How to password circuit breaker

A password circuit breaker is a security feature that allows a user to reset their password without knowing the current password. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to implement a password circuit breaker:

Why do we need a password circuit breaker?

A password circuit breaker is useful when a user forgets their password and can't access their account. Without a password circuit breaker, the user would have to contact the system administrator to reset their password, which can be inconvenient and time-consuming.

How to implement a password circuit breaker:

1. Store a password hint: When a user creates an account, store a password hint along with their password. The password hint should be a cryptic clue that helps the user remember their password.
2. Store a password reset token: When a user requests a password reset, generate a unique token and store it along with the user's account information. This token should be valid for a limited time (e.g., 1 hour).
3. Verify the password hint: When a user requests a password reset, ask them to enter their password hint. Verify that the hint matches the one stored in the database.
4. Verify the password reset token: If the password hint is correct, ask the user to enter the password reset token. Verify that the token matches the one stored in the database.
5. Reset the password: If the password hint and token are valid, allow the user to reset their password. Store the new password and update the user's account information.
6. Expire the password reset token: After a successful password reset, expire the password reset token to prevent it from being used again.

Example implementation in Python:

Here's an example implementation of a password circuit breaker in Python using Flask and Flask-Login:

from flask import Flask, request, redirect, url_for
from flask_login import LoginManager, UserMixin, login_user, logout_user
from werkzeug.security import generate_password_hash, check_password_hash

app = Flask(__name__)
app.config['SECRET_KEY'] = 'secret_key_here'

login_manager = LoginManager()
login_manager.init_app(app)

class User(UserMixin):
    def __init__(self, username, password, password_hint):
        self.username = username
        self.password = generate_password_hash(password)
        self.password_hint = password_hint

    def check_password(self, password):
        return check_password_hash(self.password, password)

    def reset_password(self, new_password):
        self.password = generate_password_hash(new_password)

@login_manager.user_loader
def load_user(username):
    # Load the user from the database
    #...
    return User(username, password, password_hint)

@app.route('/password_reset', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
def password_reset():
    if request.method == 'POST':
        username = request.form['username']
        password_hint = request.form['password_hint']
        password_reset_token = request.form['password_reset_token']

        user = load_user(username)
        if user and user.check_password_hint(password_hint) and user.password_reset_token == password_reset_token:
            new_password = request.form['new_password']
            user.reset_password(new_password)
            return redirect(url_for('login'))
        else:
            return 'Invalid password hint or token', 401

    return '''
        <form action="" method="post">
            <label for="username">Username:</label>
            <input type="text" id="username" name="username"><br><br>
            <label for="password_hint">Password Hint:</label>
            <input type="text" id="password_hint" name="password_hint"><br><br>
            <label for="password_reset_token">Password Reset Token:</label>
            <input type="text" id="password_reset_token" name="password_reset_token"><br><br>
            <label for="new_password">New Password:</label>
            <input type="password" id="new_password" name="new_password"><br><br>
            <input type="submit" value="Reset Password">
        </form>
    '''

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(debug=True)

In this example, we define a User class that has a check_password_hint method to verify the password hint and a reset_password method to reset the password. We also define a password_reset route that handles the password reset request. The route verifies the password hint and token, and if they are valid, allows the user to reset their password.