How to Find and Fix the HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability (CVE-2010-0386)

How the HTTP Trace Method is exploited, the risks involved, and product specific ways to remediate. Notes on Remediation, Penetration Testing, Disclosures, Patching and Exploits

Vulnerabilities in HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability is a low-risk vulnerability that is one of the most frequently found on networks around the world. When HTTP TRACE is exploited, attackers can run a cross-site scripting attack on servers. This issue has been around since at least 1990 but has proven either difficult to detect, difficult to resolve or prone to being overlooked entirely. 

About the HTTP Trace Method (CVE-2010-0386)

Vulnerability Name:HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability
Test ID:2025
Risk:Low
Category:Web Servers
Type:Attack
Summary:Your web server supports the TRACE and/or TRACK methods. Servers supporting this method are subject to cross-site-scripting attacks when used in conjunction with various weaknesses in browsers.
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Impact:Attackers can run a cross-site-scripting attack on your server.
Solution:

Disable the TRACE and TRACK methods.

Product specific solutions:

  • IIS:
    • Use Microsoft’s URL Scan to prevent these two methods
      Apache 2.0:
    • Modify the security.conf file located under /etc/apache2/conf.d/security and set the Track option to Off
  • Apache 1.3: 
    • Source Code modification (requires manually patching your Apache installation)
    • Mod_Rewrite module (By using the Mod_Rewrite module it is possible to prevent this attack), in the httpd.conf add the following code:
      RewriteEngine on
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_METHOD} ^(TRACE|TRACK)
      RewriteRule .* – [F]
      Netscape iPlanet:
      Procedures for removing unwanted Request Methods:
      cd ${IPLANET_ROOT}
      mkdir secure_lib
      cp bin/https/lib/libns-httpd40.so secure_lib
      cd secure_lib
      emacs libnc-httpd40.so
    • The supported methods appear in lists like: HEAD^@ GET^@ PUT^@ POST^@ DELETE^@ TRACE^@ OPTIONS^@ MOVE^@ INDEX^@ MKDIR^@ RMDIR (Ignore the spaces found in the above line)
    • Find all occurrences of these lists and change the methods as required to be GET padded with spaces to match the length of the word (i.e. DELETE becomes ‘GET ‘ (three spaces))
    • Edit the start script for the web server to protect and prepend the secure_lib at the front of the LD_LIBRARY_PATH. i.e.
      LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${IPLANET_ROOT}/secure_lib: (the rest of the line as it appears in the script)
    • Re-start the web server.
  • Sun ONE web server: If you are using Sun ONE Web Server releases 6.0 SP2 and later, add the following to the default object section in obj.conf:
    AuthTrans fn=”set-variable”
    remove-headers=”transfer-encoding”
    set-headers=”content-length: -1″
    error=”501″
    If you are using Sun ONE Web Server releases 6.0 SP2 or below, compile the NSAPI plugin located at:
    http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsalert%2F50603
CVE:CVE-2003-1567 
CVE-2004-2320
CVE-2007-3008
CVE-2010-0386
More Information:
Nist NVD (CVSS):AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
CVSS Score:5.8

How to Scan For and Find HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability 

Use of Vulnerability Management tools, like Fortra VM, are standard practice for the discovery of this vulnerability. The primary failure of vulnerability assessment solutions in finding this vulnerability is related to setting the proper scope and frequency of network scans. It is vital that the broadest range of hosts (active IPs) possible are scanned and that scanning is done frequently.  

Best-in-class scanning solutions like Fortra VM should make this not just possible, but easy and affordable.

How to Penetration Test for HTTP Trace Method 

The Vulnerabilities in HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability is prone to false positive reports by most vulnerability assessment solutions. Fortra VM uses behavior-based testing that eliminates this issue. For all other vulnerability assessment tools, security consultants will recommend confirmation by direct observation. In any case, penetration testing procedures for discovery of Vulnerabilities in HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability produces the highest discovery accuracy rate, but the infrequency of this expensive form of testing degrades its value. The ideal would be to have pen testing accuracy and the frequency and scope possibilities of vulnerability assessment solutions, and this is accomplished by Fortra VM. 

How Risky is the HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability? 

Given that this is one of the most frequently found vulnerabilities, there is ample information regarding mitigation online and very good reason to get it fixed. Hackers are also aware that this is a frequently found vulnerability and so its discovery and repair is that much more important. It is so well known and common that any network that has it present and unmitigated indicates “low hanging fruit” to attackers. 

Disclosures related to this vulnerability 

https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/288308

How to Patch/Repair the HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability 

Vulnerabilities in HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability is a low-risk vulnerability that is also high frequency and high visibility. This is the most severe combination of security factors that exists, and it is extremely important to find it on your network and fix it as soon as possible.  

To patch/repair the HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability, disable the TRACE and TRACK methods.   

Exploits related to Vulnerabilities in HTTP TRACE Method XSS Vulnerability 

Fortra VM can scan tens of thousands of IPs in large environments with segmented or distributed networks, and generate remediation tickets when vulnerabilities are found — and then track them within the system. 

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