DOM-based Ajax request-header manipulation
Summary: PortSwigger describes DOM-based Ajax request-header manipulation as a vulnerability that arises when a script writes attacker-controllable data into the request header of an Ajax request issued through an XmlHttpRequest object. An attacker can construct a URL that, when visited by another user, sets an arbitrary header in the subsequent Ajax request, which can serve as a starting point for chaining other attacks.
Key Takeaway: The severity depends on what role the manipulated header plays in server-side processing: if the header controls the behavior of the Ajax request, the attacker may cause the user to perform unintended actions. PortSwigger's guidance is to avoid letting data from any untrusted source dynamically set Ajax request headers.
Read the original at PortSwigger Research ↗
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