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Difference between revisions of "Forgot Password Cheat Sheet"
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This article provides a simple model to follow when implementing a "forgot password" web application feature.<br> | This article provides a simple model to follow when implementing a "forgot password" web application feature.<br> | ||
| + | = The Problem = | ||
| + | |||
| + | There is no industry standard for implementing the "Forgot Password' featyre. The result is that users could be forced to jump through myriad hoops involving emails, special URLs, temporary passwords, personal security questions, and so on. In some applications you can recover your existing password. In others you have to reset it to a new value. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The recommendations presented for implementing "Forgot Password" are most appropriate for organizations that have a business relationship with users. Web applications that target the general public (social networking, free email sites, etc.) are fundamentally different and some concepts presented may not be feasible in those situations. | ||
= Steps = | = Steps = | ||
Revision as of 22:46, 1 March 2011
Introduction
This article provides a simple model to follow when implementing a "forgot password" web application feature.
The Problem
There is no industry standard for implementing the "Forgot Password' featyre. The result is that users could be forced to jump through myriad hoops involving emails, special URLs, temporary passwords, personal security questions, and so on. In some applications you can recover your existing password. In others you have to reset it to a new value.
The recommendations presented for implementing "Forgot Password" are most appropriate for organizations that have a business relationship with users. Web applications that target the general public (social networking, free email sites, etc.) are fundamentally different and some concepts presented may not be feasible in those situations.
Steps
1) Gather Identity Data
2) Verify Security Questions
3) Send a Token Over a Side-Channel
4) Allow user to change password
Related Articles
Fishnet Security - Secure Forgot Password
OWASP Cheat Sheets Project Homepage
Authors and Primary Editors
David Furgeson - David.Ferguson[at]fishnetsecurity.com
Jim Manico - jim[at]owasp.org
