Malformed XML Scan
About
The Malformed XML scan checks how your service behaves when it gets malformed XML snippets.
Typically, attackers try to send a malformed XML to crash a vulnerable server or execute arbitrary commands. For example, the following code:
The Malformed XML scan simulates this procedure, notifying you if the server cannot handle the malformed XML snippets correctly.
If the scan does not reveal any information about possible vulnerabilities, it passes successfully.
If the scan has Failed, that indicates your service is vulnerable to attacks based on faulty or malicious XML content.
Requirements
This scan is applicable to SOAP test steps or requests that contain XML data.
How it works
The malformed XML security scan alters the target request by inserting malformed XML snippets, leaving elements or attributes open, adding non-defined attributes, and so on.
This scan uses assertions to validate each response and check if it includes any information about potential vulnerabilities.
If a response passes all assertions, PASS will be logged for that response. If any assertion fails, FAIL will be logged.
Important
If you have not applied any assertions to the scan, Unknown will be logged for the response.
Assertions
Default Assertion
Sensitive Information Exposure – Verifies that your server does not reveal any information that is useful for attacks (such as stack traces if the server crashes).
Parameters
The Malformed XML scan inserts values into the message parameters.
Normally, parameters are extracted automatically when you create the scan. If there are no parameters present, ReadyAPI will not run the Malformed XML scan. See Parameters for more information.
Use the following options to configure the scan Strategy:
Option | Description |
|---|---|
Select Strategy | One by One – Select to send requests one by one (may take some time). All At Once – Select to send all requests at once. |
Request Delay (ms) | Set a pause between requests during the scan in milliseconds. |
Apply to Failed Test Steps | Select to run the scan even if the target test step fails. |
Run only once | Select to run the scan only once for each test step, even if ReadyAPI runs that step several times for the test case. |
On the Advanced panel, define the behavior for the scan.
Option | Description |
|---|---|
Insert new element | Add a new element to the XML content. |
Element value | Put a value in a new element. |
Change tag name | Modify a tag name. |
Leave tag open | Allow leaving a tag open. |
Insert invalid char in XML | Allow using invalid characters in XML. |
Mutate attributes | Change XML attributes. |
Insert invalid chars in attribute | Use invalid characters in attribute strings. |
Leave attribute open | Allow leaving an attribute string open. |
Add new attribute | Add a new attribute. |
Attribute name | Name a new attribute. |
Attribute value | Put a value in a new attribute. |