WebApp Sec mailing list archives
RE: Security using Apache module
From: <stevenr () mastek com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2004 09:40:43 +0530
Hi all I have indeed got a host of ideas from all the replies here. Since quite a few have mentioned closing Box2 access other than from Box1, I would like to clarify about this. The 3rd party tool hosted on Box2 requires direct connection to the client browser as the (#$%#$^$) server generates a response depending on the type of User Agent accessing it. If I use mod_proxy or a servlet wrapper as some suggested, I am unsure of how the tool will behave. Also no proper documentation is available about if it uses any other headers( nothing unusual about this I guess ;) ), so I cant risk putting in a User Agent header myself. Regards, Steven Rebello -----Original Message----- From: chorn () chorn com [mailto:chorn () chorn com] Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2004 8:15 PM To: Steven Rebello Cc: webappsec () securityfocus com Subject: Re: Security using Apache module On 2004/03/18 11:15:16 +0530, stevenr () mastek com wrote:
I have a web based J2EE application hosted on one box(Box1) and a web-based report-generating server on another box (Box2). Both Box1 and Box2 talk to a common DB. A user logs into Box1 and is authenticated and the server stores a session id in a cookie. Then a link from the application points to Box2 and fetches a dynamically-generated report in PDF format by passing required parameters in the URL to Box2. Problem: There is no session-related connection from Box1 and Box2. The reports
application is a 3rd party tool, the only common point between the two
boxes being that they talk HTTP using the Apache server ( version 1.3,
fyi ). So it is possible for a user to craft the URL pointing to Box2 and circumvent Box1 altogether.
Writing an apache module to prevent this seems like a lot of extra work. Since Box2 is also running Apache, why not just limit access to Box1? Depending on how the report software is accessed, you could limit only access to that. In .htaccess or <Directory> block: Order deny,allow Deny from all Allow from Box1 MASTEK "Making a valuable difference" Mastek in NASSCOM's 'India Top 20' Software Service Exporters List. In the US, we're called MAJESCO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Opinions expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual and not that of Mastek Limited, unless specifically indicated to that effect. Mastek Limited does not accept any responsibility or liability for it. This e-mail and attachments (if any) transmitted with it are confidential and/or privileged and solely for the use of the intended person or entity to which it is addressed. Any review, re-transmission, dissemination or other use of or taking of any action in reliance upon this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. This e-mail and its attachments have been scanned for the presence of computer viruses. It is the responsibility of the recipient to run the virus check on e-mails and attachments before opening them. If you have received this e-mail in error, kindly delete this e-mail from all computers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Current thread:
- Security using Apache module stevenr (Mar 18)
- Re: Security using Apache module chorn (Mar 18)
- Re: Security using Apache module Ivan Ristic (Mar 18)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- RE: Security using Apache module stevenr (Mar 18)
- Re: Security using Apache module Ivan Ristic (Mar 19)
- RE: Security using Apache module Calderon, Juan Carlos (GE Commercial Finance, NonGE) (Mar 19)