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pentesttestingcorp · 4 months ago

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Prevent HTTP Parameter Pollution in Laravel with Secure Coding

Understanding HTTP Parameter Pollution in Laravel

HTTP Parameter Pollution (HPP) is a web security vulnerability that occurs when an attacker manipulates multiple HTTP parameters with the same name to bypass security controls, exploit application logic, or perform malicious actions. Laravel, like many PHP frameworks, processes input parameters in a way that can be exploited if not handled correctly.

In this blog, we’ll explore how HPP works, how it affects Laravel applications, and how to secure your web application with practical examples.

How HTTP Parameter Pollution Works

HPP occurs when an application receives multiple parameters with the same name in an HTTP request. Depending on how the backend processes them, unexpected behavior can occur.

Example of HTTP Request with HPP:

GET /search?category=electronics&category=books HTTP/1.1 Host: example.com

Different frameworks handle duplicate parameters differently:

PHP (Laravel): Takes the last occurrence (category=books) unless explicitly handled as an array.

Express.js (Node.js): Stores multiple values as an array.

ASP.NET: Might take the first occurrence (category=electronics).

If the application isn’t designed to handle duplicate parameters, attackers can manipulate input data, bypass security checks, or exploit business logic flaws.

Impact of HTTP Parameter Pollution on Laravel Apps

HPP vulnerabilities can lead to:

✅ Security Bypasses: Attackers can override security parameters, such as authentication tokens or access controls. ✅ Business Logic Manipulation: Altering shopping cart data, search filters, or API inputs. ✅ WAF Evasion: Some Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) may fail to detect malicious input when parameters are duplicated.

How Laravel Handles HTTP Parameters

Laravel processes query string parameters using the request() helper or Input facade. Consider this example:

use Illuminate\Http\Request; Route::get('/search', function (Request $request) { return $request->input('category'); });

If accessed via:

GET /search?category=electronics&category=books

Laravel would return only the last parameter, category=books, unless explicitly handled as an array.

Exploiting HPP in Laravel (Vulnerable Example)

Imagine a Laravel-based authentication system that verifies user roles via query parameters:

Route::get('/dashboard', function (Request $request) { if ($request->input('role') === 'admin') { return "Welcome, Admin!"; } else { return "Access Denied!"; } });

An attacker could manipulate the request like this:

GET /dashboard?role=user&role=admin

If Laravel processes only the last parameter, the attacker gains admin access.

Mitigating HTTP Parameter Pollution in Laravel

1. Validate Incoming Requests Properly

Laravel provides request validation that can enforce strict input handling:

use Illuminate\Http\Request; use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Validator; Route::get('/dashboard', function (Request $request) { $validator = Validator::make($request->all(), [ 'role' => 'required|string|in:user,admin' ]); if ($validator->fails()) { return "Invalid Role!"; } return $request->input('role') === 'admin' ? "Welcome, Admin!" : "Access Denied!"; });

2. Use Laravel’s Input Array Handling

Explicitly retrieve parameters as an array using:

$categories = request()->input('category', []);

Then process them safely:

Route::get('/search', function (Request $request) { $categories = $request->input('category', []); if (is_array($categories)) { return "Selected categories: " . implode(', ', $categories); } return "Invalid input!"; });

3. Encode Query Parameters Properly

Use Laravel’s built-in security functions such as:

e($request->input('category'));

htmlspecialchars($request->input('category'), ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');

4. Use Middleware to Filter Requests

Create middleware to sanitize HTTP parameters:

namespace App\Http\Middleware; use Closure; use Illuminate\Http\Request; class SanitizeInputMiddleware { public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next) { $input = $request->all(); foreach ($input as $key => $value) { if (is_array($value)) { $input[$key] = array_unique($value); } } $request->replace($input); return $next($request); } }

Then, register it in Kernel.php:

protected $middleware = [ \App\Http\Middleware\SanitizeInputMiddleware::class, ];

Testing Your Laravel Application for HPP Vulnerabilities

To ensure your Laravel app is protected, scan your website using our free Website Security Scanner.

Screenshot of the free tools webpage where you can access security assessment tools.

You can also check the website vulnerability assessment report generated by our tool to check Website Vulnerability:

An Example of a vulnerability assessment report generated with our free tool, providing insights into possible vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

HTTP Parameter Pollution can be a critical vulnerability if left unchecked in Laravel applications. By implementing proper validation, input handling, middleware sanitation, and secure encoding, you can safeguard your web applications from potential exploits.

🔍 Protect your website now! Use our free tool for a quick website security test and ensure your site is safe from security threats.

For more cybersecurity updates, stay tuned to Pentest Testing Corp. Blog! 🚀

#cyber security #cybersecurity #data security #pentesting #security #laravel #php

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learnershub101 · 2 years ago

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