๐ Web Application Security
Master web application penetration testing - From OWASP Top 10 to advanced exploitation
Intermediate LevelOverview
Web Application Security is a critical domain in modern cybersecurity. This comprehensive track covers everything from basic web vulnerabilities to advanced exploitation techniques used in professional web application security assessments.
๐ Professional Web Security
While this guide covers web security fundamentals, enterprise web applications require thorough professional assessment. For organizations in Portugal seeking expert web application security testing, Pentesting.pt provides comprehensive web security assessment services following OWASP guidelines and industry best practices.
Learning Objectives
- Master the OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities and their exploitation
- Develop advanced SQL injection techniques
- Understand Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in all its forms
- Learn authentication and session management bypass techniques
- Master API security testing methodologies
- Develop expertise in modern web application architectures
๐ด OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
A01: Broken Access Control
Understanding and exploiting access control failures in web applications.
- Vertical privilege escalation
- Horizontal privilege escalation
- IDOR (Insecure Direct Object References)
- Missing function-level access controls
A02: Cryptographic Failures
Identifying and exploiting weak cryptographic implementations.
- Weak encryption algorithms
- Insufficient entropy
- Improper certificate validation
- Plaintext storage of sensitive data
A03: Injection Attacks
Comprehensive injection vulnerability exploitation techniques.
- SQL injection (Union, Boolean, Time-based)
- NoSQL injection
- Command injection
- LDAP and XPath injection
๐ Advanced SQL Injection
Manual SQL Injection
Hand-crafted SQL injection techniques for bypassing complex filters.
- Union-based data extraction
- Boolean-based blind injection
- Time-based blind injection
- Error-based information disclosure
Filter Bypass Techniques
Advanced methods for bypassing WAFs and input filters.
- Comment-based bypass
- Encoding and obfuscation
- Alternative syntax exploitation
- Second-order injection
Database-Specific Exploitation
Leveraging database-specific features for advanced exploitation.
- MySQL privilege escalation
- PostgreSQL code execution
- MSSQL xp_cmdshell abuse
- Oracle PL/SQL exploitation
โก Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Reflected XSS
Exploiting reflected XSS vulnerabilities for maximum impact.
- Payload construction and encoding
- Filter bypass techniques
- Browser-specific exploitation
- Social engineering integration
Stored XSS
Persistent XSS exploitation and payload development.
- Persistent payload injection
- Self-XSS to stored XSS escalation
- Administrative interface targeting
- Worm development concepts
DOM-based XSS
Client-side XSS exploitation in modern JavaScript applications.
- Source and sink identification
- JavaScript payload crafting
- Framework-specific vulnerabilities
- Mutation XSS (mXSS)
๐ Authentication & Session Management
Authentication Bypass
Techniques for bypassing authentication mechanisms.
- Username enumeration
- Password policy analysis
- Multi-factor authentication bypass
- OAuth and SAML vulnerabilities
Session Management Attacks
Exploiting weaknesses in session handling mechanisms.
- Session fixation attacks
- Session hijacking techniques
- JWT token manipulation
- Cookie security analysis
Password Recovery Exploitation
Attacking password reset and recovery mechanisms.
- Token prediction and manipulation
- Race condition exploitation
- Security question bypass
- Email-based attack vectors
๐ CSRF & SSRF Attacks
Cross-Site Request Forgery
CSRF attack development and exploitation techniques.
- CSRF token bypass methods
- SameSite cookie bypass
- JSON-based CSRF attacks
- File upload CSRF exploitation
Server-Side Request Forgery
SSRF exploitation for internal network access and data extraction.
- Internal service enumeration
- Cloud metadata exploitation
- File system access via SSRF
- Protocol smuggling techniques
Advanced SSRF Techniques
Sophisticated SSRF exploitation methods and bypass techniques.
- DNS rebinding attacks
- URL parsing confusion
- Gopher protocol exploitation
- Time-based SSRF
๐ก API Security Testing
REST API Testing
Comprehensive REST API security assessment methodologies.
- API endpoint discovery
- Authentication mechanism analysis
- Rate limiting bypass
- API versioning vulnerabilities
GraphQL Security
GraphQL-specific vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques.
- Introspection query abuse
- Query depth and complexity attacks
- Field suggestion attacks
- Batch query exploitation
API Authentication
Testing various API authentication and authorization mechanisms.
- JWT token manipulation
- API key enumeration
- OAuth 2.0 flow vulnerabilities
- HMAC signature bypass
๐งช Hands-on Lab: Complete Web Application Assessment
Objective: Perform a comprehensive security assessment of a vulnerable web application.
Duration: 6-8 hours
Skills Practiced: OWASP Top 10, manual testing, tool integration, reporting
Start Lab Exercise๐ ๏ธ Essential Tools
Proxy Tools
- Burp Suite: Professional web application security testing
- OWASP ZAP: Free security testing proxy
- Caido: Modern web security testing tool
- HTTP Toolkit: HTTP debugging and testing
Specialized Tools
- SQLMap: Automated SQL injection testing
- XSStrike: Advanced XSS detection suite
- Wfuzz: Web application fuzzer
- Arjun: HTTP parameter discovery
API Testing Tools
- Postman: API development and testing
- Insomnia: REST and GraphQL client
- GraphQL Voyager: GraphQL schema visualization
- Kiterunner: API endpoint discovery
๐ Recommended Resources
- The Web Application Hacker's Handbook - Comprehensive web security reference
- Real-World Bug Hunting - Practical bug bounty methodology
- Breaking into Information Security - Career guidance and skills
- OWASP Testing Guide - Official testing methodology
- PortSwigger Web Security Academy - Interactive learning platform
๐ฏ Certification Alignment
eJPT & eCPPTv2 Web Application Testing
This module covers essential web application testing for certifications:
- โ Web Application Penetration Testing
- โ OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities
- โ Manual Testing Techniques
- โ Tool Integration and Automation
๐ Learning Progress
Track your web application security skills:
Complete the sections above to track your progress
Frequently Asked Questions
What is web application security?
Web application security focuses on protecting websites and online services against threats and vulnerabilities.
What topics are covered in this roadmap?
OWASP Top 10, SQL injection, XSS, API security, and hands-on labs.
Who should use this roadmap?
Anyone interested in web application penetration testing or secure development.