/webapp_notes

Web application testing notes.

webapp_notes

Web application testing notes.

Request headers

X-Forwarded-For

Used to identify the originating IP of a client that passed trough a proxy server.

I.E.

  • Client external IP: 11.22.33.44
  • Proxy external IP: 55.66.77.88

In the above example, the server would understand 55.66.77.88 to be the Client IP. If the proxy server appends the X-Forwarded-For header to the request, it allows the server to get the "real" Client IP from that header

X-Forwarded-For: 11.22.33.44

The concern

Under a lot of conditions, it's possible to spoof the Client IP trough the use of X-Forwarded-For. Without being behind a proxy server, it's possible to add this header to the requests before sending it to the server. If the server/application that uses this header to identify "misbehaving" clients and impose restrictions (set bandwidth/request limits, temp/permanent banning IP etc).

Changing this

X-Forwarded-For: 11.22.33.44

to this

X-Forwarded-For: 19.28.37.46

would be a very trivial way to spoof one's IP address.