OAuth Scope Escalation Scanner
Tests for OAuth scope manipulation and privilege escalation.
What is OAuth Scope Escalation?
OAuth Scope Escalation occurs when attackers can obtain access tokens with more permissions than intended. This can happen through scope parameter manipulation, exploiting token exchange flows, or leveraging misconfigured authorization servers that grant broader access than requested.
Why is This Important?
Scope defines what actions a token can perform. Escalating scope turns a limited-access token into a full-access token. Attackers might escalate from read-only to write access, from public data to private data, or from user-level to admin-level permissions, dramatically increasing attack impact.
How It Works
1. Auth Flow Analysis
Maps authentication mechanisms including login, registration, password reset, and session management flows.
2. Security Testing
Tests for authentication bypasses, weak credentials, session flaws, and token vulnerabilities.
3. Access Verification
Validates findings by demonstrating unauthorized access or privilege escalation paths.
Key Capabilities
Comprehensive authentication security testing to protect user accounts and prevent unauthorized access.
- Complete authentication flow analysis
- Token and session security validation
- Password policy and brute-force testing
- Multi-factor authentication bypass detection
- OAuth, SAML, and JWT security assessment
Frequently Asked Questions
How do attackers manipulate OAuth scopes?
Techniques include: adding scopes to authorization requests, modifying scope in token requests, exploiting refresh token scope expansion, scope injection through parameter pollution, exploiting implicit grant scope handling, and abusing scope wildcards or hierarchies.
What should I check for scope escalation?
Test: requesting more scopes than registered for the client, modifying scopes between authorization and token requests, refresh tokens granting additional scopes, scope parameter injection, and downscope requests being ignored (always getting full access).
How do authorization servers typically fail on scopes?
Common failures: not validating requested scopes against client registration, granting default scopes regardless of request, not reducing scopes when explicitly requested, refresh tokens maintaining or expanding scope, and admin scopes accessible without additional verification.
How do I prevent scope escalation?
Define and enforce allowed scopes per client in registration, validate requested scopes on every request, never grant more than requested, log and alert on scope escalation attempts, require step-up authentication for sensitive scopes, and implement scope reduction for refresh tokens.
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