Web Application Vulnerability Scanning via Client Security Policy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional web application vulnerability scanners face limitations such as lacking a specification of correct behavior, applying heuristics instead of algorithmic approaches, poor coverage of application behavior, and generating false warnings due to blanket policies, failing to effectively identify vulnerabilities like XSS, click jacking, and Iframe injection.
Innovation Solution
The method involves crawling a web application to generate a client security policy based on its content, performing dynamic analysis, and simulating user interactions using an augmented web browser to scan for vulnerabilities, focusing on load-time detection and utilizing a white list of allowable sources for content, such as JavaScript script locations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional scanners apply blanket policies and heuristics to all web applications, then the scanning process is simple and fast, but the detection accuracy decreases and false warnings increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by generating application-specific client security policies for each scanned web application. Instead of using a uniform blanket policy for all applications, the system analyzes the specific content and behavior of each application to create tailored security policies that accurately reflect its intended functionality. This enables precise vulnerability detection without generating false warnings, as the detection criteria are locally adapted to each application's characteristics.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional scanners apply the same detection heuristics to each scanned web application, then the scanning process is consistent and easy to implement, but the coverage of application behavior is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by transitioning from static, fixed heuristics to dynamic, adaptive detection policies. The system generates client security policies that are created and updated based on the specific behavior observed during scanning of each application. This dynamic approach allows the scanner to adapt to diverse application behaviors and patterns, significantly improving coverage while maintaining ease of implementation through automated policy generation.
3Device complexity
If conventional scanners perform execution-time detection, then the scanning process is simpler, but the detection capability is less effective compared to load-time detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing load-time detection of vulnerabilities, which occurs before the application scripts are executed. The system analyzes and detects potential security issues during the loading phase, allowing for early identification of vulnerabilities such as XSS, clickjacking, and Iframe injection. This preliminary detection approach is more effective than execution-time detection because it can identify issues before they manifest during runtime, improving reliability without requiring complex execution environments.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for web application vulnerability scanning are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for web application vulnerability scanning comprising crawling a web application for content associated with the web application, generating a client security policy based on the content associated with the web application, and scanning the web application for vulnerabilities based on the client security policy.