Web application security is complex due to a wide range of attacks at every layer of the application stack. Hackers use various reconnaissance methods like crawling target websites, mass vulnerability scans, open forums, and the dark web to find vulnerabilities. They then attempt to escalate privileges to access sensitive data and maintain remote access. Organizations need to implement strategies like secure coding practices, access management policies, patching, and monitoring to help protect their applications and data. Cloud security is a shared responsibility between the provider and customer.

1. WEB APPLICATION SECURITY:
PROTECTING YOUR WEB
APPLICATION
Stephen Coty – Chief Security Evangelist
@StephenCoty

2. Threats by Customer Environment

3. CMS Specific Attacks
• OpenSource Platforms
• High concentration of vulnerabilities within these web frameworks
• High usage and easy asset visibility via web search
• Availability of automated exploit kits combined with advanced search queries via simple methods like Google Dorks

4. SQL Injection Last 60 Days - 091217

5. Profile - Inj3ct0r Team

6. Vulnerabilities
+ Change
+ Shortage
Complexity of defending web applications and workloads
Risks are moving up the stack
1. Wide range of attacks at every
layer of the stack
2. Rapidly changing codebase can
introduces unknown vulnerabilities
3. Exposure inherited from 3rd party
development tools
4. Extreme shortage of cloud and
application security expertise
Web App
Attacks
OWASP
Top 10
Platform /
Library
Attacks
System /
Network
Attacks
Perimeter & end-point security tools
fail to protect cloud attack surface
Web Apps
Server-side Apps
App Frameworks
Dev Platforms
Server OS
Hypervisor
Databases
Networking
Cloud Management

7. Web Application Security
Web Apps
Server-side Apps
App Frameworks
Dev Platforms
Server OS
Hypervisor
Databases
Networking
Cloud Management

8. Web Application Vulnerability Example
CVE-1999-0278 – in IIS, remote attackers can obtain
source code for ASP files by appending “::$DATA” to the
URL
Patch MS98-003
Web Apps
Server-side Apps
App Frameworks
Dev Platforms
Server OS
Hypervisor
Databases
Networking
Cloud Management

9. HACKER RECON METHODS

10. Hacker Recon Methods
Crawling Target Website
Mass Vulnerability Crawl
Open Forums
Dark Web
Web Apps
Server-side Apps
App Frameworks
Dev Platforms
Server OS
Hypervisor
Databases
Networking
Cloud Management

11. Crawling Target Website
• Manual
- Browse the website as a normal user
- Gather email addresses, related domains and domain info
- Web application code language
o Revision
o Plug-ins
- Web server OS
- User input pages
- Directory structure
- Backend systems
• Software tools
- Find hidden forms, software version, js files, links and comments

12. Targeted Attacks
• Scanning IP Internet Assets
• Application/Network Vulnerability Scan
• Careers Page
• Research Technologies
• Social Media Profiling
• Phishing Email
• Escalate Privileges
• Maintain Access
• Exfiltration of Data

13. Attacks of Opportunity
• Vulnerability Database Monitoring
• Block Network Vulnerability Scanning
• Google Dorking
• Shodan
• Application Vulnerability Scan

14. Mass Vulnerability Crawl - Example
• Google Dorking – (aka Google hacking) Uses the search engine to find
difficult information using complex, detailed search queries
- Plug in search string to find vulnerable websites
- Some have preset search strings
- Search results are dynamic
- Timing is everything
o Target system could be patched
o Other hackers got there first

15. Open Forums – Example

16. Open Forums - Example
• Vulnerability details
- Date reported
- Type of vulnerability
- Platform impacted
- Author (not shown)
- Verification (time permitting)
- Link to infected application (some)

17. Targeted - Dark Web
• Encrypted network
• Restricted access between Tor servers and clients
• Collection of DBs and communication channels
• Hidden from conventional search engines
• Shares some features with Open Forums
• More advanced resources and tools

18. FROM WEB APPS TO
PRIVILEGED ACCESS

19. Privileged Access For Your Resources
• Mostly Corporate Espionage and State Sponsored
- Utilize Current Access to the Environment
- Create Remote Access Services
- Create Temporary Storage
- Create Scheduler
- Open Security Groups for Transmissions
- Utilize Current Access to the Environment
- Receive and Deliver Data Regularly

20. Privileged Access For Your Data
• Code analysis
- Account information
o Usernames and passwords
o Plain text or hashed
- Software tools
o Web search
o Scan to identify
• Usernames & passwords
o Brute force to crack encryption
o Throttle tools to avoid detection
o Offline may be an option

21. Privileged Access To Target Your Customers
• Session Hijacking
- Obfuscated code
o Embedded in images
o Mouse-over techniques
- Proxy replay
- Malicious binary
- Session cookies
- Java script injection
- Cross-site scripting
- Routine system maintenance
- Bind shell

22. REMEDIATION STRATEGIES

23. Secure Your Code
• Test inputs that are open to the Internet
• Add delays to your code to confuse bots
• Use encryption when you can
• Test libraries
• Scan plugins
• Scan your code after every update
• Limit privileges
• DevSecOps

24. Create Access Management Policies
• Identify data infrastructure that requires access
• Define roles and responsibilities
• Simplify access controls
• Key Management System (KMS)
• Continually audit access
• Start with a least privilege access model

25. Adopt a Patch Management Approach
• Constantly scan all production systems
• Compare reported vulnerabilities to production
infrastructure
• Classify the risk based on vulnerability and
likelihood
• Test patches before you release into production
• Setup a regular patching schedule
• Keep informed, follow bugtraqer
• Golden Images
• Reference Architecture, Formation Templates

26. AWS Foundation Services
Compute Storage Database Networking
AWS Global
Infrastructure
Regions
Availability Zones
Edge Locations
Client-side Data
Encryption
Server-side Data
Encryption
Network Traffic
Protection
Platform, Applications, Identity & Access Management
Operating System, Network & Firewall Configuration
Customer content
Customers
AWS Shared Responsibility Model
Customers are
responsible for
their security and
compliance IN
the Cloud
AWS is
responsible for
the security OF
the Cloud

27. Understand Your Service Providers Security Model

28. Security Management and Monitoring Strategy
• Monitoring for malicious activity
• Scanning Services
• Forensic investigations
• Compliance needs
• System performance
• All sources of log data is collected
• Data types (OS, CMS, DB, Web)
• WAF
• Correlation logic
• IAM behavior
• IDS Network traffic
• FIM Logs
• Focused security research
• Security content creation
• Review process
• Live monitoring

29. Follow our Research & Stay Informed on the Latest Vulnerabilities
Blog
https://www.alertlogtic.com/resources/blog
Newsletter
https://www.alertlogic.com/weekly-threat-report/
Cloud Security Report
https://www.alertlogic.com/resources/cloud-security-report/
Zero Day Magazine
https://www.alertlogic.com/zerodaymagazine/
Twitter
@AlertLogic @StephenCoty @_PaulFletcher
Websites to follow
• http://www.securityfocus.com
• http://www.exploit-db.com
• http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/
• http://www.securitybloggersnetwork.com/
• http://cve.mitre.org/
• http://nvd.nist.gov/

30. Thank you.