What Is Cross Site Request Forgery?
Cross Site Request Forgery also called a one-way attack or CSRF and shortened as CSRF or XSRF, is a kind of malicious attack of a website in which an unauthorized command is sent from an unauthorized user to the web server that the website trust. The method used to execute this attack is to submit crafted JavaScript code on any page the victim views. Once the JavaScript code is performed on the web page, the browser checks the HTML version number, and if it detects the CSRF injection, it triggers the response indicating that CSRF has been detected. This response includes a JavaScript code containing a “ CSRF “ tag and an HTML response code interpreted as an error. In effect, the JavaScript code bypassed the security authentication on the website that it was executed on. The JavaScript then displayed a “Failed” response code to the visitor, indicating to the intruder that the target website rejected their attempt to gain access to the target website.
Once an attacker gains access to the targeted website, he can use various attacks and techniques to extract or steal information from the database and user files. However, when webmasters and designers are trying to protect their websites from this kind of attack, they usually rely on scripts that check if the target web pages are served over HTTP or not. These scripts, commonly known as “Sitemaps” and “URI patterns,” help the developers and administrators to determine the location of scripts that may be used for an intruder to break into a website and obtain sensitive information.
Some of the main problems linked with cross site request forgery include using scripting languages that are not widely available or difficult to understand by people who do not have programming experience. Another problem is that scripts that allow an attacker to bypass the security authentication process are often poorly written and can cause unexpected delays. Moreover, it is very easy for attackers who master the techniques used in these scripts to bypass security controls and essential access information from web servers.
An example of such a website script is the JavaScript code that many websites use to calculate bandwidth consumption based on the number of visitors that arrive at the site. When scripts like this are written poorly or not maintained, they can be vulnerable to malicious attackers who can alter the code and inject unwanted JavaScripts into the server. It is also straightforward for an attacker to forge these scripts and send unauthorized back-end information into the network. Therefore, a website owner should make sure that their scripts are correctly maintained and are not compromised.
Some other ways in which cross site request forgery attacks can take place include the use of bots. Bots are automated programs that visit websites to gain access to confidential data or credit card numbers. In most cases, these bots are programmed to visit only legitimate websites, but in an attack, a bot can be programmed to submit fraudulent requests to a site that does not practice secure transactions.
The consequences of what is cross site request forgery include a denial of service attack. This attack forces a website owner to shut down the website. For example, if a business owner were to use a reverse lookup directory, they could discover the IP address of the attacker, which would enable them to block the visitor. In addition, if a business owner were to ask an Internet provider to block their customer’s IP address, likely, the customer will not be able to access their Web site anymore. Additionally, it is easy for an attacker to obtain authorization to change Web page information, compromise the site’s security, and get sensitive personal information.