So guys, in this article we are going to discuss the complete roadmap of web application penetration testing, in which we will explore basic to advanced web application penetration testing and bug bounty hunting. We will learn about various tools and techniques.
Web Application Penetration testing
First of all, we should know about Web Application Pen-testing. Basically, Web Application Pen-testing is a process in which we either take a contract from a company or a company hires us as an ethical hacker for their security. We perform a complete pentest on their infrastructure to secure them and help them to maintain their security. In return, the company pays us a considerable amount. The pentest I used was for the complete infrastructure. But the topic we are exploring here is Web Application Pen-testing, which means we have to maintain the security of our client’s websites and improve their website security. As a Web Application Pen-tester, we discover bugs in our clients’ websites that could be critical or have high severity. Then we patch them so that our clients remain secure and no one can exploit these bugs to harm their business in the future.
Common Web Vulnerabilities
We have common vulnerabilities in web security that we need to learn. These vulnerabilities include SQL Injection, NoSQL Injection, Command Injection, LDAP Injection, XPath Injection, Server-Side Template Injection, Code Injection, Log Injection, CRLF Injection, and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). In Cross-Site Scripting, there are different types of XSS, including Stored-Based XSS, Reflected XSS, and DOM-Based XSS.
Authentication and Authorization Attacks
In Authentication and Authorization Attacks, the first vulnerability we face is broken authentication, followed by broken access control. Then we study sub-privilege escalation or perform it. After that, we explore Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR), then we learn about Missing Authentication for critical functions, Password-related attacks like brute force attacks, credentials stuffing, password spraying, and directory attacks.
Session Management Attacks
In session management attacks, we study session fixation, session hijacking, or session timeout.
It is essential to study insecure deserialization topics as they become advanced. Practicing them is also crucial. You can learn all of this in PortSwigger’s learning path.
Sensitive Data Exposure
There are three main vulnerabilities in sensitive data exposure, including insecure storage of sensitive data, information leakage, improper error handling, and insecure data transfer.
Recon Techniques
So we use Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) for Recon Techniques. We discover subdomains using various methods such as subdomain brute-forcing, permutation, etc. We also use DNS Enumeration.
Exploitation Tools
BurpSuite is always at the top of our list for exploitation tools, followed by OWASP ZAP, SQLmap, and Nmap. We use these tools to exploit vulnerabilities. We have many other tools at our disposal as well.
Automation
If you can automate your learning process, it will be beneficial. You can automate most things in bug bounty and web security using scripts, especially if you have knowledge of Bash or Python. You can also use other people’s automation tools, but you won’t benefit as much.
Best Practices
Read as many mediums as possible, such as blogs and Twitter, and follow security researchers, ethical hackers, and bug bounty hunters who regularly upload resources. On social media, link yourself with those who have similar interests and expertise. Focus on developing your skills and practicing through CTFs on platforms like Hack The Box and TryHackMe. Develop a systematic approach that helps you in your hunting.
Share what you learn on social media platforms with your friends. If you have any doubts, they can help you clear them up.
Maximize your chances of finding vulnerabilities.
Focus entirely on reconnaissance or information gathering. If you find a security flaw, exploit it carefully, create a POC, and submit it in a well-documented form. Whenever you find a vulnerability, keep in mind responsible disclosure and do not share it with anyone until it has been patched. After patching, if the company allows you to write about it, you can continue.
Attract potential employers or clients.
Create your blog or YouTube channel and start posting content. You can hunt for clients on social media because they will see your work, and if they like it, they will approach you.
All the best, I hope from this article your Web Application Penetration Testing Roadmap concept will be cleared.
learn about Input Vulnerabilities in Web Applications