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Difficulty: MediumApplication and Software Vulnerabilities

A security team conducts an audit on a cloud-native microservices application and identifies two critical software defects in the API gateway:

1. An endpoint accepts user-supplied URL parameters to fetch remote image assets, allowing an attacker to compel the server to send HTTP requests to internal cloud metadata IP addresses (169.254.169.254169.254.169.254).
2. Logged-in users can view and update other customers' private profile records simply by altering an account ID integer in the request parameters.

Which of the following vulnerability classifications and remediation strategies correctly address these security findings? (Select TWO).

  1. The issue involving forced internal request generation is Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), which should be remediated by implementing strict URL allowlists and blocking access to cloud metadata IP addresses.Answer
  2. The issue involving unauthorized access via modified parameter identifiers is an Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR), which should be remediated by enforcing server-side object-level authorization checks.Answer
  3. C
    The parameter manipulation issue is caused by a missing authentication control, which should be resolved by prompting users to re-enter credentials before processing profile updates.
  4. D
    Deploying a perimeter stateful network firewall is the primary code-level control required to neutralize the server-initiated HTTP request vulnerability.

Answer

The findings represent Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), which requires URL allowlisting and blocking metadata IP addresses, and Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR), which requires enforcing server-side object-level authorization checks.
The first defect allows an attacker to manipulate server-initiated requests to internal infrastructure (such as cloud instance metadata services), defining Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF). Effective remediation requires URL allowlisting and restricting access to internal IP ranges. The second defect allows authenticated users to access resources belonging to others by modifying record identifiers, defining Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR). Effective remediation requires enforcing object-level authorization checks on the server.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze finding 1 involving server-initiated HTTP requests to internal metadata IP addresses.
Identify the flaw as Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) because the web application acts as a proxy to send requests to untrusted or internal destinations.
SSRF occurs when an attacker manipulates parameters to make the server initiate requests to unintended internal network locations.
2
Analyze finding 2 involving manipulation of account ID integers in request parameters.
Identify the flaw as Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR) / Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA).
IDOR occurs when user input directly references database keys or file paths without server-side validation of object ownership.
3
Evaluate appropriate remediation techniques for both identified vulnerabilities.
SSRF requires restricting target domains/IPs via URL allowlisting and blocking internal endpoints like 169.254.169.254169.254.169.254. IDOR requires server-side access control checks verifying object-level authorization.
Secure application design requires input restriction for outbound requests and context-aware authorization for data access.

Key Concept

Application Vulnerability Identification and Remediation (SSRF and IDOR/BOLA)
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Topics

Application and Software Vulnerabilities

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