.NET Misconfiguration: Use of Impersonation
Weakness ID: 520 (Weakness Variant)Status: Incomplete
+ Description

Description Summary

Allowing a .NET application to run at potentially escalated levels of access to the underlying operating and file systems can be dangerous and result in various forms of attacks.
+ Time of Introduction
  • Architecture and Design
  • Implementation
  • Operation
+ Potential Mitigations

Run the application with limited privilege to the underlying operating and file system.

+ Other Notes

.NET server applications can optionally execute using the identity of the user authenticated to the client. The intention of this functionality is to bypass authentication and access control checks within the .NET application code. Authentication is done by the underlying web server (Microsoft Internet Information Service IIS), which passes the authenticated token, or unauthenticated anonymous token, to the .NET application. Using the token to impersonate the client, the application then relies on the settings within the NTFS directories and files to control access. Impersonation enables the application, on the server running the .NET application, to both execute code and access resources in the context of the authenticated and authorized user.

+ Relationships
NatureTypeIDNameView(s) this relationship pertains toView(s)
ChildOfWeakness BaseWeakness Base266Incorrect Privilege Assignment
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ChildOfCategoryCategory519.NET Environment Issues
Development Concepts (primary)699
+ Content History
Submissions
Submission DateSubmitterOrganizationSource
Anonymous Tool Vendor (under NDA)Externally Mined
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganizationSource
2008-07-01Eric DalciCigitalExternal
updated Potential Mitigations, Time of Introduction
2008-09-08CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Relationships, Other Notes, Taxonomy Mappings
Previous Entry Names
Change DatePrevious Entry Name
2008-04-11.NET Misconfiguration: Impersonation
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