OWASP Periodic Table of Vulnerabilities - Improper Output Handling

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Root Cause Summary

The root cause of improper output handling is an application passing along data and not interrogated consistently through mechanisms such as filtering or sanitization. Improper output handling can occur while passing data to applications or between tiers within an application architecture. Not validating output data may allow an application to pass along improper output encoding or escaping, invalid data, incorrect data, or malicious content to the consumer.

Browser / Standards Solution

None

Perimeter Solution

None

Generic Framework Solution

Provide context-sensitive encoders for all common data types in all output contexts, ensuring no custom code can write directly to output.

Custom Framework Solution

Provide context-sensitive encoders for all custom data types in all output contexts, ensuring no custom code can write directly to output.

Custom Code Solution

None

Discussion / Controversy

None

References

WASC - Improper Output Handling