Correct Code

The following PHP code ensures a robust authentication process to prevent brute force attacks. First, it verifies the existence of the necessary POST variables and performs an Anti-CSRF token check, which prevents cross-site request forgery attacks. Then, sanitize the user and password entries to avoid SQL injections. The password is encrypted using sha256 before any database comparison is performed.

The system includes account lockout mechanisms after multiple failed login attempts. If the user has exceeded the limit of failed attempts (defined as 3), a lockout time (15 minutes by default) is calculated during which the user will not be able to log in. If the lockout time has not expired, the account remains locked. If authentication is successful, the failed attempt counter is reset to zero and the time of the last login is updated. In case of a failed attempt, the failed attempt counter is incremented and a random delay is induced to make brute force attacks more difficult.

<?php

if( isset( $_POST[ 'Login' ] ) && isset ($_POST['username']) && isset ($_POST['password']) ) {
    // Check Anti-CSRF token
    checkToken( $_REQUEST[ 'user_token' ], $_SESSION[ 'session_token' ], 'index.php' );

    // Sanitise username input
    $user = $_POST[ 'username' ];
    $user = stripslashes( $user );
    $user = ((isset($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"]) && is_object($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"])) ? mysqli_real_escape_string($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"],  $user ) : ((trigger_error("[MySQLConverterToo] Fix the mysql_escape_string() call! This code does not work.", E_USER_ERROR)) ? "" : ""));

    // Sanitise password input
    $pass = $_POST[ 'password' ];
    $pass = stripslashes( $pass );
    $pass = ((isset($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"]) && is_object($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"])) ? mysqli_real_escape_string($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"],  $pass ) : ((trigger_error("[MySQLConverterToo] Fix the mysql_escape_string() call! This code does not work.", E_USER_ERROR)) ? "" : ""));
    $pass = hash('sha256', $pass );

    // Default values
    $total_failed_login = 3;
    $lockout_time       = 15;
    $account_locked     = false;

    // Check the database (Check user information)
    $data = $db->prepare( 'SELECT failed_login, last_login FROM users WHERE user = (:user) LIMIT 1;' );
    $data->bindParam( ':user', $user, PDO::PARAM_STR );
    $data->execute();
    $row = $data->fetch();

    // Check to see if the user has been locked out.
    if( ( $data->rowCount() == 1 ) && ( $row[ 'failed_login' ] >= $total_failed_login ) )  {
        // User locked out.  Note, using this method would allow for user enumeration!
        //echo "<pre><br />This account has been locked due to too many incorrect logins.</pre>";

        // Calculate when the user would be allowed to login again
        $last_login = strtotime( $row[ 'last_login' ] );
        $timeout    = $last_login + ($lockout_time * 60);
        $timenow    = time();

        /*
        print "The last login was: " . date ("h:i:s", $last_login) . "<br />";
        print "The timenow is: " . date ("h:i:s", $timenow) . "<br />";
        print "The timeout is: " . date ("h:i:s", $timeout) . "<br />";
        */

        // Check to see if enough time has passed, if it hasn't locked the account
        if( $timenow < $timeout ) {
            $account_locked = true;
            // print "The account is locked<br />";
        }
    }

    // Check the database (if username matches the password)
    $data = $db->prepare( 'SELECT * FROM users WHERE user = (:user) AND password = (:password) LIMIT 1;' );
    $data->bindParam( ':user', $user, PDO::PARAM_STR);
    $data->bindParam( ':password', $pass, PDO::PARAM_STR );
    $data->execute();
    $row = $data->fetch();

    // If its a valid login...
    if( ( $data->rowCount() == 1 ) && ( $account_locked == false ) ) {
        // Get users details
        $avatar       = $row[ 'avatar' ];
        $failed_login = $row[ 'failed_login' ];
        $last_login   = $row[ 'last_login' ];

        // Login successful
        echo "<p>Welcome to the password protected area <em>{$user}</em></p>";
        echo "<img src=\"{$avatar}\" />";

        // Had the account been locked out since last login?
        if( $failed_login >= $total_failed_login ) {
            echo "<p><em>Warning</em>: Someone might of been brute forcing your account.</p>";
            echo "<p>Number of login attempts: <em>{$failed_login}</em>.<br />Last login attempt was at: <em>{$last_login}</em>.</p>";
        }

        // Reset bad login count
        $data = $db->prepare( 'UPDATE users SET failed_login = "0" WHERE user = (:user) LIMIT 1;' );
        $data->bindParam( ':user', $user, PDO::PARAM_STR );
        $data->execute();
    } else {
        // Login failed
        sleep( rand( 2, 4 ) );

        // Give the user some feedback
        echo "<pre><br />Username and/or password incorrect.<br /><br/>Alternative, the account has been locked because of too many failed logins.<br />If this is the case, <em>please try again in {$lockout_time} minutes</em>.</pre>";

        // Update bad login count
        $data = $db->prepare( 'UPDATE users SET failed_login = (failed_login + 1) WHERE user = (:user) LIMIT 1;' );
        $data->bindParam( ':user', $user, PDO::PARAM_STR );
        $data->execute();
    }

    // Set the last login time
    $data = $db->prepare( 'UPDATE users SET last_login = now() WHERE user = (:user) LIMIT 1;' );
    $data->bindParam( ':user', $user, PDO::PARAM_STR );
    $data->execute();
}

// Generate Anti-CSRF token
generateSessionToken();

?>