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Microsoft Warns of Code Injection via Exposed ASP.NET Keys
Microsoft’s security researchers observed limited malicious activity in December 2024, when a threat actor leveraged a publicly disclosed ASP.NET machine key to perform a ViewState code injection attack. During the inquiry, Microsoft found that developers had embedded machine keys from publicly accessible sources — such as code repositories — into their applications, inadvertently exposing them to potential exploitation.
Microsoft warns 3K exposed ASP.NET machine keys at risk of weaponization
the insecure practice led to the exposure of more then 3,000 ASP.NET machine keys on the internet, Microsoft said.The keys can be abused by threat actors for what is called ViewState code-injection attacks. ViewState,Microsoft explained,is a method used by ASP.NET page frameworks to preserve page and control values between round trips.
3,000 Exposed ASP.NET keys Put Web Applications at risk of Code Injection Attacks
The insecure practice led to the exposure of more than 3,000 ASP.NET machine keys on the internet, Microsoft said. The keys can be abused by threat actors for what is called ViewState code-injection attacks. ViewState, Microsoft explained, is a method used by ASP.NET page frameworks to preserve page and control values between round trips.
Tips to Secure Your Organization
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Microsoft’s threat intelligence team observed activity from December 2024 involving an unidentified threat actor using a publicly available,static ASP.NET machine key to inject malicious code. The attackers leveraged this weakness to deploy the Godzilla post-exploitation framework,perhaps enabling persistent access and further compromise of targeted systems.
Microsoft reported discovering over 3,000 publicly disclosed keys that could facilitate attacks, which it refers to as ViewState code injection attacks.
previous attacks relied on stolen or compromised keys traded in underground forums. Microsoft warns that publicly disclosed keys may pose an even greater risk since they are widely accessible in various code repositories and could have been directly integrated into progress projects without any alterations.
Microsoft in December 2024 detected an unknown threat actor injecting a malicious ViewState payload that reflectively loaded Godzilla,enabling the hacker to execute commands,inject shellcode and perform other post-exploitation activities.
ViewState is a feature in ASP.NET Web Forms that maintains the state of web pages between requests. To mitigate risks, organizations should use unique machine keys copied from public sources and rotate keys regularly. The company also removed key samples from its documentation and provided a script for security teams to identify and replace publicly disclosed keys in their environments.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint also includes an alert for publicly exposed ASP.NET machine keys, though the alert itself does not indicate an active attack. Organizations running ASP.NET applications, especially those deployed in web farms, are urged to replace fixed machine keys with auto-generated values stored in the system registry.
If a web-facing server has been compromised, rotating the machine keys alone may not eliminate persistent threats.Microsoft recommends conducting a full forensic investigation to detect potential backdoors or unauthorized access points.
In high-risk cases, security teams should consider reformatting and reinstalling affected systems to prevent further exploitation, the report said.
Organizations should also implement best practices such as encrypting sensitive configuration files, following secure DevOps procedures and upgrading applications to ASP.NET 4.8. Microsoft advised enabling antimalware Scan Interface capabilities and attack surface reduction rules to block web shell creation on Windows Servers.
Additional Security Tips
- Regular Updates and Patches: Ensure all software and systems are regularly updated with the latest security patches.
- Strong Authentication: Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all critical systems and applications.
- Network Segmentation: Divide your network into segments to limit the spread of potential threats.
- Employee Training: Conduct regular security awareness training for employees to recognise and avoid phishing and other social engineering attacks.
- Incident Response Plan: Develop and regularly update an incident response plan to quickly and effectively respond to security breaches.
- Monitoring and Logging: Implement comprehensive monitoring and logging to detect and respond to suspicious activities.
- Backup and Recovery: Regularly backup critical data and ensure you have a reliable disaster recovery plan in place.
- Third-Party Risk Management: Assess and manage risks associated with third-party vendors and suppliers.
- Encryption: Use encryption for sensitive data both at rest and in transit.
- Regular Audits: Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses.
By following these tips and best practices, organizations can substantially enhance their security posture and protect against various threats.
Enhancing Security Posture: An Interview with a Cybersecurity Expert
Editor:
As cyber threats continue to evolve, organizations are becoming more aware of the importance of robust security measures. Could you walk us through key best practices to enhance a company’s security posture?
Guest:
Certainly! one of the essential practices is patch management. Regularly updating software adn systems ensures that known vulnerabilities are patched, reducing the attack surface.
Next, strong authentication is crucial. Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all critical systems and applications significantly enhances security.
Network segmentation is another essential practice. Dividing your network into segments helps limit the spread of potential threats and ensures that a breach in one section doesn’t easily compromise the entire network.
Employee training is vital. Conducting regular security awareness training helps employees recognize and avoid phishing and other social engineering attacks. Remember, humans are frequently enough the weakest link in the security chain.
Incident response plan: develop and regularly update an incident response plan to quickly and effectively respond to security breaches. The faster you can react, the less impact a breach will have.
Monitoring and logging should be comprehensive. Implementing systems to detect and respond to suspicious activities is crucial for identifying and mitigating threats in real-time.
Backup and recovery is non-negotiable. Regularly back up critical data and ensure you have a reliable disaster recovery plan in place. This safeguards your data against loss due to cyber-attacks or natural disasters.
Third-party risk management is also important. Assess and manage risks associated with third-party vendors and suppliers.Their security practices can directly impact your own.
Encryption should be used for sensitive data both at rest and in transit. This ensures that data remains confidential even if intercepted.
Lastly, regular audits and vulnerability assessments are essential. These help identify and address potential weaknesses before they can be exploited.
Editor:
Thanks for explaining these best practices. Can you elaborate on the importance of monitoring and logging in enhancing security posture?
Guest:
Absolutely! Monitoring and logging are key components of a comprehensive security strategy. By continuously monitoring network traffic and system activities, you can quickly detect unusual patterns or suspicious behaviors that may indicate a breach or malicious activity. Logging provides a historical record of events, which is invaluable for retrospective analysis and forensic investigations.Armed with this information, organizations can take prompt corrective actions, minimize damage, and better understand how intrusions occurred, allowing them to improve their defenses over time.
Editor:
That’s very informative. What advice would you give to small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) who may not have the considerable resources available to larger enterprises?
Guest:
My advice to SMBs is to prioritize their efforts and investments. Focus on the fundamentals, such as strong authentication, employee training, and regular backups. Leverage cost-effective solutions, such as cloud-based security services, which offer robust features without the need for major upfront investments. Partnering with credible managed security service providers (MSSPs) can also be a valuable strategy,allowing smaller organizations to access expertise and technology they might not be able to afford in-house. Whatever their size, every business needs to recognize that cybersecurity is a critical investment in their future.
Editor:
That’s insightful. can you summarize the main takeaways from today’s discussion?
Guest:
Certainly. To enhance their security posture, organizations should focus on: patch management, strong authentication, network segmentation, employee training, incident response planning, comprehensive monitoring and logging, backup and recovery, third-party risk management, encryption, and regular audits. Each of these practices plays a vital role in creating a layered defense strategy that reduces vulnerabilities and mitigates risks associated with cyber threats.
Read more about best practices from our expert on enhancing your organization’s security posture.