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Capec-250 Detail
XML Injection
Standard Software Likelihood: High
Parents: 248
Children: 83 84 228
Threats: T290
An attacker utilizes crafted XML user-controllable input to probe, attack, and inject data into the XML database, using techniques similar to SQL injection. The user-controllable input can allow for unauthorized viewing of data, bypassing authentication or the front-end application for direct XML database access, and possibly altering database information.
Not present
| External ID | Source | Link | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAPEC-250 | capec | https://capec.mitre.org/data/definitions/250.html | |
| CWE-91 | cwe | http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/91.html | |
| CWE-74 | cwe | http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/74.html | |
| CWE-20 | cwe | http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/20.html | |
| CWE-707 | cwe | http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/707.html | |
| 23 | WASC | http://projects.webappsec.org/XML-Injection | XML Injection |
Explore
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Survey the Target: Using a browser or an automated tool, an adversary records all instances of user-controllable input used to contruct XML queries
| Techniques |
|---|
| Use an automated tool to record all instances of user-controllable input used to contruct XML queries. |
| Use a browser to manually explore the website and analyze how the application processes inputs. |
Experiment
-
Determine the Structure of Queries: Using manual or automated means, test inputs found for XML weaknesses.
| Techniques |
|---|
| Use XML reserved characters or words, possibly with other input data to attempt to cause unexpected results and identify improper input validation. |
Exploit
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Inject Content into XML Queries: Craft malicious content containing XML expressions that is not validated by the application and is executed as part of the XML queries.
| Techniques |
|---|
| Use the crafted input to execute unexpected queries that can disclose sensitive database information to the attacker. |
- XML queries used to process user input and retrieve information stored in XML documents
- User-controllable input not properly sanitized
- None: No specialized resources are required to execute this type of attack.
| Low |
|---|
| An attacker must have knowledge of XML syntax and constructs in order to successfully leverage XML Injection |
| Authorization | Access Control | Confidentiality |
|---|---|---|
| Gain Privileges | Gain Privileges | Gain Privileges |
| Read Data |
- Consider an application that uses an XML database to authenticate its users. The application retrieves the user name and password from a request and forms an XPath expression to query the database. An attacker can successfully bypass authentication and login without valid credentials through XPath Injection. This can be achieved by injecting the query to the XML database with XPath syntax that causes the authentication check to fail. Improper validation of user-controllable input and use of a non-parameterized XPath expression enable the attacker to inject an XPath expression that causes authentication bypass.