Django Broken Object-Level Authorization Guide: Examples and Prevention

In recent years, the increasing complexity of software applications has led to a rise in vulnerabilities, particularly in object-level authorization, which can expose sensitive data to attackers. Notable incidents involving companies like T-Mobile, Facebook, and Uber highlight the risks associated with broken object-level authorization, especially in API-based applications. This security issue occurs when authenticated user privileges are not adequately checked against specific resource instances, allowing unauthorized access to data. Preventative measures include using globally unique identifiers (UUIDs) to prevent predictable object resource identifiers, implementing access control through user grouping in Django, and ensuring resource ownership is clearly defined and authenticated. Additionally, extending base permissions and filtering queries by ownership can further enhance security by restricting access to resource objects based on user roles and ownership. These strategies aim to mitigate risks by ensuring that only authorized users can access or modify resources, thereby protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.