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Difference between revisions of "Testing for Browser cache weakness (OTG-AUTHN-006)"
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{{Template:OWASP Testing Guide v4}} | {{Template:OWASP Testing Guide v4}} | ||
| − | == | + | == Summary == |
| − | In this phase | + | In this phase the tester checks that the application correctly instructs the browser to not remember sensitive data. |
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | Browsers can store information for purposes of caching and history. Caching is used to improve performance, so that previously displayed information doesn't need to be downloaded again. History mechanisms are used for user convenience, so the user can see exactly what they saw at the time when the resource was retrieved. If sensitive information is displayed to the user (such as their address, credit card details, Social Security Number, or username), then this information could be stored for purposes of caching or history, and therefore retrievable through examining the browser's cache or by simply pressing the browser's "Back" button. | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
| − | == | + | == How to Test == |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
'''Browser History'''<br> | '''Browser History'''<br> | ||
| − | Technically, the "Back" button is a history | + | |
| − | The first | + | Technically, the "Back" button is a history and not a cache (see http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec13.html#sec13.13). The cache and the history are two different entities. However, they share the same weakness of presenting previously displayed sensitive information. |
| − | If by pressing the "Back" button | + | |
| + | |||
| + | The first and simplest test consists of entering sensitive information into the application and logging out. Then the tester clicks the "Back" button of the browser to check whether previously displayed sensitive information can be accessed whilst unauthenticated. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | If by pressing the "Back" button the tester can access previous pages but not access new ones, then it is not an authentication issue, but a browser history issue. If these pages contain sensitive data, it means that the application did not forbid the browser from storing it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
Authentication does not necessarily need to be involved in the testing. For example, when a user enters their email address in order to sign up to a newsletter, this information could be retrievable if not properly handled. | Authentication does not necessarily need to be involved in the testing. For example, when a user enters their email address in order to sign up to a newsletter, this information could be retrievable if not properly handled. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
The "Back" button can be stopped from showing sensitive data. This can be done by: | The "Back" button can be stopped from showing sensitive data. This can be done by: | ||
* Delivering the page over HTTPS. | * Delivering the page over HTTPS. | ||
| − | * Setting Cache-Control: must- | + | * Setting Cache-Control: must-re-validate |
| + | |||
'''Browser Cache'''<br> | '''Browser Cache'''<br> | ||
| − | Here | + | Here testers check that the application does not leak any sensitive data into the browser cache. In order to do that, they can use a proxy (such as WebScarab) and search through the server responses that belong to the session, checking that for every page that contains sensitive information the server instructed the browser not to cache any data. Such a directive can be issued in the HTTP response headers: |
* Cache-Control: no-cache, no-store | * Cache-Control: no-cache, no-store | ||
* Expires: 0 | * Expires: 0 | ||
* Pragma: no-cache | * Pragma: no-cache | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
These directives are generally robust, although additional flags may be necessary for the Cache-Control header in order to better prevent persistently linked files on the filesystem. These include: | These directives are generally robust, although additional flags may be necessary for the Cache-Control header in order to better prevent persistently linked files on the filesystem. These include: | ||
* Cache-Control: must-revalidate, pre-check=0, post-check=0, max-age=0, s-maxage=0 | * Cache-Control: must-revalidate, pre-check=0, post-check=0, max-age=0, s-maxage=0 | ||
| Line 39: | Line 50: | ||
</pre> | </pre> | ||
| − | For instance, if | + | |
| − | + | For instance, if testers are testing an e-commerce application, they should look for all pages that contain a credit card number or some other financial information, and check that all those pages enforce the no-cache directive. If they find pages that contain critical information but that fail to instruct the browser not to cache their content, they know that sensitive information will be stored on the disk, and they can double-check this simply by looking for the page in the browser cache. | |
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | The exact location where that information is stored depends on the client operating system and on the browser that has been used. Here are some examples: | ||
* Mozilla Firefox: | * Mozilla Firefox: | ||
| Line 49: | Line 63: | ||
** C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files | ** C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files | ||
| − | == Gray Box testing | + | |
| − | The methodology for testing is equivalent to the black box case, as in both scenarios | + | == Gray Box testing == |
| + | The methodology for testing is equivalent to the black box case, as in both scenarios testers have full access to the server response headers and to the HTML code. However, with gray box testing, the tester may have access to account credentials that will allow them to test sensitive pages that are accessible only to authenticated users. | ||
| + | <br> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Tools== | ||
| + | * [https://www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Zed_Attack_Proxy_Project OWASP Zed Attack Proxy] | ||
| + | * Firefox add-on [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/cacheviewer2/?src=api CacheViewer2] | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
| Line 56: | Line 76: | ||
'''Whitepapers'''<br> | '''Whitepapers'''<br> | ||
* [http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec13.html Caching in HTTP] | * [http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec13.html Caching in HTTP] | ||
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Latest revision as of 14:41, 5 August 2014
This article is part of the new OWASP Testing Guide v4.
Back to the OWASP Testing Guide v4 ToC: https://www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Testing_Guide_v4_Table_of_Contents Back to the OWASP Testing Guide Project: https://www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Testing_Project
Summary
In this phase the tester checks that the application correctly instructs the browser to not remember sensitive data.
Browsers can store information for purposes of caching and history. Caching is used to improve performance, so that previously displayed information doesn't need to be downloaded again. History mechanisms are used for user convenience, so the user can see exactly what they saw at the time when the resource was retrieved. If sensitive information is displayed to the user (such as their address, credit card details, Social Security Number, or username), then this information could be stored for purposes of caching or history, and therefore retrievable through examining the browser's cache or by simply pressing the browser's "Back" button.
How to Test
Browser History
Technically, the "Back" button is a history and not a cache (see http://www.w3.org/Protocols/rfc2616/rfc2616-sec13.html#sec13.13). The cache and the history are two different entities. However, they share the same weakness of presenting previously displayed sensitive information.
The first and simplest test consists of entering sensitive information into the application and logging out. Then the tester clicks the "Back" button of the browser to check whether previously displayed sensitive information can be accessed whilst unauthenticated.
If by pressing the "Back" button the tester can access previous pages but not access new ones, then it is not an authentication issue, but a browser history issue. If these pages contain sensitive data, it means that the application did not forbid the browser from storing it.
Authentication does not necessarily need to be involved in the testing. For example, when a user enters their email address in order to sign up to a newsletter, this information could be retrievable if not properly handled.
The "Back" button can be stopped from showing sensitive data. This can be done by:
- Delivering the page over HTTPS.
- Setting Cache-Control: must-re-validate
Browser Cache
Here testers check that the application does not leak any sensitive data into the browser cache. In order to do that, they can use a proxy (such as WebScarab) and search through the server responses that belong to the session, checking that for every page that contains sensitive information the server instructed the browser not to cache any data. Such a directive can be issued in the HTTP response headers:
- Cache-Control: no-cache, no-store
- Expires: 0
- Pragma: no-cache
These directives are generally robust, although additional flags may be necessary for the Cache-Control header in order to better prevent persistently linked files on the filesystem. These include:
- Cache-Control: must-revalidate, pre-check=0, post-check=0, max-age=0, s-maxage=0
HTTP/1.1: Cache-Control: no-cache
HTTP/1.0: Pragma: no-cache Expires: <past date or illegal value (e.g., 0)>
For instance, if testers are testing an e-commerce application, they should look for all pages that contain a credit card number or some other financial information, and check that all those pages enforce the no-cache directive. If they find pages that contain critical information but that fail to instruct the browser not to cache their content, they know that sensitive information will be stored on the disk, and they can double-check this simply by looking for the page in the browser cache.
The exact location where that information is stored depends on the client operating system and on the browser that has been used. Here are some examples:
- Mozilla Firefox:
- Unix/Linux: ~/.mozilla/firefox/<profile-id>/Cache/
- Windows: C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\<profile-id>\Cache
- Internet Explorer:
- C:\Documents and Settings\<user_name>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
Gray Box testing
The methodology for testing is equivalent to the black box case, as in both scenarios testers have full access to the server response headers and to the HTML code. However, with gray box testing, the tester may have access to account credentials that will allow them to test sensitive pages that are accessible only to authenticated users.
Tools
- OWASP Zed Attack Proxy
- Firefox add-on CacheViewer2
References
Whitepapers
