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Security Best Practice: Protect Yourself from HTTP Server Parameter Pollution

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Check Point Reference: SBP-2009-07
Date Published:
Severity:
Source: OWASP
Protection Provided by: Security Gateway
  • R70
Who is Vulnerable?
HTTP Web Servers
Vulnerability Description
HTTP Parameter Pollution (HPP) is a hacking technique. HPP attacks allow the attacker to override or add HTTP GET/POST parameters by injecting query string delimiters.
Vulnerability Details
This is an input validation vulnerability. Input validation flaws are caused by unsanitized data flows between the front-end and the several back-ends of a web application. A remote attacker could exploit this flaw to create an HPP attack via a malformed HTTP request. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may allow the attacker to override existing hardcoded HTTP parameters.

Protection Overview
This protection will detect and block HTTP requests attempting to exploit this vulnerability.

In order for the protection to be activated, update your Security Gateway product to the latest IPS update. For information on how to update IPS, go to SBP-2006-05, Protection tab and select the version of your choice.

To configure the defense, select your product from the list below and follow the related protection steps.

Security Gateway R70

How Can I Protect My Network?
1. In the IPS tab, click Protections > By Protocol > Application Intelligence > Web Servers.
2. In the right pane, double-click the HTTP Server Parameter Pollution protection.
3. In the Protection Details window, click on Edit. Choose the protection's Action (Override IPS Policy with: Prevent/Detect), and apply Additional Settings.
4. Install policy on all modules.

How Do I Know if My Network is Under Attack?
SmartView Tracker will log the following entries:

Attack Name: Web Server Enforcement Violation
Attack Information: HTTP server parameter pollution