Information Disclosure via X-Atmosphere-tracking-id Header

Description

The 'X-Atmosphere-tracking-id' header is typically used in the Atmosphere framework to track or identify real-time connections (e.g., WebSockets, Server-Sent Events). Disclosing this tracking identifier can allow attackers to correlate user sessions with specific connection states, potentially aiding in session hijacking, data interception, or replay attacks. Additionally, leaked tracking IDs may reveal internal mechanisms that could be targeted or manipulated, such as connection lifecycles or reconnection logic. Overall, the presence of a clear and unprotected tracking ID header increases the likelihood of malicious actors exploiting real-time communication features for unauthorized access or data collection.

Remediation

Remove or mask the 'X-Atmosphere-tracking-id' header in production environments, ensuring it is not exposed to untrusted clients. Adjust your Atmosphere configuration—or any associated libraries—to only share essential information with the client. If load balancers or reverse proxies are in use, configure them to drop or sanitize sensitive headers. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or intrusion detection system to monitor and block suspicious requests that attempt to leverage leaked tracking information. Regularly review your logging and configuration settings to confirm that sensitive IDs or tokens are protected, thus minimizing the risk of connection hijacking or tampering.

References

Severity

Owasp

Code: A05:2021

Category: Security Misconfiguration

Classification