Web Attacks

• Web applications are increasingly common in business, making their protection against attacks critical.

• As web applications grow in complexity, so do the types of attacks, leading to a vast attack surface.

• Web attacks are the most prevalent type of attack against companies, making their protection a top priority for IT departments.

Impact of Web Attacks:

• Attacks on external-facing web applications can compromise internal networks, leading to stolen assets or service disruptions.

• Financial disasters can result from such compromises.

• Even companies without external web applications are at risk due to internal applications and external APIs.

Key Web Attacks:

1. HTTP Verb Tampering:

   • Exploits web servers that accept multiple HTTP verbs/methods.

   • Malicious requests using unexpected methods can bypass authorization and security controls.

   • Part of a broader category of HTTP attacks targeting web server configurations.

2. Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR):

   • A common vulnerability allowing unauthorized access to data.

   • Often results from weak access control systems on the back-end.

   • Attackers can access other users' files by guessing or calculating file IDs due to exposed direct references.

3. XML External Entity (XXE) Injection:

   • Targets web applications that process XML data.

   • Outdated XML libraries can be exploited by sending malicious XML data.

   • Potential outcomes include disclosing sensitive local files (e.g., configuration files) and stealing server credentials, leading to remote code execution.

   Conclusion:

   • Understanding these web attacks is essential for developing effective security measures to protect web applications and the sensitive data they handle.