OWASP
New CS proposal: Incident Response for Web Applications
What is the proposed Cheat Sheet about?
The proposed cheat sheet, titled "Incident Response for Web Applications," aims to provide a practical guide for handling security incidents related to web applications. It will cover the essential steps, communication plans, evidence preservation, and analysis required during an incident response scenario.
What security issues are commonly encountered related to this area?
Common security issues related to incident response for web applications that will be addressed in this cheat sheet include:
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Common Web Application Threats:
- Identification and response strategies for common threats, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and data breaches.
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Denial of Service Attacks:
- Guidelines for detecting and mitigating distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks targeting web applications.
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Unauthorized Access and Account Compromise:
- Procedures for responding to incidents involving unauthorized access, compromised accounts, and user data breaches.
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Data Integrity and Tampering:
- Strategies for detecting and responding to incidents related to data integrity and unauthorized tampering of web application content.
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Malicious File Uploads:
- Response plans for incidents involving malicious file uploads and potential exploitation of file upload vulnerabilities.
What is the objective of the Cheat Sheet?
The objective of the "Incident Response for Web Applications" cheat sheet is to equip web developers, security teams, and incident responders with practical guidance for effectively managing and mitigating security incidents. The cheat sheet aims to:
- Provide a structured incident response plan tailored to web application security incidents.
- Offer communication templates for informing stakeholders and users during security incidents.
- Outline evidence preservation techniques for forensic analysis and legal purposes.
- Enhance the ability to quickly identify and respond to security incidents in a web application environment.
What other resources exist in this area?
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OWASP Incident Response Guide:
- Refer to the OWASP Incident Response Guide for additional insights into incident response best practices.
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NIST Cybersecurity Framework:
- Explore the NIST Cybersecurity Framework for a comprehensive framework that includes incident response guidelines.
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Incident Response Blogs and Articles:
- Review blogs and articles from incident response experts and organizations for real-world incident response scenarios and lessons learned.
References
I think this is a good idea. @szh what do you think about this proposal? @aditya6298 would you like to work on this cheatsheet?
I think it's a good idea. The link for the OWASP Incident Response Guide is a dead link however. Is there such a project?
Yes I would like to work on it, Also sorry about the dead link must have added it by mistake.
I have created the cheat sheet have a look at it. If approved I will go ahead with PR.
Incident Response for Web Applications
Introduction
Incident response is a crucial aspect of web application security, ensuring swift and effective actions are taken when security incidents occur. This comprehensive cheat sheet provides technical guidance for handling incidents throughout the entire lifecycle.
Common Security Issues
1. Incident Detection
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Utilize robust logging mechanisms to capture relevant security events. Enable verbose logging:
LogLevel debug -
Implement intrusion detection systems (IDS) for real-time monitoring. Snort IDS rule example:
alert tcp any any -> $HOME_NET 80 (msg:"Possible SQL injection attempt"; content:"SELECT * FROM"; sid:1000001;) -
Employ anomaly detection algorithms to identify unusual patterns in user behavior. Python script for anomaly detection:
from sklearn.ensemble import IsolationForest
2. Analysis and Triage
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Establish an incident response team (IRT) with roles like Forensic Analyst, Malware Analyst, and Incident Coordinator. Incident Response Team (IRT):
- Forensic Analyst: Conducts digital forensics investigations.
- Malware Analyst: Analyzes malicious code and artifacts.
- Incident Coordinator: Coordinates overall incident response efforts.
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Leverage digital forensics tools for in-depth analysis of affected systems. Use Autopsy for disk analysis:
autopsy -i <image_path> -
Conduct memory analysis to identify malicious processes and artifacts. Volatility framework example:
vol.py -f <memory_dump> --profile=<profile> pslist
3. Containment and Eradication
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Isolate affected systems to prevent lateral movement. Network isolation using iptables:
iptables -A INPUT -s <infected_IP> -j DROP -
Employ network segmentation to contain the spread of the incident. VLAN configuration example:
switchport mode accessswitchport access vlan <segment_ID> -
Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools for real-time threat containment. Carbon Black sensor commands:
cbresponse -th <threat_hash> -d -
Eradicate malware and backdoors using antivirus tools and manual inspection. ClamAV scan for malware:
clamscan -r /path/to/scan
4. Recovery
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Develop a recovery plan outlining steps to restore services securely. Recovery Plan:
- Restore from clean backups.
- Validate the integrity of restored data.
- Monitor network traffic for signs of re-infection.
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Monitor network traffic for signs of malicious activity during the recovery phase. Wireshark filter for suspicious traffic:
tcp.flags == 0x02 && ip.src != trusted_IP -
Validate data integrity to ensure recovered systems are not compromised. File integrity validation using md5sum:
md5sum -c integrity_checksums
5. Lessons Learned
- Conduct a thorough post-incident analysis (PIA) to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
- Update incident response plans based on PIA findings.
- Provide training sessions for the incident response team to enhance skills.
Incident Response Objectives
1. Incident Response Plan
- Develop a detailed incident response plan (IRP) specific to web application security.
- Define communication protocols, including secure channels for incident reporting.
- Establish clear escalation procedures for different types of incidents.
2. Communication Strategies
- Establish a communication hierarchy to disseminate incident information efficiently.
- Draft incident notification templates for internal and external stakeholders.
- Implement secure communication channels, considering encrypted email and secure messaging apps.
3. Evidence Preservation
- Document incidents thoroughly, preserving logs, screenshots, and memory dumps.
- Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements for evidence preservation.
- Implement digital chain-of-custody procedures for all collected evidence.
4. Quick Incident Identification and Response
- Implement automated incident detection through security information and event management (SIEM) tools.
- Conduct regular incident response drills to enhance team readiness and response times.
