| Anytime an authentication method is exposed so as to allow for the utilization of an application, there is a risk that attempts will be made to obtain unauthorized access. To defeat these attempts, organizations define the number of times a user account may consecutively fail a login attempt. The organization also defines the period of time in which these consecutive failed attempts may occur. By limiting the number of failed login attempts, the risk of unauthorized system access via user password guessing, otherwise known as brute forcing, is reduced. Limits are imposed by locking the account.
Rationale for non-applicability:
In general, mobile applications will not authenticate users although they may do so when required by a remote application. In this case, the remote application, rather than the local application, must enforce restrictions on the number of failed logon attempts. If the local application were responsible for the security of the remote application, this would make the remote application vulnerable to breaches on the mobile device. |
