher privileges (e.g., regular user → admin).
- Horizontal: Accessing another user’s resources at the same privilege level.
Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR)
A vulnerability where user-supplied input (e.g., user_id=123) directly accesses backend objects without authorization checks, enabling data exposure or manipulation
Authorization testing ensures applications adhere to the principle of least privilege and mitigate risks of data breaches or unauthorized access.