Credential Stuffing in Adonisjs

Credential stuffing attacks target the authentication endpoints of AdonisJS applications by automating login attempts with vast lists of compromised username/password pairs. In AdonisJS, these attacks typically manifest through exposed /login or /auth routes that lack sufficient brute-force protections. The framework's default authentication setup, often using the @adonisjs/auth package with session or API token guards, creates predictable attack surfaces.

A common vulnerability pattern is an unprotected login route in start/routes.js or routes/api.js:

Route.post('/login', 'AuthController.login')

If this route does not enforce rate limiting or progressive delays, an attacker can submit hundreds of requests per minute. AdonisJS applications using the session guard are particularly vulnerable because successful logins establish server-side sessions, allowing attackers to hijack accounts with reused credentials. Additionally, if the application uses weak password policies (e.g., no minimum length or complexity checks) or lacks multi-factor authentication (MFA), stuffed credentials from previous breaches have a higher chance of success.

Another AdonisJS-specific vector involves JSON Web Token (JWT) authentication. If tokens are issued without proper binding to IP/user-agent or have excessively long expiration times, stolen credentials can yield persistent access. The framework's api guard might return a token on successful login, but without tracking failed attempts, it remains a prime target for stuffing.

Detecting credential stuffing vulnerabilities in an AdonisJS API requires testing the authentication endpoints for missing or ineffective rate limiting. Manually, you can use tools like curl or Burp Suite to send repeated login requests and observe responses. A properly protected endpoint should return HTTP 429 Too Many Requests after a threshold (e.g., 5-10 attempts from the same IP within a minute). Look for absence of Retry-After headers or uniform response times that don't increase with consecutive failures.

Automated scanning with middleBrick efficiently identifies these gaps. When you submit your AdonisJS API URL (e.g., https://api.your-adonis-app.com), middleBrick's black-box scan probes the login endpoint. It tests for:

• Rate Limiting: Sends sequential login attempts and checks for throttling responses.
• Authentication Bypass: Verifies if the endpoint enforces strict credential validation.
• Error Message Consistency: Ensures generic error messages (e.g., "Invalid credentials") don't reveal whether a username exists, which aids attackers in credential stuffing.

For CI/CD integration, use the middleBrick GitHub Action to scan staging environments before deployment. The CLI tool (middlebrick scan <url>) can be scripted to regularly monitor production APIs. A scan report will highlight missing rate limits as a high-severity finding under the Authentication category, with a specific pointer to the vulnerable endpoint path.

Remediating credential stuffing in AdonisJS involves implementing layered defenses directly in your application code. Start by enforcing rate limiting on all authentication routes using AdonisJS's built-in throttle middleware from @adonisjs/throttle.

1. Install and configure the throttle package:

npm install @adonisjs/throttle
node ace configure @adonisjs/throttle

2. Apply the middleware to login routes:

// in start/routes.js
Route.post('/login', 'AuthController.login').middleware('throttle:5,1')

This limits to 5 attempts per minute per IP. Adjust the parameters (5,1) based on your risk tolerance.

3. Implement progressive delay in your AuthController:

// app/Controllers/Http/AuthController.ts
import { throttle } from '@adonisjs/throttle/build/standalone'

export default class AuthController {
  public async login({ request, response, auth }: HttpContextContract) {
    const credentials = request.only(['email', 'password'])
    const ip = request.ip()

    // Check throttle status
    const remaining = await throttle.check('login-attempts:' + ip, 5, 60)
    if (!remaining.allowed) {
      return response.status(429).json({
        message: 'Too many login attempts. Please try again later.'
      })
    }

    try {
      await auth.use('api').attempt(credentials)
      // ... generate token or session
    } catch (error) {
      await throttle.increase('login-attempts:' + ip, 60)
      return response.status(401).json({ message: 'Invalid credentials' })
    }
  }
}

4. Enforce strong password policies using AdonisJS validator in your registration and password change flows:

// in AuthController.register validation
const schema = Schema.create({
  email: schema.string({ format: 'email' }),
  password: schema.string({ minLength: 12 }, [
    rules.regex(/^(?=.*[a-z])(?=.*[A-Z])(?=.*\d)(?=.*[@$!%*?&])[A-Za-z\d@$!%*?&]+$/, {
      message: 'Password must include uppercase, lowercase, number, and special character'
    })
  ])
})

5. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) using @adonisjs/mfa or similar community packages to add a second factor, rendering stuffed passwords insufficient.

Finally, ensure error messages are generic to prevent username enumeration. Always return the same HTTP status (401) and message for both invalid usernames and passwords. These native AdonisJS features, when combined, significantly reduce the risk of credential stuffing.

After deploying fixes, continuous monitoring is essential. Use middleBrick's Pro plan to set up scheduled scans of your AdonisJS API. Configure alerts via Slack or Teams to notify your team if the authentication score drops. Integrate the middleBrick GitHub Action to scan staging APIs on every pull request, ensuring new endpoints don't reintroduce vulnerabilities. Track score trends in the Web Dashboard to verify that rate limiting and other controls remain effective over time. Remember, credential stuffing defense is not a one-time fix but an ongoing process of validation and adjustment.