Information Disclosure via X-Atmosphere-error Header

Description

The 'X-Atmosphere-error' header is often returned by the Atmosphere framework in real-time streaming scenarios (e.g., WebSockets, Server-Sent Events). When exposed, it may reveal internal error messages or diagnostic details that aid attackers in understanding the application's backend configuration or debugging routines. This can be used to perform targeted attacks, exploit known issues, or craft more convincing social engineering campaigns based on the discovered error information. Ultimately, disclosing this header can undermine security by leaking potentially sensitive operational data.

Remediation

Remove or mask the 'X-Atmosphere-error' header unless it is crucial for client-side troubleshooting. Adjust the Atmosphere framework (or any associated libraries) to handle error logging and reporting strictly on the server side. Ensure that debug or diagnostic information is not exposed in production. If reverse proxies or load balancers are used, configure them to drop or sanitize sensitive headers. Additionally, consider using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or intrusion detection system to monitor and block suspicious traffic attempting to leverage diagnostic output. Regular security reviews help confirm that no unintended headers leak environment or error information.

References

Severity

Owasp

Code: A05:2021

Category: Security Misconfiguration

Classification