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Deny URL Sequences <denyUrlSequences>

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Overview

The <denyUrlSequences> element contains a collection of <add> elements that specify sequences of URL characters that IIS will deny, which helps prevent URL-based attacks on the Web server.

For example, using two periods in a URL ("..") will instruct a server to process the URL in the next higher directory, but it may also indicate that an attacker is trying to gain access to areas outside of the content area. Blocking that pattern of characters will remove this chance of an attacker being able to exploit this URL sequence.

Note

When request filtering blocks an HTTP request because of a denied URL sequence, IIS 7 will return an HTTP 404 error to the client and log the following HTTP status with a unique substatus that identifies the reason that the request was denied:

HTTP Substatus Description
404.5 URL Sequence Denied

This substatus allows Web administrators to analyze their IIS logs and identify potential threats.

Note

Beginning in IIS 7.5, you can override the URL sequences in the <denyUrlSequences> collection by adding URL sequences to the <alwaysAllowedUrls> collection.

Compatibility

Version Notes
IIS 10.0 The <denyUrlSequences> element was not modified in IIS 10.0.
IIS 8.5 The <denyUrlSequences> element was not modified in IIS 8.5.
IIS 8.0 The <denyUrlSequences> element was not modified in IIS 8.0.
IIS 7.5 The <denyUrlSequences> element was not modified in IIS 7.5.

Note: IIS 7.5 allows you to override the URL sequences in the <denyUrlSequences> element by adding URL sequences to the <alwaysAllowedUrls> collection.
IIS 7.0 The <denyUrlSequences> element of the <requestFiltering> collection was introduced in IIS 7.0.
IIS 6.0 The <denyUrlSequences> element replaces the IIS 6.0 UrlScan [DenyUrlSequences] features.

Setup

The default installation of IIS 7 and later includes the Request Filtering role service or feature. If the Request Filtering role service or feature is uninstalled, you can reinstall it using the following steps.

Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2

  1. On the taskbar, click Server Manager.
  2. In Server Manager, click the Manage menu, and then click Add Roles and Features.
  3. In the Add Roles and Features wizard, click Next. Select the installation type and click Next. Select the destination server and click Next.
  4. On the Server Roles page, expand Web Server (IIS), expand Web Server, expand Security, and then select Request Filtering. Click Next.
    Screenshot showing the Windows server 2012 or 2012 R 2 expanded Security (Installed) list. Request Filtering (Installed) is highlighted. .
  5. On the Select features page, click Next.
  6. On the Confirm installation selections page, click Install.
  7. On the Results page, click Close.

Windows 8 or Windows 8.1

  1. On the Start screen, move the pointer all the way to the lower left corner, right-click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.
  2. In Control Panel, click Programs and Features, and then click Turn Windows features on or off.
  3. Expand Internet Information Services, expand World Wide Web Services, expand Security, and then select Request Filtering.
    Screenshot of the Windows 8 or 8.1 Features dialog. Request Filtering is highlighted.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Click Close.

Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2

  1. On the taskbar, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager.
  2. In the Server Manager hierarchy pane, expand Roles, and then click Web Server (IIS).
  3. In the Web Server (IIS) pane, scroll to the Role Services section, and then click Add Role Services.
  4. On the Select Role Services page of the Add Role Services Wizard, select Request Filtering, and then click Next.
    Screenshot of the Windows Server 2008 or 2008 R 2 Add Role Services window. Request Filtering is highlighted.
  5. On the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install.
  6. On the Results page, click Close.

Windows Vista or Windows 7

  1. On the taskbar, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. In Control Panel, click Programs and Features, and then click Turn Windows Features on or off.
  3. Expand Internet Information Services, then World Wide Web Services, and then Security.
  4. Select Request Filtering, and then click OK.
    Screenshot of the Windows Vista or Windows 7 Features dialog. Request Filtering is highlighted.

How To

Note for IIS 7.0 users: Some of the steps in this section may require that you install the Microsoft Administration Pack for IIS 7.0, which includes a user interface for request filtering. To install the Microsoft Administration Pack for IIS 7.0, please see the following URL:

How to deny a URL sequence

  1. Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager:

    • If you are using Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2:

      • On the taskbar, click Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

    • If you are using Windows 8 or Windows 8.1:

      • Hold down the Windows key, press the letter X, and then click Control Panel.
      • Click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

    • If you are using Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2:

      • On the taskbar, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

    • If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7:

      • On the taskbar, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
      • Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

  2. In the Connections pane, go to the connection, site, application, or directory for which you want to modify your request filtering settings.

  3. In the Home pane, double-click Request Filtering.
    Screenshot of the I I S Manager window. The Request Filtering icon is highlighted.

  4. In the Request Filtering pane, click the Deny URL Sequences tab, and then click Add URL Sequence... in the Actions pane.
    Screenshot of the I I S Manager window showing Request Filtering in the main pane.

  5. In the Add Deny Sequence dialog box, enter the URL sequence that you wish to block, and then click OK.
    Screenshot of the Add Deny Sequence dialog.
    For example, to prevent directory transversal on your server, you would enter two periods ("..") in the dialog box.

Configuration

The <denyUrlSequences> element of the <requestFiltering> element is configured at the site, application, or directory level.

Attributes

None.

Child Elements

Element Description
add Optional element.

Adds a sequence to the collection of denied URL sequences.
clear Optional element.

Removes all references to sequences from the <denyUrlSequences> collection.
remove Optional element.

Removes a reference to a sequence from the <denyUrlSequences> collection.

Configuration Sample

The following example Web.config file will deny access to three URL sequences. The first sequence prevents directory transversal, the second sequence prevents access to alternate data streams, and the third sequence prevents backslashes from being used in URLs.

<configuration>
   <system.webServer>
      <security>
         <requestFiltering>
            <denyUrlSequences>
               <add sequence=".." />
               <add sequence=":" />
               <add sequence="\" />
            </denyUrlSequences>
         </requestFiltering>
      </security>
   </system.webServer>
</configuration>

The following sample illustrates a combination of a <denyUrlSequences> element and an <alwaysAllowedUrls> element that will deny any URLs if they contain either of two specific character sequences, but will always allow a specific URL that contains both of those two specific character sequences in a particular order.

<system.webServer>
   <security>
      <requestFiltering>
         <denyUrlSequences>
            <add sequence="bad" />
            <add sequence="sequence" />
         </denyUrlSequences>
         <alwaysAllowedUrls>
            <add url="/bad_sequence.txt" />
         </alwaysAllowedUrls>
      </requestFiltering>
   </security>
</system.webServer>

Sample Code

The following code samples demonstrate how to deny access to three URL sequences for the Default Web Site: directory transversals (".."), alternate data streams (":"), and backslashes ("").

AppCmd.exe

appcmd.exe set config "Default Web Site" -section:system.webServer/security/requestFiltering /+"denyUrlSequences.[sequence='..']" 

appcmd.exe set config "Default Web Site" -section:system.webServer/security/requestFiltering /+"denyUrlSequences.[sequence=':']" 

appcmd.exe set config "Default Web Site" -section:system.webServer/security/requestFiltering /+"denyUrlSequences.[sequence='\']"

PowerShell

Start-IISCommitDelay

$denyUrlSequences = Get-IISConfigSection -CommitPath 'Default Web Site' -SectionPath 'system.webServer/security/requestFiltering' | Get-IISConfigCollection -CollectionName 'denyUrlSequences'

New-IISConfigCollectionElement -ConfigCollection $denyUrlSequences -ConfigAttribute @{ 'sequence' = '..' }
New-IISConfigCollectionElement -ConfigCollection $denyUrlSequences -ConfigAttribute @{ 'sequence' = ':' }
New-IISConfigCollectionElement -ConfigCollection $denyUrlSequences -ConfigAttribute @{ 'sequence' = '\' }

Stop-IISCommitDelay

C#

using System;
using System.Text;
using Microsoft.Web.Administration;

internal static class Sample
{
   private static void Main()
   {
      using (ServerManager serverManager = new ServerManager())
      {
         Configuration config = serverManager.GetWebConfiguration("Default Web Site");

         ConfigurationSection requestFilteringSection = config.GetSection("system.webServer/security/requestFiltering");

         ConfigurationElementCollection denyUrlSequencesCollection = requestFilteringSection.GetCollection("denyUrlSequences");

         ConfigurationElement addElement = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateElement("add");
         addElement["sequence"] = @"..";
         denyUrlSequencesCollection.Add(addElement);

         ConfigurationElement addElement1 = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateElement("add");
         addElement1["sequence"] = @":";
         denyUrlSequencesCollection.Add(addElement1);

         ConfigurationElement addElement2 = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateElement("add");
         addElement2["sequence"] = @"\";
         denyUrlSequencesCollection.Add(addElement2);

         serverManager.CommitChanges();
      }
   }
}

VB.NET

Imports System
Imports System.Text
Imports Microsoft.Web.Administration

Module Sample

Sub Main()
      Dim serverManager As ServerManager = New ServerManager
      Dim config As Configuration = serverManager.GetWebConfiguration("Default Web Site")
      Dim requestFilteringSection As ConfigurationSection = config.GetSection("system.webServer/security/requestFiltering")
      Dim denyUrlSequencesCollection As ConfigurationElementCollection = requestFilteringSection.GetCollection("denyUrlSequences")

      Dim addElement As ConfigurationElement = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateElement("add")
      addElement("sequence") = ".."
      denyUrlSequencesCollection.Add(addElement)

      Dim addElement1 As ConfigurationElement = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateElement("add")
      addElement1("sequence") = ":"
      denyUrlSequencesCollection.Add(addElement1)

      Dim addElement2 As ConfigurationElement = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateElement("add")
      addElement2("sequence") = "\"
      denyUrlSequencesCollection.Add(addElement2)

      serverManager.CommitChanges()
   End Sub

End Module

JavaScript

var adminManager = new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.ApplicationHost.WritableAdminManager');
adminManager.CommitPath = "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST/Default Web Site";
var requestFilteringSection = adminManager.GetAdminSection("system.webServer/security/requestFiltering", "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST/Default Web Site");
var denyUrlSequencesCollection = requestFilteringSection.ChildElements.Item("denyUrlSequences").Collection;

var addElement = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateNewElement("add");
addElement.Properties.Item("sequence").Value = "..";
denyUrlSequencesCollection.AddElement(addElement);

var addElement1 = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateNewElement("add");
addElement1.Properties.Item("sequence").Value = ":";
denyUrlSequencesCollection.AddElement(addElement1);

var addElement2 = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateNewElement("add");
addElement2.Properties.Item("sequence").Value = "\\";
denyUrlSequencesCollection.AddElement(addElement2);

adminManager.CommitChanges();

VBScript

Set adminManager = WScript.CreateObject("Microsoft.ApplicationHost.WritableAdminManager")
adminManager.CommitPath = "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST/Default Web Site"
Set requestFilteringSection = adminManager.GetAdminSection("system.webServer/security/requestFiltering", "MACHINE/WEBROOT/APPHOST/Default Web Site")
Set denyUrlSequencesCollection = requestFilteringSection.ChildElements.Item("denyUrlSequences").Collection

Set addElement = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateNewElement("add")
addElement.Properties.Item("sequence").Value = ".."
denyUrlSequencesCollection.AddElement(addElement)

Set addElement1 = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateNewElement("add")
addElement1.Properties.Item("sequence").Value = ":"
denyUrlSequencesCollection.AddElement(addElement1)

Set addElement2 = denyUrlSequencesCollection.CreateNewElement("add")
addElement2.Properties.Item("sequence").Value = "\"
denyUrlSequencesCollection.AddElement(addElement2)

adminManager.CommitChanges()