padbuster https://target.com/page.aspx encryptedVIEWSTATE <block-size> -cookies "ASP.NET_SessionId=..." -encoding Base64 This attack succeeds only if the X-AspNet-Version: 4.0.3 is confirmed and no upgrade has been performed.
Response.Headers.Remove("X-AspNet-Version"); x-aspnet-version 4.0.3 vulnerabilities
Date: April 14, 2026 Classification: Technical Advisory / Hardening Guide 1. Executive Summary The X-AspNet-Version HTTP response header is automatically added by IIS-hosted ASP.NET web applications to disclose the exact .NET Framework version (e.g., 4.0.3 ). While this behavior is intended to aid debugging, in production environments, it provides an unnecessary information disclosure that facilitates targeted attacks. This paper details the risks associated with exposing X-AspNet-Version: 4.0.3 , the specific vulnerabilities relevant to that version, and actionable mitigation strategies. 2. Background: What is X-AspNet-Version? When an ASP.NET application handles a request (e.g., .aspx , .ashx , or MVC routes), the runtime automatically appends a response header similar to: padbuster https://target