CVE-2017-0256 in ASP.NET Core
Summary
by MITRE
A spoofing vulnerability exists when the ASP.NET Core fails to properly sanitize web requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0256 represents a significant security flaw within the ASP.NET Core framework that stems from inadequate sanitization of web requests. This issue specifically affects applications built using the .NET Core platform and manifests when the framework fails to properly validate and sanitize incoming HTTP requests, creating potential pathways for malicious actors to exploit the system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and directly impacts the security posture of web applications that rely on ASP.NET Core for their backend processing and request handling capabilities.
The technical root cause of this spoofing vulnerability lies in the insufficient input validation mechanisms within the ASP.NET Core request processing pipeline. When web requests are received by an affected application, the framework does not adequately sanitize or filter potentially malicious input data that could contain crafted payloads designed to manipulate the application behavior. This failure to properly sanitize input allows attackers to inject or manipulate request parameters in ways that could bypass security controls, leading to unauthorized access or data manipulation. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-20, which specifically addresses Improper Input Validation, making it a fundamental security weakness in the application's defensive mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0256 extends beyond simple request manipulation and can potentially enable attackers to perform various malicious activities depending on the application's configuration and functionality. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to conduct session hijacking, manipulate application state, or gain unauthorized access to sensitive data by crafting specially formatted requests that bypass normal validation checks. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the framework level, meaning that applications using ASP.NET Core without proper mitigations could be compromised simply through the act of receiving web requests. This makes it a high-risk vulnerability that could affect applications across various industries including financial services, healthcare, and government sectors where data integrity and security are paramount.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures throughout the application architecture. Organizations should ensure that all incoming requests are properly validated against expected input patterns and that any potentially dangerous characters or sequences are appropriately escaped or removed. The recommended approach includes upgrading to patched versions of ASP.NET Core where Microsoft has addressed the sanitization issues in their framework implementation. Additionally, implementing proper security headers, using web application firewalls, and conducting regular security testing can help reduce the attack surface and prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. This remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers Exploit Public-Facing Application, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components to prevent known vulnerabilities from being exploited in real-world scenarios.