SSRF
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) is a web security vulnerability that allows an attacker to induce the server-side application to make HTTP requests to an arbitrary destination chosen by the attacker.
In simpler terms, it's a flaw that lets an attacker "trick" a web server into making requests to locations the server itself should be the only one accessing.
Here's a breakdown of what that means and why it's dangerous:
Server-Side Application: Web applications often run code on the server to handle user requests, retrieve data, or interact with other systems.
HTTP Requests: These are messages sent over the Internet to request resources such as web pages, data, or files.
Arbitrary Destination: The attacker can potentially control where the server sends these requests. This could be:
Internal resources within the organization's network (e.g., internal web servers, databases, configuration files).
External systems on the internet.
Why is SSRF a serious vulnerability?
Access to Internal Resources: SSRF can allow attackers to bypass firewalls and access internal systems that are usually protected and not directly reachable from the outside. This can lead to the exposure of sensitive data, access to administrative interfaces, and the ability to compromise internal servers.
Port Scanning: Attackers can use SSRF to scan internal networks and identify open ports and services, which they can then target for further exploitation.
Denial of Service: In some cases, attackers can use SSRF to cause denial of service by forcing the server to make requests to internal services that are not designed to handle many requests.
Data Exfiltration: Attackers might be able to use SSRF to read sensitive data from internal systems or external services.
Code Execution: In some advanced cases, attackers might be able to leverage SSRF to execute code remotely on the server.
SSRF vulnerabilities arise when a web application trusts user-supplied input to generate server-side requests without proper validation and sanitization.
ThreatNG's capabilities can be valuable in both preventing and detecting SSRF vulnerabilities:
ThreatNG's external discovery capabilities help map an organization's internet-facing infrastructure. This is the first step in identifying potential entry points for SSRF vulnerabilities.
By discovering all external assets, including web applications, APIs, and cloud resources, ThreatNG provides a comprehensive view that can help security professionals understand the attack surface susceptible to SSRF.
ThreatNG can perform purely external unauthenticated discovery using no connectors.
ThreatNG's external assessment capabilities can help identify potential SSRF vulnerabilities or conditions that could lead to SSRF:
ThreatNG assesses web application hijack susceptibility, which involves analyzing externally accessible parts of a web application to identify potential entry points for attackers. This process can uncover input validation flaws or weaknesses that an attacker might use to craft SSRF attacks.
ThreatNG discovers APIs. APIs are often a target for SSRF attacks, and ThreatNG’s API discovery and analysis capabilities can help identify potentially vulnerable endpoints.
3. Reporting
ThreatNG's reporting capabilities can provide valuable information to security teams regarding potential SSRF risks.
Technical reports can highlight areas of concern, such as web applications with input validation issues or APIs with insecure configurations, which could be susceptible to SSRF.
ThreatNG's continuous monitoring of the external attack surface is crucial for identifying new SSRF vulnerabilities or changes that could introduce SSRF risks.
By continuously monitoring web applications and APIs, ThreatNG can detect changes in code or configurations that might create new attack vectors for SSRF.
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information that can be used to analyze and understand SSRF risks:
Web Application Analysis: ThreatNG's investigation modules likely provide details about web applications, such as input fields, parameters, and server responses. This information is crucial for identifying potential SSRF vulnerabilities, as SSRF often involves manipulating input to web applications.
API Analysis: ThreatNG’s API discovery and analysis can help security professionals investigate API endpoints, parameters, and authentication mechanisms, often targets for SSRF attacks.
ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide context that can help assess SSRF risks:
ThreatNG's information on known vulnerabilities can help identify a web application or API with a known vulnerability that can be exploited through SSRF; it can highlight the increased risk.
7. Working with Complementary Solutions
ThreatNG can work with other security solutions to improve SSRF detection and prevention:
Web Application Firewalls (WAFs): ThreatNG can provide WAFs with information about potential SSRF vulnerabilities, which can then be configured to block malicious requests attempting to exploit those vulnerabilities.
SIEM Systems: ThreatNG's findings on potential SSRF vulnerabilities and suspicious activity can be integrated into SIEM systems for correlation and analysis, enabling security teams to detect and respond to SSRF attacks more effectively.
