At its core, SSRF arises when an attacker can manipulate a server to send HTTP requests to arbitrary destinations, often bypassing firewalls, access controls, and other security measures. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of user-supplied URLs or inputs that dictate server-side request behaviour.
Deserialisation refers to the process of converting serialised data (a compact format of an object or data structure) back into its original form. While this operation is indispensable in modern software, it becomes a vulnerability when the deserialised data originates from an untrusted source.
When untrusted data is deserialised without validation, attackers can exploit the process to execute arbitrary code, manipulate application logic, or inject malicious payloads. CWE-502 encapsulates this weakness, highlighting its potential to compromise data integrity, confidentiality, and availability.
Missing Authorisation, identified by CWE-862, refers to a software weakness where an application fails to verify if a user is permitted to access specific resources or perform certain actions. While authentication establishes identity, authorisation ensures that the authenticated user has the necessary permissions. When authorisation is missing, attackers can exploit this oversight to access sensitive data, perform unauthorised transactions, or disrupt services.
Path traversal, also known as directory traversal, is a vulnerability that allows an attacker to access files and directories stored outside the intended directory. By exploiting improper validation of user-supplied input, attackers can manipulate file paths to access sensitive system files, configuration files, or any other data stored on the server.
CSRF is a security vulnerability that tricks a victim into performing unintended actions on a web application where they are authenticated. By exploiting the trust that a website places in the user’s browser, attackers can force users to execute actions without their consent or knowledge.