Web Security Attacks: Learning Resources

TL;DR

This guide lists practical resources to learn about common web security attacks and how they work. It covers everything from basic concepts to hands-on practice.

1. Understand the Basics

Before diving into specific attacks, grasp these core concepts:

• HTTP/HTTPS: How websites communicate.
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript: The building blocks of web pages.
• Databases (SQL): Where website data is stored.
• Common Web Architectures: Client-server model, REST APIs.

Resources:

• Mozilla Developer Network (MDN): Excellent documentation on web technologies – https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/
• OWASP Top 10: A list of the most critical web security risks – https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/

2. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

XSS lets attackers inject malicious scripts into websites viewed by other users.

• Types: Reflected, Stored, DOM-based.
• Prevention: Input validation and output encoding are key!

Resources:

• PortSwigger Web Security Academy: Interactive labs for learning XSS – https://portswigger.net/web-security (specifically the XSS section)
• XSS Cheat Sheet: A comprehensive guide to XSS payloads and bypasses – https://www.xss-sheet.com/

Example (Reflected XSS):

<script>alert('XSS')</script>

3. SQL Injection

SQL injection allows attackers to manipulate database queries, potentially gaining access to sensitive data.

• How it works: Exploiting vulnerabilities in how web applications handle user input when constructing SQL queries.
• Prevention: Use parameterized queries or prepared statements. Never concatenate user input directly into SQL queries!

Resources:

• PortSwigger Web Security Academy: Interactive labs for learning SQL Injection – https://portswigger.net/web-security (specifically the SQL Injection section)
• SQL Injection Cheat Sheet: Payloads and techniques – https://www.sql-injection.com/

Example (Basic SQL Injection):

' OR '1'='1

4. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

CSRF forces users to perform unwanted actions on a web application they are authenticated with.

• How it works: Exploiting trust a website has in a user’s browser.
• Prevention: Use CSRF tokens, SameSite cookies, and check the Origin header.

Resources:

• PortSwigger Web Security Academy: Interactive labs for learning CSRF – https://portswigger.net/web-security (specifically the CSRF section)

5. Authentication and Session Management Attacks

Attacks targeting how users log in and stay logged in.

• Brute Force: Trying many passwords.
• Session Hijacking: Stealing a user’s session cookie.
• Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR): Accessing resources without proper authorization.

Resources:

• OWASP Authentication Cheat Sheet: Best practices for secure authentication – https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/Authentication

6. Practice Platforms

Hands-on practice is crucial.

• PortSwigger Web Security Academy: Excellent labs covering a wide range of attacks.
• Hack The Box: More advanced challenges, often requiring real-world skills – https://www.hackthebox.com/
• TryHackMe: Guided learning paths and virtual machines – https://tryhackme.com/

7. Tools

• Burp Suite: A web proxy for intercepting and modifying HTTP traffic (free community edition available).
• OWASP ZAP: Another free web security scanner.