Broken Access Control in Laravel: Prevention & Code Insights

Broken Access Control is a prevalent web application vulnerability, commonly ranked in the OWASP Top 10. In Laravel, this issue often arises from improper user role management, insecure direct object references (IDOR), or failure to enforce access rules effectively. This blog explores the risks associated with broken access control in Laravel, provides a practical coding example, and shows how you can secure your application using our free Website Security Checker tool.

What is Broken Access Control?

Broken Access Control occurs when users can access resources or perform actions beyond their permissions due to a lack of proper authorization checks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to:

• Modify or delete sensitive data.
• Access restricted functionality.
• Compromise user accounts.

Risks in Laravel Applications

Laravel provides robust authentication and authorization tools, yet vulnerabilities may arise due to:

1. Misconfigured policies or gates.
2. Improper validation of user input.
3. Over-reliance on client-side authorization.

Example of Broken Access Control in Laravel

Here’s a scenario illustrating how broken access control might occur:

Scenario:
Imagine an e-commerce platform where an admin manages orders. A malicious user could manipulate the URL to access an admin-only page.

// Vulnerable route  
Route::get('/orders/{id}', [OrderController::class, 'show']);

Exploit:
By changing the {id} parameter to a different user's ID, the attacker gains unauthorized access to view or modify another user’s orders.

Solution:
Always validate user permissions before accessing sensitive resources:

// Secure implementation  
Route::get('/orders/{id}', function ($id) {  
    $order = Order::findOrFail($id);  

if (auth()->user()->cannot('view', $order)) {  
        abort(403, 'Unauthorized action.');  
    }  

return view('orders.show', compact('order'));  
});

In this example, policies ensure users can only view their authorized orders.

How to Identify and Fix Broken Access Control

Use tools to detect vulnerabilities and ensure proper authorization in your Laravel application.

• Step 1: Visit our free Website Security Scanner tool and enter your website URL.

Screenshot of the free tools webpage where you can access security assessment tools

• Step 2: Review the detailed vulnerability report to identify broken access control issues.

Example of a vulnerability assessment report generated with our free tool, providing insights into possible vulnerabilities

Best Practices to Prevent Broken Access Control

1. Use Policies and Gates: Leverage Laravel’s in-built authorization mechanisms like Gate and Policy.
2. Restrict Sensitive Routes: Protect sensitive routes using middleware:

Route::middleware(['auth', 'can:isAdmin'])->group(function () {  
    Route::resource('admin/orders', AdminOrderController::class);  
});

1. Avoid IDOR Vulnerabilities: Replace IDs with UUIDs and verify resource ownership.
2. Regularly Test Applications: Use tools like ours to test website security free for ongoing monitoring.

Why Choose Our Free Tool?

Our free Website Security checker at https://free.pentesttesting.com not only scans for common vulnerabilities but also generates actionable reports, ensuring your Laravel application stays secure.

Conclusion

Broken access control in Laravel can expose sensitive data and functionality to attackers. By adopting secure coding practices, leveraging Laravel’s authorization mechanisms, and regularly scanning your application with tools like ours, you can effectively mitigate risks.

Stay proactive — test your application now and safeguard your users!