In this video, Microsoft Developer shares insights from Michael Howard, who explains why SSRF is a critical security threat developers must be aware of.

Why Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) Is a Top Cloud Security Concern

Featuring: Michael Howard (Microsoft)

Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) has emerged as a significant security bug, particularly in modern cloud applications. In this video, Michael Howard discusses:

  • What is SSRF?
    • SSRF is a web security vulnerability that allows an attacker to induce the server-side application to make HTTP requests to an arbitrary domain chosen by the attacker.
  • Why SSRF is dangerous:
    • Traditionally considered obscure, SSRF now poses a real threat as more applications and services move to the cloud.
    • Attackers can exploit SSRF to access internal resources, metadata endpoints, or other services which are otherwise inaccessible.
  • Why developers must pay attention:
    • Modern infrastructure increases the attack surface.
    • SSRF can bypass network restrictions and firewall controls.
  • Prevention and mitigation tips:
    • Validate and sanitize user-supplied URLs.
    • Avoid responding to requests using sensitive server credentials.
    • Implement network segmentation and least privilege principles.

Reference: Check out the Microsoft Security Blog for deeper insights and best practices.

SSRF is now a high-priority issue that every developer working with web or cloud technologies should understand and actively protect against.