CAPEC-267: Leverage Alternate Encoding
Description
Extended Description
Many client applications use specific query templates when interacting with a server and often automatically fill in specific fields or attributes. If the server does not verify that the query matches one of the expected templates, an adversary who is allowed to send normal queries could modify their query to try to return additional information. The adversary may not know the names of fields to request or how other modifications will affect the server response, but by attempting multiple plausible variants, they might eventually trigger a server response that divulges sensitive information. Other possible outcomes include server crashes and resource consumption if the unexpected queries cause the server to enter an unstable state or perform excessive computation.
Severity :
High
Possibility :
High
Type :
Standard
Relationships with other CAPECs
This table shows the other attack patterns and high level categories that are related to this attack pattern.
Prerequisites
This table shows the other attack patterns and high level categories that are related to this attack pattern.
- The application's decoder accepts and interprets encoded characters. Data canonicalization, input filtering and validating is not done properly leaving the door open to harmful characters for the target host.
Skills required
This table shows the other attack patterns and high level categories that are related to this attack pattern.
- Low An adversary can inject different representation of a filtered character in a different encoding.
- Medium An adversary may craft subtle encoding of input data by using the knowledge that they have gathered about the target host.
Taxonomy mappings
Mappings to ATT&CK, OWASP and other frameworks.
Related CWE
A Related Weakness relationship associates a weakness with this attack pattern. Each association implies a weakness that must exist for a given attack to be successful.
CWE-20: Improper Input Validation
CWE-73: External Control of File Name or Path
CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-172: Encoding Error
CWE-173: Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding
CWE-180: Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Canonicalize
CWE-181: Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Filter
CWE-692: Incomplete Denylist to Cross-Site Scripting
CWE-697: Incorrect Comparison
Visit http://capec.mitre.org/ for more details.