CWE-644 Variante Incompleto High likelihood

Improper Neutralization of HTTP Headers for Scripting Syntax

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-controlled data placed within HTTP response headers. Malicious scripting syntax can then be injected and…

Definición

What is CWE-644?

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-controlled data placed within HTTP response headers. Malicious scripting syntax can then be injected and executed by client-side components like Flash that process raw headers.
Attackers can exploit this weakness to launch cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks against users. When a browser or plugin processes a tainted HTTP header, embedded scripts run within the victim's browser context, potentially stealing session cookies, defacing websites, or performing actions on the user's behalf. Preventing this requires strict validation and encoding of all data before it is inserted into any HTTP response header, not just the body. Developers must account for various encoding schemes attackers might use to bypass filters. This control is essential for blocking both XSS and related HTTP response splitting attacks.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-644

  • Web server does not remove the Expect header from an HTTP request when it is reflected back in an error message, allowing a Flash SWF file to perform XSS attacks.

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

  1. 1

    Identifica una ruta de código que maneje entrada no confiable sin validación.

  2. 2

    Crea un payload que ejercite el comportamiento inseguro — inyección, traversal, overflow o abuso de lógica.

  3. 3

    Envía el payload a través de una solicitud normal y observa la reacción de la aplicación.

  4. 4

    Itera hasta que la respuesta filtre datos, ejecute código del atacante o escale privilegios.

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable Java

In the following Java example, user-controlled data is added to the HTTP headers and returned to the client. Given that the data is not subject to neutralization, a malicious user may be able to inject dangerous scripting tags that will lead to script execution in the client browser.

Vulnerable Java
response.addHeader(HEADER_NAME, untrustedRawInputData);
Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure pseudo

Seguro pseudo
// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Lista de prevención

How to prevent CWE-644

  • Architecture and Design Perform output validation in order to filter/escape/encode unsafe data that is being passed from the server in an HTTP response header.
  • Architecture and Design Disable script execution functionality in the clients' browser.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-644

SAST High

Ejecuta análisis estático (SAST) sobre el código buscando el patrón inseguro en el flujo de datos.

DAST Moderate

Ejecuta pruebas dinámicas de seguridad de aplicaciones (DAST) contra el endpoint en vivo.

Runtime Moderate

Vigila los logs en tiempo de ejecución para detectar trazas de excepción inusuales, entradas malformadas o intentos de bypass de autorización.

Code review Moderate

Revisión de código: marca cualquier código nuevo que maneje entrada desde esta superficie sin usar los helpers validados del framework.

CWE-644

Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.

Plexicus turns CWE catalogs into evidence: every CWE-pattern is matched against your real code graph, reach is proven on a sandbox clone, and verified findings ship as reviewed PRs.

Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es CWE-644?

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-controlled data placed within HTTP response headers. Malicious scripting syntax can then be injected and executed by client-side components like Flash that process raw headers.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-644?

MITRE califica la probabilidad de explotación como Alta — esta debilidad se explota activamente en la práctica y debe priorizarse para su remediación.

¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-644?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Web Based.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-644?

Perform output validation in order to filter/escape/encode unsafe data that is being passed from the server in an HTTP response header. Disable script execution functionality in the clients' browser.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-644?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-644 en cada commit. Cuando hay coincidencia, nuestro agente Codex Remedium abre un PR de corrección con el código corregido, las pruebas y un resumen de una línea para el revisor.

¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-644?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/644.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

¿Listo para validar lo que importa?

Listo para validar lo que importa.

Plexicus es Proof-Driven AppSec: hallazgos validados, comprensión contextual y remediación revisada — anclada en evidencia, acotada contigo.

Calificación

Comprueba si el AI Swarm Pentest encaja en tu entorno.

Déjanos el contexto mínimo. Revisaremos el alcance y te indicaremos el siguiente paso comercial.

Antes de enviar — verifica que encajas

0 / 280

Sin compromiso. Si no encajas, te lo decimos.

SAMPLE HANDOVER · ILLUSTRATIVE

Sample evidence handover

A trimmed view of what your team receives at the end of an AI Swarm Pentest engagement. Real engagements include full technical evidence, executive narrative, and a remediation plan.

VALIDATED FINDING Evidence attached

Server-Side Request Forgery in webhooks/receiver

demo-project/sample-app · src/webhooks/receiver.py:42

SeverityHigh CVSS 3.18.6 Priority79 Confirmedvia replay

Untrusted caller-supplied URLs reach an internal egress without an allowlist. Replayed in a sandbox against a fresh authorized target — the same control was validated to fail twice.

REVIEWER-READY REMEDIATION Merge-ready PR

Validate the target URL against an allowlist of permitted hostnames. Reject private/internal IP ranges. Enforce HTTPS only.

plexicus/remediation/webhooks-ssrf 3 changed · 0 new files
42resp = requests.get(target_url)
42+if not is_allowed_host(target_url):
43+  raise WebhookRejected(target_url)
44+resp = requests.get(target_url, timeout=5)
Every engagement hands over:
  • Executive briefing
  • Validated findings list
  • Merge-ready PRs
  • Compliance mapping (NIS2 · DORA · CRA)
Ronda privada Para inversores