HTTP header spoofing involves manipulating the headers of HTTP requests to achieve specific objectives, such as impersonating different IP addresses. As a penetration tester, IP spoofing can help test network security, uncover vulnerabilities, and assess security measures like Web Application Firewalls (WAFs).
IP spoofing in HTTP headers typically focuses on altering the source IP address or related information to mislead web servers or bypass security controls.
Too many servers still trust this information and will take it into account, allowing the attacker to use it at his advantage.
The most common headers involved in IP spoofing is X-Forwarded-For
but Client-IP
and X-Real-IP
are commonly used too.
The X-Forwarded-For
(XFF) header is used by proxy servers to identify the original client IP address when requests pass through multiple proxies. Spoofing this header can simulate requests from different IP addresses, enabling penetration testers to test server responses to spoofed IPs.
Client-IP
: Similar to XFF, used to indicate the original client IP.X-Real-IP
: Typically used to pass the client IP through reverse proxies.What is the main header to manipulate to mislead misconfigured service or servers?
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