Information Disclosure via X-Generated-By Header

Description

The 'X-Generated-By' header can indicate which tool, framework, or automation process generated the content or built the application. By exposing these details, attackers gain insights into the software environment or pipeline, potentially identifying known vulnerabilities or configuration flaws specific to the listed generator. Knowledge of the build process may also help adversaries craft targeted social engineering campaigns, such as convincing developers to apply malicious updates for that specific tool. Ultimately, disclosing build or generation data enlarges the attack surface, enabling malicious parties to focus on tool-specific weaknesses and infiltration strategies.

Remediation

Remove or mask the 'X-Generated-By' header so it does not disclose build or tooling details to unauthorized clients. Configure the server, application, or CI/CD pipelines to exclude this header in production. If reverse proxies or load balancers are present, ensure they cannot re-inject or preserve the header. Keep your build tools and frameworks updated with security patches to mitigate known exploits. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or intrusion detection system to monitor for suspicious requests leveraging tool-specific vulnerabilities. Regularly audit headers and logs to ensure that no unnecessary environment or build details are leaked.

References

Severity

Owasp

Code: A05:2021

Category: Security Misconfiguration

Classification