In this article, we'll discuss advanced web application penetration testing techniques that will help you do just that. By performing penetration testing on your web application you find security flaws like a hacker to determine how secure it is. Learning how to hack like a pro can help you improve the security of your own systems and protect yourself from malicious attacks.
Stages of penetration testing:
Before you can start penetration testing, you need to understand the various stages of the process. These are:
- Reconnaissance: This involves gathering information about the target website. This can be done through active methods (such as port scanning) or passive methods (such as Google searches).
- Scanning: The next stage is scanning, which involves using tools to identify potential vulnerabilities in the system.
- Exploitation: This is where you try to exploit any security flaws you've discovered. If successful, this can give you access to sensitive data or allow you to take control of the system.
- Post-exploitation: This is the final stage, and it involves consolidating your access to the system and trying to find any additional vulnerabilities that you can exploit.
Attacks you can perform:
Web applications can be targeted in a variety of ways.
SQL injection:
In this attack, a malicious individual can execute harmful SQL commands on a database. This can be used to view, modify, or delete data from the database.
Cross-site scripting:
In this attack, a malicious individual inserts dangerous code into a website. This can be used to redirect users to malicious websites, steal passwords, or even take control of the user's browser.
Cross-site request forgery:
An attack that allows an attacker to submit fraudulent requests to a web application is known as cross-site request forgery. This can be used to change user passwords, make purchases without the user's knowledge, or even delete data from the database.
These were only a few of the most common attacks.
Performing the attack:
Now that you know about some of the most common types of attacks, let's discuss how to perform them.
SQL injection:
To perform a SQL injection attack, the attacker needs to find a vulnerable input field on a web page. By examining the page's source code or using a web application scanner, you may find a vulnerable input field. Once the attacker has found a vulnerable input field, they can enter malicious SQL code into it.
Cross-site scripting:
To perform a cross-site scripting attack, the attacker needs to find a vulnerable web page. Inspect the source code of a web page to look for a vulnerability. An attacker can also use a web application scanner to find vulnerable web pages. Once the attacker has found a vulnerable web page, they can inject malicious code into it.
Cross-site request forgery:
To perform a cross-site request forgery attack, the attacker needs to find a vulnerable web page. Inspect the source code of a web page to look for a vulnerability. An attacker can also use a web application scanner to find vulnerable web pages. Once the attacker has found a vulnerable web page, they can send illegitimate requests to it.
Tips and tricks to keep in mind:
Now that you know how to perform some of the most common web application attacks, here are a few tips and tricks to help you be more successful:
- Use a web proxy tool such as Burp Suite or Fiddler to intercept and modify traffic.
- Use a web application scanner to automatically find vulnerabilities.
- Use a password cracker such as Hydra to brute-force passwords.
- Use a vulnerability exploitation framework such as Metasploit or Core Impact to automate attacks.
You'll be well on your way to becoming a web application hacking expert with these suggestions and methods in mind.
Other ways to protect your systems:
Now that you know how to hack like a pro, let's discuss how to protect your systems from these attacks.
- Use a web application firewall.
- Use input validation to prevent malicious inputs.
- Use output encoding to prevent cross-site scripting attacks.
- Use encryption on sensitive data.
- Control access to resources and data with adequate authorisation and authentication.
In addition to penetration testing, these tips should help you better defend yourself from attacks.
Conclusion
Web applications are a common target for attackers. By learning how to perform some of the most common attacks, you can help keep your systems safe. Remember to use a WAF, input validation, output encoding, encryption, and authentication and authorization to help protect your systems from these attacks.
