Host HTTP Header Attacks: Safeguarding Against Vulnerabilities | 2023

Unveiling and Defending Against Host HTTP Header Vulnerabilities | Karthikeyan Nagaraj

What are Host HTTP Header Attacks?

Host HTTP Header attacks are a class of cyber threats that exploit vulnerabilities associated with the ‘Host’ field in an HTTP request. The ‘Host’ field specifies the domain name of a web server and is a crucial part of the HTTP protocol. Attackers exploit weaknesses in this header to manipulate or bypass security measures, gaining unauthorized access or causing various forms of damage to web applications.

Types of Host HTTP Header Attacks

1. Host Header Injection

Host Header Injection occurs when an attacker manipulates the ‘Host’ header to bypass security mechanisms or execute attacks, potentially gaining unauthorized access or causing a range of malicious activities.

2. Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

This attack occurs when an attacker manipulates the ‘Host’ header to force a server to make malicious requests, often leading to information disclosure or unauthorized access to internal systems.