How to Prevent DOM-based Cross-site Scripting - blackMORE Ops The following article describes how to exploit different kinds of XSS Vulnerabilities that this article was created to help you avoid: Discussion on the Types of XSS Vulnerabilities: How to Review Code for Cross-site scripting Vulnerabilities: How to Test for Cross-site scripting Vulnerabilities: Copyright 2021 - CheatSheets Series Team - This work is licensed under a, Output Encoding for HTML Attribute Contexts, Output Encoding for JavaScript Contexts, Insecure Direct Object Reference Prevention, OWASP Java Encoder JavaScript encoding examples, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. As we use reCAPTCHA, you need to be able to access Google's servers to use this function. This type of attack is explained in detail in the following article: DOM XSS: An Explanation of DOM-based Cross-site Scripting. Catch critical bugs; ship more secure software, more quickly. DOM-based XSS simply means a cross-site scripting vulnerability that occurs in the DOM ( Document Object Model) of your site rather than in HTML. Java Encoder is an active project providing supports for HTML, CSS and JavaScript encoding. In these scenarios, you should do URL encoding, followed by HTML attribute encoding. Now only JavaScript encoding on server side. Spaces, quotes, punctuation and other unsafe characters will be percent encoded to their hexadecimal value, for example a space character will become %20. These methods constitute the HTML Subcontext within the Execution Context. Dangerous contexts include: Don't place variables into dangerous contexts as even with output encoding, it will not prevent an XSS attack fully. For example, a JavaScript encoded string will execute even though it is JavaScript encoded. Any application is vulnerable to DOM-based cross-site scripting if there is an executable path via which data can develop from source to sink. Using the wrong encoding method may introduce weaknesses or harm the functionality of your application. For example, the general rule is to HTML Attribute encode untrusted data (data from the database, HTTP request, user, back-end system, etc.) For example.. An attacker could modify data that is rendered as $varUnsafe. element.SetAttribute () element [attribute]= DOM based XSS is extremely difficult to mitigate against because of its large attack surface and lack of standardization across browsers. A DOM-based XSS attack> is possible if the web application writes data to the Document Object Model without proper sanitization. Aggressive HTML Entity Encoding (rule #2), Only place untrusted data into a list of safe attributes (listed below), Strictly validate unsafe attributes such as background, ID and name. This is a Safe Sink and will automatically CSS encode data in it. Read the entire Acunetix Web Application Vulnerability Report. Because JavaScript is based on an international standard (ECMAScript), JavaScript encoding enables the support of international characters in programming constructs and variables in addition to alternate string representations (string escapes). A DOM-based XSS attack is possible if the web application writes data to the Document Object Model without proper sanitization. In this case, AngularJS will execute JavaScript inside double curly braces that can occur directly in HTML or inside attributes. When you are in a DOM execution context you only need to JavaScript encode HTML attributes which do not execute code (attributes other than event handler, CSS, and URL attributes). The logic which parses URLs in both execution and rendering contexts looks to be the same. There are numerous methods which implicitly eval() data passed to it that must be avoided. // is an example of untrusted data that was properly JavaScript encoded but still executes. You might find that the source gets assigned to other variables. Document Object Model (DOM) Based XSS. Please refer to the list below for details. Acunetix developers and tech agents regularly contribute to the blog. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks are a type of injection, in which malicious scripts are injected into otherwise benign and trusted websites. For example, here we have some JavaScript that changes an anchor element's href attribute using data from the URL: You can exploit this by modifying the URL so that the location.search source contains a malicious JavaScript URL. The payload can be manipulated to deface the target application using a prompt that states: Your session has expired. The doubleJavaScriptEncodedData has its first layer of JavaScript encoding reversed (upon execution) in the single quotes. Generally, attributes that accept JavaScript, such as onClick, are NOT safe to use with untrusted attribute values. The most common source for DOM XSS is the URL, which is typically accessed with the window.location object. DOM-based vulnerabilities occur in the content processing stage performed on the client, typically in client-side JavaScript. Cross Site Scripting PreventionProtect and Prevent XSS - owasp-CheatSheetSeries . This means you will need to use alternative elements like img or iframe. //The following does NOT work because of the encoded ";". Use untrusted data on only the right side of an expression, especially data that looks like code and may be passed to the application (e.g., location and eval()). Perpetrators can insert malicious code into a page due to modifying the DOM environment (Document Object Model) when it doesn't properly filter user input. A list of output encoding libraries is included in the appendix. When you find a sink that is being assigned data that originated from the source, you can use the debugger to inspect the value by hovering over the variable to show its value before it is sent to the sink. //any code passed into lName is now executable. A Computer Science portal for geeks. What is Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and How to Prevent It? Canonicalize input, URL Validation, Safe URL verification, Allow-list http and HTTPS URLs only (Avoid the JavaScript Protocol to Open a new Window), Attribute encoder. If you have to use user input on your page, always use it in the text context, never as HTML tags or any other potential code. -->, "javascript:myFunction('<%=ESAPI.encoder().encodeForJavascript(untrustedData)%>', 'test');", "<%=ESAPI.encoder().encodeForHTML(last_name)%>", //when the value is retrieved the encoding is reversed. One of the simplest ways of doing this is to deliver your exploit via an iframe: In this example, the src attribute points to the vulnerable page with an empty hash value. Each variable used in the user interface should be passed through an output encoding function. XSS is serious and can lead to account impersonation, observing user behaviour, loading external content, stealing sensitive data, and more. OWASP are producing framework specific cheatsheets for React, Vue, and Angular. Now a browser can also help prevent the client-side (also known as DOM-based) XSSes with Trusted Types. Those are Safe Sinks as long as the attribute name is hardcoded and innocuous, like id or class. "\u0061\u006c\u0065\u0072\u0074\u0028\u0032\u0032\u0029", "\u0061\u006c\u0065\u0072\u0074\u0028\u0031\u0029". Prevent Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in ASP.NET Core If a script reads some data from the URL and writes it to a dangerous sink, then the vulnerability is entirely client-side. It is important to use an encoding library that understands which characters can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in their respective contexts. Each parser has distinct and separate semantics in the way they can possibly execute script code which make creating consistent rules for mitigating vulnerabilities in various contexts difficult. Otherwise, again, your security efforts are void. Cross Site Scripting Prevention Cheat Sheet - OWASP If A is double JavaScript encoded then the following if check will return false. In Chrome's developer tools, you can use Control+Shift+F (or Command+Alt+F on MacOS) to search all the page's JavaScript code for the source. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a security vulnerability that allows an attacker to inject malicious code into a web page viewed by other users. your framework), you should be able to mitigate all XSS vulnerabilities. Before putting untrusted data into JavaScript place the data in an HTML element whose contents you retrieve at runtime. In addition, WAFs also miss a class of XSS vulnerabilities that operate exclusively client-side. After the page's JavaScript applies this malicious URL to the back link's href, clicking on the back link will execute it: Another potential sink to look out for is jQuery's $() selector function, which can be used to inject malicious objects into the DOM. However, this could be used by an attacker to subvert internal and external attributes of the myMapType object. This information should help you narrow down which parts of code may be introducing DOM XSS and need to change.Most of the violations like this can also be detected by running a code linter or static code checkers on your codebase. If you use the default encoders then any you applied to character ranges to be treated as safe won't take effect - the default encoders use the safest encoding rules possible. DOM-based cross-site scripting (DOM XSS) is one of the most common web security vulnerabilities, and it's very easy to introduce it in your application. DOM-based XSS is an attack that modifies the domain object model (DOM) on the client side ( the browser). To prevent server-side XSS, don't generate HTML by concatenating strings and use safe contextual-autoescaping templating libraries instead. XSS Prevention & Mitigation. There are three types of XSS attacks: stored, reflected and Document Object Model (DOM) based. Frameworks make it easy to ensure variables are correctly validated and escaped or sanitised. DOM-based cross-site scripting is a type of cross-site scripting (XSS) attack executed within the Document Object Model (DOM) of a page loaded into the browser. Despite being rare, they may cause serious problems and only a few scanners can detect them. WSTG - v4.1 | OWASP Foundation The attack functions by manipulating the internal model of the webpage within the browser known as the DOM and are referred to as DOM based attacks . An XSS attack can be used to steal sensitive information, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the user, or even take control of the user's session. The name originated from early versions of the attack where stealing data cross-site was the primary focus. It is also impossible to protect against such client-side attacks using WAFs. The problem is that if companyName had the value "Johnson & Johnson". These types of attacks typically occur as a result . The DOM-based cross-site scripting requires the user to open an infected page. Now all the violations are reported to //my-csp-endpoint.example, but the website continues to work. You can also debug the violations in the browser: Add the following HTTP Response header to documents that you want to migrate to Trusted Types. WAFs are unreliable and new bypass techniques are being discovered regularly. Just using a string will fail, as the browser doesn't know if the data is trustworthy:Don'tanElement.innerHTML = location.href; With Trusted Types enabled, the browser throws a TypeError and prevents use of a DOM XSS sink with a string. What is XSS? Impact, Types, and Prevention - Bright Security This is common when you want users to be able to customize the look and feel of their webpages. Types of XSS attacks since mid-2012: DOM-based XSS attacks in React. The application logic returns an unsafe input as part of the response without rendering it safely or storing data generated by users. You must regularly patch DOMPurify or other HTML Sanitization libraries that you use. Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities occur when: Untrusted data enters a web application, typically from a web request. Trusted Types force you to process a value. See Browser compatibility for up-to-date cross-browser support information.Key TermDOM-based cross-site scripting happens when data from a user controlled source (like user name, or redirect URL taken from the URL fragment) reaches a sink, which is a function like eval() or a property setter like .innerHTML, that can execute arbitrary JavaScript code. Variables should not be interpreted as code instead of text. Some XSS vulnerabilities are caused by the server-side code that insecurely creates the HTML code forming the website. To test for DOM-based cross-site scripting manually, you generally need to use a browser with developer tools, such as Chrome. This article looks at preventing Cross Site Scripting, a third common type of vulnerability in websites. Instead you'll need to use the JavaScript debugger to determine whether and how your input is sent to a sink. What is WordPress Cross-site Scripting (XSS) and How to prevent it? Free, lightweight web application security scanning for CI/CD. A script within the later response contains a sink which then processes the data in an unsafe way. It contains well written, well thought and well explained computer science and programming articles, quizzes and practice/competitive programming/company interview Questions. CWE - CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page The majority of DOM XSS vulnerabilities can be found quickly and reliably using Burp Suite's web vulnerability scanner. The example that follows illustrates using closures to avoid double JavaScript encoding. For example. CSS Contexts refer to variables placed into inline CSS. It is possible if the web application's client-side scripts write data provided by the user to the Document Object Model (DOM). If you sanitize content and then send it to a library for use, check that it doesnt mutate that string somehow. Perhaps the non-conforming functionality is not needed anymore or can be rewritten in a modern way without using the error-prone functions?Don'tel.innerHTML = '<img src=xyz.jpg>'; Doel.textContent = '';const img = document.createElement('img');img.src = 'xyz.jpg';el.appendChild(img); Some libraries already generate Trusted Types that you can pass to the sink functions. Copyright 2021 - CheatSheets Series Team - This work is licensed under a, "<%=ESAPI.encoder().encodeForJavascript(ESAPI.encoder().encodeForHTML(untrustedData))%>", // In the following line of code, companyName represents untrusted user input, // The ESAPI.encoder().encodeForHTMLAttribute() is unnecessary and causes double-encoding, '<%=ESAPI.encoder().encodeForJavascript(ESAPI.encoder().encodeForHTMLAttribute(companyName))%>', '<%=ESAPI.encoder().encodeForJavascript(companyName)%>', // In the line of code below, the encoded data on the right (the second argument to setAttribute). DOM-based Cross-site Scripting (DOM XSS) is a particular type of a Cross-site Scripting vulnerability. You should apply HTML attribute encoding to variables being placed in most HTML attributes. It is particularly common when applications leverage common JavaScript function calls such as document.baseURI to build a part of the page without sanitization. Trusted Types work by locking down the following risky sink functions. Prevent XSS by sanitizing user data on the backend, HTML-encode user-provided data that's rendered into the template, and . For example if you want to use user input to write in a div tag element don't use innerHtml, instead use innerText or textContent. Another option provided by Gaz (Gareth) was to use a specific code construct to limit mutability with anonymous closures. Output encoding here will prevent XSS, but it will break the intended functionality of the application. DOM Based Attacks. JavaScript encoding all untrusted input, as shown in these examples: Enclosed within a closure or JavaScript encoded to N-levels based on usage. Cross-site scripting (also known as XSS) is a web security vulnerability that allows an attacker to compromise the interactions that users have with a vulnerable application. The best way to fix DOM based cross-site scripting is to use the right output method (sink). Script manipulation: <script src> and setting text content of <script> elements. If you're using JavaScript to change a CSS property, look into using style.property = x. As with all other Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, this type of attack also relies on insecure handling of user input on an HTML page. Encoding at the point of output allows you to change the use of data, for example, from HTML to a query string value. Browsers change functionality and bypasses are being discovered regularly. Now that you know more about cross-site scripting attacks and their impact, let's take a look at how you can prevent cross-site scripting or XSS attacks. //The following does NOT work because of the encoded "(" and ")". Reduce the DOM XSS attack surface of your application. How To Prevent DOM-based Cross-site Scripting | Acunetix There are also TrustedScript and TrustedScriptURL objects for other sensitive sinks. Using untrusted user data on the left side of the expression allows an attacker to subvert internal and external attributes of the window object, whereas using user input on the right side of the expression doesn't allow direct manipulation. Cross Site Scripting (XSS) | OWASP Foundation Quoting also significantly reduces the characterset that you need to encode, making your application more reliable and the encoding easier to implement. *Encoder.Default then the default, Basic Latin only safelist will be used. Policies are factories for Trusted Types that enforce certain security rules on their input: This code creates a policy called myEscapePolicy that can produce TrustedHTML objects via its createHTML() function.