ASP.NET Security Flaw
Yet another security flaw in the software that flows out of Redmond. This time, the poorly written piece of code is in the ASP.NET framework used to serve up web pages. Netcraft, the authority on tracking what is serving up the Internet, estimates over 2.9 million active web sites could be vulnerable.
What is really sad, but not very surprising, is how simple this exploit is. Simply by replacing a ‘/’ in a URL with a ” or a ‘%5C’ a web browser can gain access to a “password protected” area of the web site. For example, say your site has an administration section located at “http://www.mysite.com/admin/” which is only accessible with your user and password. Well, now anyone on the net can go to “http://www.mysite.com%5Cadmin/” and wreck havoc to your web site by changing all your settings or installing a virus.
Microsoft is supposedly focused on security but I just can’t believe they could let such simple security problems get into their code in the first place. Sometimes I think they took the so-called “Infinite Monkey Theorem“, the one about monkeys sitting at typewriters eventually reproducing Shakespeare, a little too serious and decided to employ a couple million monkeys to write their crappy code. What type of peer review process do they have where such obvious security problems can slip through the cracks?
For those interested, here is the link to Microsoft’s security advisory: Click Here
