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Zip bombs are a classic way to crash any web service that allows you to upload files, modern AV will sometimes fuck up and bite into the file (normally in the legacy fields since they require 'brand name' 'well known' antivirus like 'Norton')

Especially if you are aware that they open the files to "extract info" from them. You can modify the file extension to the correct type and let it rip.




I found this: https://github.com/abdulfatir/ZipBomb which I will be looking into today! Are zipbombs typically something a developer should be actively writing to protect against? Or does a library like Helmet typically provide protection against these attack vectors?


Protection generally comes in the fact that the AV will explode or your library will explode. You just need to ensure that such an explosion does not destroy your service as well.


And try to make it explode quickly -- if it fails slowly, it can be uses to DDoS, by getting all your worker threads to spend most of their time on your files.


Don't rely on libraries, just sort yourself out with learning the basics :)


Not trying to be lazy here, but what are some legitimate resources to begin learning? I'm willing to wade through the complexity, so white papers or research is also very welcome.


Owasp presentations, Blackhat presentations, etc. usually give you a general idea of what people are seeing and then you research the specific attack(s) in depth. This isn't the sort of thing you can commit to memory.

https://www.owasp.org/images/c/c9/Benelux_day_20161125_G_Pel...




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