Injection Vulnerabilities
Last updated
Last updated
An injection flaw is a vulnerability which allows an attacker to relay malicious code through an application to another system. This can include compromising both backend systems as well as other clients connected to the vulnerable application.
The effects of these attacks include:
Allowing an attacker to execute operating system calls on a target machine
Allowing an attacker to compromise backend data stores
Allowing an attacker to compromise or hijack sessions of other users
Allowing an attacker to force actions on behalf of other users or services
Many web applications depend on operating system features, external programs, and processing of data queries submitted by users. When a web application passes information from an HTTP request as part of an external request, set up a way to scrub and validate the message. Otherwise an attacker can inject special (meta) characters, malicious commands/code, or command modifiers into the message.
In addition to Command Injection, SQLi and XSS, there are several other common web attacks that malicious actors may use to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications. Here are a few notable ones:
HTTP Method Tampering: is a type of security vulnerability that can be exploited in web apps, that occurs when an attacker manipulates the HTTP request method used to interact with a web server.
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): CSRF attacks trick users into unknowingly submitting a web request on a site where they are authenticated. This can lead to actions being performed on the user's behalf without their consent.
Cross-Site Script Inclusion (XSSI): XSSI attacks involve an attacker including external scripts in a web page, often exploiting misconfigurations in the application's content security policy.
Clickjacking: Clickjacking involves hiding malicious actions behind a legitimate-looking interface. Users unknowingly interact with the hidden elements, allowing attackers to perform actions on their behalf.
Security Misconfigurations: Improperly configured security settings, such as default passwords or unnecessary services running, can expose vulnerabilities that attackers exploit.
File Inclusion Attacks: This includes Local File Inclusion (LFI) and Remote File Inclusion (RFI). LFI occurs when an attacker can include files on a server through the web browser. RFI occurs when an attacker can include remote files, often from a malicious server.
XML External Entity (XXE) Attacks: XXE attacks exploit vulnerabilities in XML processors by injecting malicious XML content. This can lead to disclosure of internal files or denial of service.
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF): SSRF attacks involve tricking a server into making unintended requests, often to internal resources, which can lead to unauthorized access or data exposure.
Brute Force Attacks: Attackers attempt to gain access to user accounts by systematically trying all possible combinations of usernames and passwords.
Session Hijacking and Session Fixation: Session hijacking involves stealing a user's session token to gain unauthorized access. Session fixation involves setting a user's session token, often through phishing, to hijack their session later.
🔬 There are many vulnerable testing web apps like:
