Johanna Curiel at 01:07, 5 February 2013

2013-02-05T01:07:43Z

Johanna Curiel: Created page with "Introduction When using an url as input to a request being initiated from a browser, it is important to validate the url,you must determine that it is appropriate based on th..."

2013-02-05T01:02:23Z

Created page with "Introduction When using an url as input to a request being initiated from a browser, it is important to validate the url,you must determine that it is appropriate based on th..."

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Introduction

When using an url as input to a request being initiated from a browser, it
is important to validate the url,you must determine that it is appropriate based
on the request and verify that the user is authorized to access the target.
Allowing an URL as input without validation before redirecting the browser , can
result in sending the user to a malicious link without their knowledge.
Forwarding a user to a page without first determining if it is appropriate
and they are authorized could result in them being allowed to perform actions
that are not acceptable.

Redirect Example

An application request is sent that contains a url as input,
malicious.example.com, from the example below. Where this request includes
a url as input that is not validated by the server, the browser can be
redirected to a malicious url to perform any number of undesirable actions.

http://example.com/example.php?url=http://malicious.example.com

Forward Example

When applications allow user input to forward requests between different
parts of the site, the application must check that the user is authorized
to access the url, perform the functions it provides, and it is an
appropriate url request. If the application fails to perform these checks,
an attacker crafted URL may pass the application’s access control check and
then forward the attacker to an administrative function that is not
normally permitted.

http://www.example.com/function.jsp?fwd=admin.jsp

Attack Vectors and Risk

When considering the risk, think about the implications of anyone who can
trick your users into clicking on a malicious link. This can be used to
direct users to malicious sites when they think they are actually going to
your site or another legitimate site or one of its pages. Any website or
other HTML feed that your users use could do this.

Attacker changes the url to an unvalidated redirect and the unsuspecting
victim clicks on it because they are unaware of the deception.

Attacker targets unsafe forward to bypass security checks to perform
actions that they are not authorized to perform.

Security Weakness

Applications frequently redirect users to other pages, or use internal
forwards in a similar manner. Sometimes the target page is specified in
unvalidated input, allowing attackers to choose the destination page or
function they wish to perform.

Technical impacts

Such redirects may attempt to install malware or trick victims into
disclosing passwords or other sensitive information. Unsafe forwards may
allow access control bypass.

Business impacts

Consider the business value of retaining your users’ trust.

What if they get owned by malware?

What if attackers can access internal only functions?

Am I Vulnerable To Unvalidated Redirects and Forwards?

The best way to find out if an application has any unvalidated redirects or
forwards is to:

Review the code for all uses of redirect or forward (called a transfer in
.NET). For each use, identify if the target URL is included in any
parameter values. If so, verify the parameter(s) are validated to contain
only an allowed destination, or element of a destination.

Also, spider the site to see if it generates any redirects (HTTP response
codes 300-307, typically 302). Look at the parameters supplied prior to the
redirect to see if they appear to be a target URL or a piece of such a URL.
If so, change the URL target and observe whether the site redirects to the
new target.

If code is unavailable, check all parameters to see if they look like part
of a redirect or forward URL destination and test those that do.

How Do I Prevent Unvalidated Redirects and Forwards?

Safe use of redirects and forwards can be done in a number of ways:

Simply avoid using redirects and forwards.

If used, don’t allow the url as user input for the destination. This can
usually be done.

If user input can’t be avoided, ensure that the supplied *value* is valid,
appropriate for the application, and *authorized* for the user.

It is recommended that any such destination input be mapped to a value,
rather than the actual URL or portion of the URL, and that server side code
translate this value to the target URL.

Applications can use ESAPI to override the
*sendRedirect()*<http://owasp-esapi-java.googlecode.com/svn/trunk_doc/latest/org/owasp/esapi/filters/SecurityWrapperResponse.html>method
to make sure all redirect destinations are safe.

Avoiding such flaws is extremely important as they are a favorite target of
phishers trying to gain the user’s trust to exploit.
**

*References*

OWASP

• OWASP Article on Open Redirects
https://www.owasp.org/index.php/Open_redirect

• ESAPI SecurityWrapperResponse.sendRedirect() method

External

• CWE Entry 601 on Open Redirects
http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/601.html

• WASC Article on URL Redirector Abuse
http://projects.webappsec.org/w/page/13246981/URL%20Redirector%20Abuse

• Google blog article on the dangers of open redirects
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/01/open-redirect-urls-is-your-site-being.html

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Introduction
+'''Introduction'''
 When using an url as input to a request being initiated from a browser, it
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 that are not acceptable.
-Redirect Example
+'''Redirect Example'''
-An application request is sent that contains a url as input,
+An application request is sent that contains an url as input,
 malicious.example.com, from the example below. Where this request includes
-a url as input that is not validated by the server, the browser can be
+an url as input that is not validated by the server, the browser can be
 redirected to a malicious url to perform any number of undesirable actions.
 http://example.com/example.php?url=http://malicious.example.com
-Forward Example
+'''Forward Example'''
 When applications allow user input to forward requests between different
 parts of the site, the application must check that the user is authorized
-to access the url, perform the functions it provides, and it is an
+to access the url,it must perform the functions it provides, and it must control that it is an
 appropriate url request. If the application fails to perform these checks,
 an attacker crafted URL may pass the application’s access control check and
@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 http://www.example.com/function.jsp?fwd=admin.jsp
-Attack Vectors and Risk
+'''Attack Vectors and Risk'''
 When considering the risk, think about the implications of anyone who can
@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
 Attacker targets unsafe forward to bypass security checks to perform
 actions that they are not authorized to perform.
+'''
-Security Weakness
+Security Weakness'''
 Applications frequently redirect users to other pages, or use internal
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 function they wish to perform.
-Technical impacts
+'''Technical impacts'''
 Such redirects may attempt to install malware or trick victims into
 disclosing passwords or other sensitive information. Unsafe forwards may
 allow access control bypass.
+'''
 Business impacts
-Consider the business value of retaining your users’ trust.
+*What if they get owned by malware?
-What if attackers can access internal only functions?
+*What if attackers can access internal only functions?
-Am I Vulnerable To Unvalidated Redirects and Forwards?
+*Am I Vulnerable To Unvalidated Redirects and Forwards?
-The best way to find out if an application has any unvalidated redirects or
+*The best way to find out if an application has any unvalidated redirects or
 forwards is to:

Redirects and forwards - Revision history

Johanna Curiel at 01:07, 5 February 2013

Johanna Curiel: Created page with "Introduction When using an url as input to a request being initiated from a browser, it is important to validate the url,you must determine that it is appropriate based on th..."