HawkScan Test Info for Web Browser XSS Protection Not Enabled

Web Browser XSS Protection Not Enabled

Reference

Plugin Id: 10016

Remediation

To enable Web Browser XSS Protection, the ‘X-XSS-Protection’ HTTP response header on the web server needs to be properly configured. There are a few steps to follow:

Enable XSS Protection: Set the value of the ‘X-XSS-Protection’ header to ‘1’ to enable XSS protection. This will instruct the browser to activate its built-in XSS protection mechanisms.

Example configuration in Apache:
```
Header set X-XSS-Protection "1"
```
Example configuration in Nginx:
```
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1";
```
Block Mode: Optionally, you can set the ‘mode’ parameter to ‘block’ to instruct the browser to block the page if an XSS attack is detected.

Example configuration in Apache:
```
Header set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block"
```
Example configuration in Nginx:
```
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
```
Report Only Mode: Alternatively, you can set the ‘mode’ parameter to ‘report’ to enable reporting of XSS attacks without blocking the page.

Example configuration in Apache:
```
Header set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=report"
```
Example configuration in Nginx:
```
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=report";
```

About

The vulnerability “Web Browser XSS Protection Not Enabled” occurs when the web browser’s built-in XSS protection mechanisms are not enabled or disabled by the configuration of the ‘X-XSS-Protection’ HTTP response header on the web server. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks can inject malicious scripts into web pages, potentially allowing an attacker to steal sensitive information or perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the user. Enabling XSS protection in the web browser helps mitigate this risk.

Risks

If Web Browser XSS Protection is not enabled or disabled, it increases the risk of successful XSS attacks. Without XSS protection, an attacker can inject malicious scripts into web pages, leading to various security issues, including:

Data theft: Attackers can steal sensitive information, such as login credentials, personal data, or financial details, from unsuspecting users.
Session hijacking: By injecting malicious scripts, attackers can hijack user sessions and perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the user.
Phishing attacks: Attackers can create convincing phishing pages by injecting malicious scripts, tricking users into revealing their sensitive information.
Malware distribution: Malicious scripts can be used to distribute malware to unsuspecting users, compromising their systems and potentially spreading the malware further.

Enabling Web Browser XSS Protection is crucial to protect users from these risks and ensure the security of web applications.