OWASP 10 Most Common Backdoors

OWASP Top Ten
Backdoors
Yaniv Simsolo, COMSEC Consulting
“ The news about the above agreement was posted on Cisco site in
mid 1998. Shortly this news was removed from Cisco website.
Gradually all this information which was readily available about
1 backdoors and doorbells was removed from the internet.”
OWASP Top Ten Backdoors
Prologue
Definition
Top Ten Most Common Backdoors
Impacts
Summary
2
The OWASP Top Ten Backdoors paper provides a

list of the most common backdoors in
applications.
Just like the OWASP Top Ten outlines the top ten
mistakes developers make in applications, the
top ten backdoors discuss the top ten features in
systems that leave the application vulnerable.
The Top Ten Backdoors are relevant to any
application including web applications, client-
server applications, multi-tier enterprise
applications etc.
3
Prologue
Backdoors are more common then developers and system

professionals think.
Hackers and malicious users can exploit backdoors easily,
without leaving any special traces in the system.
For example, a common unconventional backdoor in
enterprises is a middle-tier system that does not employ
authentication and authorization mechanisms
“Trust-based architecture”
Any user within the enterprise can exploit such a backdoor
easily by requesting the middle-tier system for confidential
data and un-authorized actions within the enterprise
systems.
4
Definition
Definitions of backdoor:
A hidden entrance to a computer system that can
be used to bypass security policies (MS definition).
An undocumented way to get access to a computer
system or the data it contains.
A way of getting into a guarded system without
using the required password.
5
Definition
Problem: definitions are too wide

Fine separation line between security vulnerabilities and
backdoors.
Backdoor is:
A security vulnerability
That can be used to bypass security policies and
mechanisms in a system
Two main types of backdoors:
Conventional (hidden parameters, redundant interfaces,
etc.)
Unconventional
Considering relative risk, exposure and damage – the
unconventional backdoors are more dangerous
6
Top Ten backdoors
7
Conventional backdoors
8
OWASP Top Ten Backdoors, Number 1
Administration And Management Interfaces

Exposed
*/admin - everywhere
Access control management - limited scope
Only protected by authentication. Usually only
PWD protection.
Administration interfaces are thus exposed to:
• Brute-Force
• Dictionary attacks
• Lockout attacks (depending on architecture)
9

Exposed
10

Exposed
Allowing anyone to take control over the
application
3rd party systems force backdoors on organizations
Once the administrator credentials are default –
hackers heaven!
OWASP A10 – Insecure Configuration Management
11
Redundant interfaces/functions/features
debug=TRUE
Backdoors by design
Uploaded to production environment
• By mistake
• On purpose
• Due to faulted procedures
Enable various actions and control over systems
Exploitable at large by hackers
OWASP A1 – Unvalidated Input
12
Hidden parameters
*=-999
Backdoors by design
Uploaded to production environment on purpose
3rd party systems expose the enterprise:
• Without protection
• Without knowledge of backdoor existence
Enable various actions and control over systems
Exploitable at large by hackers
OWASP A1 – Unvalidated Input?
13
Redundant users
guest, testuser, scott (tiger)
Usually default users
Uploaded to production environment due to
faulted procedures
Common knowledge
May enable hackers to take total control over the
system
Easily mitigated
14
Authorization for 3rd party access

Backdoors by design
Uploaded to production environment
• By design
• By mistake
Apparently difficult to control authorization issues
3rd party access may expose the enterprise or system
without protection
Should be controlled by procedures
Organization awareness and continuous monitoring – a must
15
Unconventional backdoors
16
Authentication and Authorization between

application components
Most common application level backdoor
vulnerability
Difficult to Fix.
• In 3rd party systems – sometimes impossible to fix
Leavesthe system totally open to the
knowledgeable hacker
17
Middle-tier system – actual API in production environment -

No authorization, No Authentication
18
Authentication and Authorization between

application components
Once open to the web – security disaster
Within the enterprise:
• Common knowledge for developers and others
• Embedded in systems’ design
• Suggests flawed development procedures
Once exposes other enterprise systems - security
nightmare
OWASP A3 – Broken Authentication
19
Old Users in Systems

Probably most common in enterprises
Originally created according to standard
procedures
Old users are
• backdoors to systems
• enabling identity fraud
• bypassing systems’ security mechanisms
• very difficult to locate in real time
Hard to locate, remove, and control
20
Old Users in Systems

Commonly exploited by employees for various purposes (not
necessarily innocent)
Commonly exploited by developers as “standard”
development process
Old users that were administrators enable ANYONE in
becoming an administrator of the system.
• In an enterprise core system – jackpot for malicious users.
All the above – discovered on daily basis in organizations.
21
Flawed hardening
xp_cmdshell
Perfect hardening is difficult to achieve
Hardening of ALL system components is mandatory
Common failure in organizations – lack of
hardening
Enables malicious entities multiple attack vectors,
up to a total control of the system
22
Flawed hardening
Most (aware) organizations perform:
• OS hardening
• Application servers hardening
• DB hardening
Whatabout application hardening?
23
Flawed hardening
24
Exposed Configuration Data

Common within organizations
Linked databases
PWD files
Difficult to mitigate
• Weaved into systems’ architecture
• Collateral implications on the enterprise
• Even encryption is difficult
May effect other systems
25
Lack of separation between environments

Nota backdoor in itself
However:
• A security vulnerability
• That can be used to bypass security policies and
mechanisms in a system
A problem for most organizations and enterprises
26
Lack of separation between environments

Only two options for mitigation:
• Obfuscate data in test and development environments
• Employ identical security mechanisms and policies in
production and other environments
Both very difficult to employ
27
Identical authentication parameters in PROD and TEST

environments
28
Impacts
29
Impacts
Backdoors can not be mitigated easily

Are deeply established within the enterprise
Mitigation is resource-consuming
Usually represented as vulnerabilities:
Hiding the full impact
Lacking total resolution
Limited scope of referencing (a backdoor in system
can affect other systems)
30
Impacts
Impacts are larger then conceived

Some backdoors may even enable creating additional
backdoors
Furthermore – impacts may effect multiple systems
(Note to self: “watch security managers responses
for such backdoors discovery” ☺)
31
Summary
Backdoors are abundant

Represent a security nightmare
Like most application level vulnerabilities - best
if discovered and mitigated in design and
development phases
Should not be ignored
32
Questions?
33

OWASP 10 Most Common Backdoors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

OWASP 10 Most Common Backdoors

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

OWASP 10 Most Common Backdoors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

OWASP Top Ten

The OWASP Top Ten Backdoors paper provides a

Backdoors are more common then developers and system

Problem: definitions are too wide

Top Ten backdoors

Administration And Management Interfaces

Administration And Management Interfaces

Administration And Management Interfaces

Authorization for 3rd party access

Authentication and Authorization between

Middle-tier system – actual API in production environment -

Authentication and Authorization between

Old Users in Systems

Old Users in Systems

Exposed Configuration Data

Lack of separation between environments

Lack of separation between environments

Identical authentication parameters in PROD and TEST

Backdoors can not be mitigated easily

Impacts are larger then conceived

Backdoors are abundant

You might also like