Auth Incident Playbook: What to Do When Accounts Get Compromised
In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, incidents like credential stuffing, session theft, and admin account takeovers are becoming increasingly common. As IT and DevOps professionals, it's crucial to have a robust incident response plan in place to mitigate the damage and recover swiftly. This playbook provides a step-by-step guide to handling such incidents, with a focus on Bastionary, a self-hosted authentication, billing, licensing, and feature flags platform. Whether you're dealing with a compromised account or an ongoing attack, these steps will help you navigate the situation effectively.
Step 1: Identify the Incident
When you first notice suspicious activity, it's essential to identify the incident. Look for signs such as multiple failed login attempts, unusual IP addresses, or unexpected changes in user behavior. If Bastionary's logs show a sudden spike in failed login attempts, this could be an indication of a credential stuffing attack. Similarly, if there are multiple session creations from a single IP address, it might suggest session theft.
Step 2: Isolate the Affected Accounts
Once you've identified the incident, the next step is to isolate the affected accounts. This involves disabling the compromised accounts to prevent further unauthorized access. In Bastionary, you can do this by revoking the user's session tokens and changing their passwords. Remember to also review any related accounts that may have been compromised.
Step 3: Rollback Changes
In the event of an admin account takeover, it's important to rollback any unauthorized changes made to the system. This includes reverting any unauthorized billing changes, feature flag adjustments, or license modifications. In Bastionary, you can use the following code snippet to rollback changes:
bastionary.rollback_changes(user_id, change_id)
Step 4: Communicate with Stakeholders
Communication is key during an incident. Inform all relevant stakeholders about the incident, including the IT team, management, and affected users. Provide them with an overview of the situation, the steps taken to contain the incident, and any potential impact on services or data. In Bastionary, you can use the following communication template:
subject: Incident Report - Compromised Account
body: Dear [Stakeholder],
We have identified a security incident involving a compromised account. We have taken the following steps to contain the incident:
1. Isolated the affected accounts
2. Rolled back unauthorized changes
3. Initiated an investigation into the source of the breach
We will keep you updated on our progress and any further actions required.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Step 5: Investigate and Remediate
After containing the incident, it's time to investigate and remediate. This involves identifying the source of the breach, removing any malicious code or malware, and strengthening your security measures. In Bastionary, you can use the following code snippet to scan for vulnerabilities:
bastionary.scan_vulnerabilities()
Step 6: Update Security Measures
Finally, it's important to update your security measures to prevent future incidents. This includes implementing multi-factor authentication, enforcing strong password policies, and regularly updating your Bastionary platform. Additionally, consider conducting a security audit to identify any other potential vulnerabilities in your system.