General Summary of the Pentest Conducted by Netitude for World Delete
The Pentest conducted by Netitude for World Delete aimed to assess the security of our web application, World Delete App. This audit took place in January 2023 and lasted a total of four days. We contracted this service as part of our commitment to data protection and the continuous improvement of our systems.
During the evaluation, vulnerabilities in various categories were identified. Among them were flaws in access controls, weaknesses in authentication, and the possibility of uploading potentially dangerous files. These findings represented risks both to user information and the integrity of the platform.
Netitude concluded that our environment required immediate attention in critical security areas. They provided us with a detailed technical report, including clear recommendations for addressing each detected vulnerability. Thanks to this analysis, we were able to prioritize corrective actions based on their urgency.
This process not only strengthened our infrastructure but also reaffirmed our proactive approach to cybersecurity. By subjecting our platform to this external audit, we reinforced our commitment to transparency and user trust.
World Delete’s Motivation for Undergoing a Security Audit
We decided to conduct a security audit to ensure our application met the highest protection standards possible. We understood that handling sensitive information—such as customer data and deletion requests—requires a robust, reliable, and fully private infrastructure.
Our goal was to identify potential weaknesses before malicious actors could exploit them under any circumstance. This preventive evaluation allowed us to anticipate risks, reinforce essential components, and avoid unnecessary exposures that could compromise our platform.
We also wanted to validate our current practices against strict technical criteria and standards recognized in the tech industry. By working with an external provider like Netitude, we received an objective assessment that improved our internal controls and security processes.
Finally, we wanted this process to demonstrate our strong commitment to the protection and peace of mind of our most demanding users. We know that trust is built through concrete actions, not promises, and this professional Pentest was a key decision.
Technical Environment Evaluated During the Pentest Conducted by Netitude for World Delete
During the Pentest conducted by Netitude for World Delete, the evaluation focused on our web application environment. This platform is a key component of our digital operation, which is why we decided to subject it to a thorough external audit simulating real-world attack scenarios.
Netitude performed tests without prior privileged access, which made it possible to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by unauthenticated users. This approach gave us a clear view of the application’s public exposure level.
The technical analysis included the verification of our authentication mechanisms, access control, file upload functionality, and session management. It also examined interactions between different user profiles, revealing inconsistencies in permission assignments.
Thanks to this evaluation, we obtained accurate information about the most vulnerable points of our platform. This solid technical foundation was essential for setting priorities and advancing our remediation plan efficiently and confidently.
Main Vulnerabilities Identified and Their Severity Classification
During the audit, a total of thirteen vulnerabilities were identified and classified by severity level: four critical, three high, and six medium. This classification helped us focus corrective actions based on the potential risk to our application and users.
The most severe issues were related to access controls. We discovered two endpoints that exposed sensitive information such as hashed passwords, calendars, and photos. These endpoints could be accessed without authentication, posing a serious risk to data confidentiality.
A file upload functionality was also identified that allowed dangerous file types to be submitted. Combined with other flaws, this issue could have been used to launch targeted attacks against our infrastructure or specific users via phishing techniques.
Finally, weaknesses were observed in our authentication policies. While some roles already used multi-factor authentication, we identified opportunities for improvement in password management and account lockout mechanisms for repeated access attempts. These findings helped us reinforce our protection systems.
Impact of the Pentest Conducted by Netitude for World Delete on Access Controls
One of the most important findings of the Pentest conducted by Netitude for World Delete was the identification of critical flaws in our access controls. These errors allowed unauthorized access to users’ sensitive information, directly contradicting our security and privacy principles.
During the tests, two exposed endpoints were discovered that did not require authentication to display private information. These endpoints allowed access to data such as names, encrypted passwords, calendars, and user photos. Since there were no access restrictions, any external actor could view this information without prior validation.
This finding led us to deeply review the permission logic within our application. We realized we needed not only to protect access through the user interface but also to ensure that APIs correctly enforced session-based profile restrictions.
In response, we prioritized redesigning our authentication flows and permission validations. Our goal was to completely close off any routes that could expose data without authorization and ensure that each feature operated only with the proper privileges. This strengthened our security posture and minimized the risk of data leakage.
File Upload Evaluation and Exploitation Risks
Another critical area evaluated during the process was the file upload functionality. Netitude discovered that our application allowed uploads of file types not required for normal system operation. This gap could have been exploited to launch attacks on the server or on other platform users.
The malicious files uploaded during testing included formats capable of executing code or manipulating content. If an attacker had managed to insert one of these files, they could have compromised system integrity or distributed harmful content through our channels.
In addition, the lack of proper validation in the file upload process, combined with access control flaws, increased the risk of targeted phishing campaigns. A determined attacker could have used these vectors to trick legitimate users and steal their credentials.
In response, we immediately restricted the types of files allowed in the application. We now accept only those strictly necessary for intended operations. This measure, along with other recommendations from the technical report, strengthened a critical part of our platform.
Findings Related to Authentication and Session Management
During the security analysis, important deficiencies were found in our authentication and session management mechanisms. These weaknesses could compromise user account protection and increase the risk of unauthorized access. Although some security measures were already in place—such as multi-factor authentication for specific roles—several areas required urgent improvement.
One of the most relevant findings involved our password policy. It was observed that users were not required to create strong passwords, which facilitated brute-force attacks. In addition, there was no account lockout mechanism after multiple failed attempts, which increased exposure to automated guessing techniques.
Issues were also identified in the management of active sessions. The duration of sessions and control over connected devices were not optimized to ensure a secure experience. This could allow an attacker to keep a session active indefinitely if they gained initial access.
As part of our response, we focused on strengthening authentication policies. We adjusted password requirements, implemented login attempt limits, and expanded multi-factor authentication to all relevant roles. These actions significantly improved the security of our user accounts.
Technical Recommendations After the Pentest Conducted by Netitude for World Delete
Based on the Pentest conducted by Netitude for World Delete, we received a series of specific recommendations to guide our continuous improvement efforts. These technical suggestions were prioritized by severity level, allowing us to implement them in a structured and effective way.
First, a complete review of our access controls was recommended. This included verifying that every action within the application was properly validated against the active session’s permissions. This measure was essential to prevent unauthorized users from accessing sensitive data.
Another key recommendation was to harden the file upload functionality. We were advised to restrict accepted file types and apply additional filters to prevent malicious code from being introduced. Isolating the file processing was also suggested to minimize risks in case of exploitation attempts.
Regarding authentication, we were urged to reinforce password policies, implement account lockout after repeated failures, and expand the use of multi-factor authentication. These improvements have already been included in our action plan.
All these recommendations were incorporated into a detailed remediation plan, which is currently being executed. Our goal is to strengthen every evaluated area to maintain a secure and reliable platform for our users.
