Speaker 1: Hey everyone, and welcome back for another deep dive. Today,
Speaker 1: we're going to be cracking open the world of web
Speaker 1: penetration testing.
Speaker 2: Ooh exciting.
Speaker 1: Yeah, so you're curious about how to you know, find
Speaker 1: vulnerabilities and websites, right, like everybody is. So to guide
Speaker 1: us today, we have excerpts from Practical Web Penetration Testing
Speaker 1: by Gus.
Speaker 2: Kawaja excellent source.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's published by Packed Publishing. Okay, so this
Speaker 1: might sound a little intimidating, but don't worry it can be.
Speaker 1: We are here to make it fun and easy to understand.
Speaker 2: That's us.
Speaker 1: We'll even touch on some pretty cool tools like burp sweet,
Speaker 1: which is like having X ray vision for web traffic ooh,
Speaker 1: and even metasploit, which is like a hackers Swiss army knife.
Speaker 2: Nice. So yeah, it's a fascinating journey, yeah, from building
Speaker 2: your own hacking lab, oh yeah, to actually thinking like
Speaker 2: a hacker. Yeah. And the book it lays it all
Speaker 2: out in the way that really anyone can grasp.
Speaker 1: Yeah for sure. So let's start with the basics. You know,
Speaker 1: to practice hacking, you need a safe space to play, right,
Speaker 1: So this book it walks you through setting up your
Speaker 1: own virtual hacking lab.
Speaker 2: It's like building your own digital playground. And this book
Speaker 2: it uses this vulnerable web application called Mutiliday mutildy. Yeah,
Speaker 2: it's kind of a weird name, I know. Yeah, it's
Speaker 2: a type of ant, but the name kind of fits
Speaker 2: I think because it lets you poke around, okay and
Speaker 2: dissect it and you can set it up on either
Speaker 2: Windows or open to Linux.
Speaker 1: Okay. So like most major operating systems, yeah, exactly, and
Speaker 1: the book makes it surprisingly easy even if you're not,
Speaker 1: you know, a tech whiz. It really does installing things
Speaker 1: like XMPP, which might sound a little intimidating, right, it's
Speaker 1: a breeze with the step by step instructions.
Speaker 2: The book really does hold your hand through that whole setup. Yeah.
Speaker 2: But once you have your lab up and running, it's
Speaker 2: time to meet your new best friend, Collie Linux.
Speaker 1: Ah, Callie Linux. Yeah, the go to operating system for
Speaker 1: penetration testers. Absolutely, it's like this toolbox act with everything
Speaker 1: you need for like digital detective work. Right.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: So the book it covers installation and configuration and even
Speaker 1: how to navigate that command line which mandline Yeah can
Speaker 1: seem a little scary at first, right, but it's where
Speaker 1: the real magic happens.
Speaker 2: It is. It's like learning a secret language that lets
Speaker 2: you talk directly to the computer's core. Okay, you know.
Speaker 2: And the book dives into some essential concepts for setting
Speaker 2: up your virtual Collie machine, like the difference between bridged
Speaker 2: net and internal network configurations. Ah okay, These determine how
Speaker 2: your virtual machine interacts with your actual network. Okay, and
Speaker 2: understanding that is key to making sure you're playing safely
Speaker 2: yeah in your little digital sandbox.
Speaker 1: Right, so you don't want to don't want to mess
Speaker 1: up your break anything your actual computer, right right. It's
Speaker 1: like learning the rules of the road before you start
Speaker 1: like driving your virtual hacking machine around.
Speaker 2: Good analogy.
Speaker 1: So, speaking of secrets, did you know that the shadow
Speaker 1: file and call is where like those hashed passwords are stored.
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it's like a little digital vault, and we'll
Speaker 2: learn how to peek inside and see how those passwords
Speaker 2: are protected.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we get to see how the sausage is made.
Speaker 2: Exactly how it's made. EO. Now onto another powerful tool,
Speaker 2: burp suite. Oh yeah, this is where things get really
Speaker 2: really interesting because burp suite is like having X ray vision. Yeah,
Speaker 2: for web traffic.
Speaker 1: It's true.
Speaker 2: It's amazing.
Speaker 1: Burpsweet acts like a web proxy sitting between your browser
Speaker 1: and the website you're visiting, right, so you can see
Speaker 1: all the requests and responses going back and forth.
Speaker 2: It's like watching a secret conversation unfold. Yeah, right in
Speaker 2: front of you.
Speaker 1: You're spying on them. So what's really fascinating is that
Speaker 1: you can actually modify those requests and responses in real time.
Speaker 2: Yes, you can. Wow. So you can use Burke Suite
Speaker 2: to crawl an entire website, poking and prodding for vulnerabilities,
Speaker 2: and you can even craft your own custom attacks. Really,
Speaker 2: it's incredible.
Speaker 1: So it's like a hacker toolkit.
Speaker 2: Yes, at your Fingertipszy and Burps.
Speaker 1: We can also analyze a website structure to help you
Speaker 1: pinpoint weaknesses. It can, so it's like a bloodhound sniffing
Speaker 1: out vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2: It really is.
Speaker 1: That's really cool. Yeah, so let's talk about the vulnerabilities themselves. Okay,
Speaker 1: the book it breaks down common web vulnerabilities in a
Speaker 1: way that's really easy to understand, even if you don't code.
Speaker 2: It does. It does.
Speaker 1: For example, let's talk about file inclusion vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2: So imagine an attacker finding a way to exploit a
Speaker 2: website's code and access sensitive files on the server. Okay,
Speaker 2: things like configuration files or even password databases. Oh wow,
Speaker 2: in a worst case scenario. Right, So that's a file
Speaker 2: inclusion vulnerability in a nutshell.
Speaker 1: Okay, so like getting access to things that you shouldn't
Speaker 1: have access.
Speaker 2: To, exactly, got it?
Speaker 1: Yeah, and what about cross site scripting. I've heard that
Speaker 1: term thrown around, but I'm not entirely sure what it means.
Speaker 2: Yes, So, cross site scripting or EXSS is basically when
Speaker 2: an attacker injects malicious scripts, usually JavaScript, into a website. Okay,
Speaker 2: it's like planting a little trap that can steal user
Speaker 2: data okay, hijack their accounts oh wow, or even take
Speaker 2: control of their browser.
Speaker 1: That's really scary.
Speaker 2: Yeah it can be.
Speaker 1: So it's like slipping a secret note into a message
Speaker 1: and tricking the recipient into doing something that they didn't intend.
Speaker 2: That's a great analogy.
Speaker 1: Thanks. So the book dives into different types of EXSS attacks,
Speaker 1: like stored, reflected, and dom based, each with their own
Speaker 1: little quirks and dangers they do. So lots of variety there, Yeah,
Speaker 1: lots of variety. Okay. Starting to make sense.
Speaker 2: Now good.
Speaker 1: Another term I've heard is CSRF.
Speaker 2: Right, Cross site request forgery or CSRF is another sneaky one.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: It tricks users into performing actions they didn't intend to do. Okay,
Speaker 2: like unknowingly making a post on their social media or
Speaker 2: even transferring money from their bank account. Oh wow, so
Speaker 2: that's a bad one.
Speaker 1: It's like really devious, it is? It is anything else
Speaker 1: we should be aware of on our vulnerability watch lists.
Speaker 2: Yes, you can't forget the classic sequel injection. This was
Speaker 2: a favorite among attackers because databases hold a treasure trove
Speaker 2: of sensitive information.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2: Yeah, so it's a popular one.
Speaker 1: So how does SQL injection work?
Speaker 2: Well, it involves manipulating the way a website talks to
Speaker 2: its database. Okay, So imagine being able to slip in
Speaker 2: a secret command that forces the database to spill all
Speaker 2: of its secrets. Okay, or even give you control over
Speaker 2: the entire system. Oh wow, that's the power of SEQL injection.
Speaker 1: That sounds pretty scary.
Speaker 2: It can be, Yeah, it really can be. And the
Speaker 2: book uses utiliday our vulnerable web app to show you
Speaker 2: exactly how this attack works. You actually get to see
Speaker 2: how in SQL injection can completely bypass logins and expose
Speaker 2: all sorts of sensitive data.
Speaker 1: That's pretty cool it is. Now that's what I call
Speaker 1: hands on learning. Yeah, so we've got our lab set up,
Speaker 1: we're getting cozy with Callie Linux and yes, burp Suite,
Speaker 1: and we're starting to get a handle on some common
Speaker 1: web vulnerabilities. So what's next in our journey to becoming
Speaker 1: an ethical hacker?
Speaker 2: Okay? So now we're going to step into the world
Speaker 2: of professional penetration testing.
Speaker 1: Professional so like people get paid to do this.
Speaker 2: They do they do. Really, companies hire ethical hackers also
Speaker 2: known as penetration testers okay, to find vulnerabilities okay, before
Speaker 2: the bad guys do. Okay, And the book kind of
Speaker 2: walks us through how a real world engagement unfolds.
Speaker 1: So it's not just randomly like hacking into websites. No,
Speaker 1: there's an actual strategy involved.
Speaker 2: There is a very deliberate process, okay, and it starts
Speaker 2: with what's called the pre engagement phase.
Speaker 1: Pre engagement okay, tell me more.
Speaker 2: So it's all about preparation okay, and planning.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: So penetration testers they gather information about the target, the company,
Speaker 2: their systems, their web applications define the scope of the engagement.
Speaker 1: Okay, So they do their homework.
Speaker 2: They do their homework before they even touch a keyboard.
Speaker 2: And a crucial part of this phase is communication. Ah.
Speaker 2: Penetration testers need to be upfront with the client about
Speaker 2: what they'll be.
Speaker 1: Doing, how they'll be doing it, what the expected outcomes are.
Speaker 2: So it's not just about the technical skills, no, it's
Speaker 2: about communication, yes, and professionalism as well.
Speaker 1: It is.
Speaker 2: I'm guessing there are different approaches to penetration testing.
Speaker 1: There are There are three main types, black box, gray
Speaker 1: box and white box testing. Okay, so imagine it like this.
Speaker 1: Black box testing is like going into a maze blindfolded.
Speaker 2: Oh wow, you have.
Speaker 1: No knowledge of the layout. Yeah, you have to rely
Speaker 1: on your senses to find your way through.
Speaker 2: Sounds challenging, it can be okay.
Speaker 1: Then there's grey box testing okay, and that's more like
Speaker 1: having a map of the maze. Okay, but some areas
Speaker 1: are blurred out. You have some knowledge, but not the
Speaker 1: complete picture, so you have a little bit of a
Speaker 1: headste a little bit of a headstart. Ok And then
Speaker 1: there's white box testing okay, and that's like having the
Speaker 1: complete map of the maze, including all the secret passages
Speaker 1: and shortcuts.
Speaker 2: So it's like having insider information.
Speaker 1: You could say that.
Speaker 2: Okay, and each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. Yeah,
Speaker 2: and the choice really depends on the client's needs and
Speaker 2: the goals of the penetration test.
Speaker 1: Got it. So black box, blindfolded, gray box, a little
Speaker 1: bit of a map, and white box you have the
Speaker 1: full blueprint.
Speaker 2: You got it?
Speaker 1: Okay. What happens after the pre engagement phase?
Speaker 2: Okay, this is where we actually put on our hacker
Speaker 2: hats ooh and start thinking like the bad guys. Okay,
Speaker 2: but before we could dive into the technical stuff. Professional
Speaker 2: penetration testers, they engage in something called threat modeling.
Speaker 1: Threat modeling, Okay, break that down for me.
Speaker 2: So it's all about systematically analyzing the application to identify
Speaker 2: potential vulnerabilities.
Speaker 1: Okay.
Speaker 2: Imagine a hacker trying to break into a building. You'd
Speaker 2: scout it out, look for weak points, plan your attack Accordingly,
Speaker 2: threat modeling is basically doing that for a web application.
Speaker 1: So they're trying to anticipate how a hacker might target
Speaker 1: the system.
Speaker 2: Exactly, got it. It's a very proactive approach to secure
Speaker 2: so it's not.
Speaker 1: Just about finding existing vulnerabilities. It's about predicting where future
Speaker 1: vulnerabilities might arise.
Speaker 2: That's a great way to put it.
Speaker 1: Thanks.
Speaker 2: It's about understanding the application's attack surface okay, and identifying
Speaker 2: potential points of failure, so.
Speaker 1: Like a weak spot, yes, okay.
Speaker 2: And a key part of threat modeling is actually creating
Speaker 2: a visual representation of how data moves through the application, okay.
Speaker 2: And that's called a data flow diagram or DFD.
Speaker 1: Data flow diagram Okay.
Speaker 2: Taking that so it's like a map of the application's
Speaker 2: nervous system. It shows how data enters and exits the system,
Speaker 2: the processes it goes through, and where it's stored. And
Speaker 2: this helps penetration testers identify potential weak pointoints where data
Speaker 2: might be exposed or even tampered with.
Speaker 1: So it's like creating a blueprint for hacking, but in reverse.
Speaker 2: Yes, exactly. And once they have this map, they use
Speaker 2: it to identify potential threats okay. They consider things like spoofing,
Speaker 2: which is like faking identities, tampering with data, repudiation which
Speaker 2: is like denying actions, information disclosure, leaking sensitive data, denial
Speaker 2: of service, making the application unavailable, and elevation of privilege,
Speaker 2: gaining unauthorized access.
Speaker 1: Wow, that's a lot to consider. It is, so it
Speaker 1: sounds like they're trying to think of every possible way
Speaker 1: that a hacker could attack the system.
Speaker 2: That is the goal is to be as thorough as
Speaker 2: possible and to help categorize and assess these threats. They
Speaker 2: use frameworks like Stride and dread.
Speaker 1: Stride and dread, they'll sound like a superhero duo fighting cybercrime.
Speaker 2: They do, they do. They actually help penetration testers fight
Speaker 2: the bad guys. Okay, Stride it's actually an acronym for
Speaker 2: the different types of threats we just talked about spoofing, tampering, repudiation,
Speaker 2: information disclosure, denial of service, and elevation of privilege.
Speaker 1: So it's a handy way to remember all those.
Speaker 2: It is.
Speaker 1: It is different ways an attacker might try to exploit
Speaker 1: the system.
Speaker 2: Absolutely got it, and then dread. It's a framework for
Speaker 2: ranking the severity of those threats based on their potential damage, reproducibility, exploitability,
Speaker 2: affected users, and discoverability.
Speaker 1: Wow. Okay, so a whole bunch of factors, a lot
Speaker 1: of factors. So by using these frameworks, penetration testers can
Speaker 1: really prioritize which threats pose the most significant risk they
Speaker 1: can and need to be addressed first exactly. Okay, And
Speaker 1: the book provides a practical example of a completed threat
Speaker 1: modeling document showing how it all comes together. It does,
Speaker 1: so you can see an example, you can. Awesome. So
Speaker 1: we've covered pre engagement and threat modeling. Yes, what's the
Speaker 1: next step in this process?
Speaker 2: Okay? So once penetration testers they understand the application and
Speaker 2: its potential vulnerabilities, they can start digging into the code itself.
Speaker 1: Ah. So this is where it gets really technical.
Speaker 2: It can be, but it's a crucial part of the process,
Speaker 2: and that's where source code review comes in.
Speaker 1: Source code review okay, so break that down for me.
Speaker 1: What exactly are they looking for in this phase?
Speaker 2: So the goal of source code review is to find
Speaker 2: those hilly security flaws in the application's code. So it's
Speaker 2: like being a detective, right searching for clues at a
Speaker 2: crime scene, except the crime scene is lines of code.
Speaker 2: It could be a very meticulous process. Yeah, but but
Speaker 2: it can reveal vulnerabilities that other testing methods might miss.
Speaker 1: So they're reading through the code line by line sometimes
Speaker 1: looking for mistakes that could be exploited exactly.
Speaker 2: And there are two main approaches to source code review,
Speaker 2: manual and automated. So manual code review is like having
Speaker 2: a human detective carefully examine every piece of evidence, okay,
Speaker 2: whereas automated code review is more like using forensic tools
Speaker 2: to scan for specific patterns or anomalies. So it's kind
Speaker 2: of combining the power of human intuition and experience with
Speaker 2: the efficiency of these automated tools. Best of both worlds,
Speaker 2: Best of both worlds.
Speaker 1: The book provides a checklist of common secure coding practices,
Speaker 1: covering everything from authentication and authorization to session management and
Speaker 1: data validation. It does so it's like having a guidebook
Speaker 1: for building secure applications. It is, but in reverse, it
Speaker 1: helps you spot where things might have gone wrong exactly,
Speaker 1: got it. So, once they've completed the source code review,
Speaker 1: are they done?
Speaker 2: Not quite?
Speaker 1: Okay?
Speaker 2: Because web applications they don't exist in isolation. They rely
Speaker 2: on a whole network of supporting systems like servers, firewalls,
Speaker 2: and routers, and if those systems are vulnerable, the whole
Speaker 2: applications at risk.
Speaker 1: So it's like a chain reaction, it is.
Speaker 2: It is?
Speaker 1: Yeah, a single week link, Yes, can compromise.
Speaker 2: The whole thing, the whole system.
Speaker 1: So that's where network penetration testing comes in.
Speaker 2: That is where it comes in.
Speaker 1: Okay, this sounds like we're going deeper down the rabbit hole.
Speaker 2: We are going deeper.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm ready.
Speaker 2: So it's an essential part of the process, yeah, because
Speaker 2: it focuses on attacking the underlying infrastructure that supports that
Speaker 2: web application. Right. So it's a multi phase process that
Speaker 2: starts with information gathering okay, kind of like a spy
Speaker 2: gathering intel before emission.
Speaker 1: Okay, So information gathering, like they're doing reconnaissance. They're trying
Speaker 1: to learn as much as possible about the network they
Speaker 1: are Okay.
Speaker 2: They use a variety of techniques, including something called OSENT ohsent, yes,
Speaker 2: open source intelligence okay. And this involves collecting information from
Speaker 2: publicly available sources like where like company websites, social media profiles,
Speaker 2: public databases, news articles, blog posts, you name it.
Speaker 1: So they're piecing together a puzzle using publicly available information
Speaker 1: to try to build a picture of the target network exactly. Okay.
Speaker 1: And once they have a good understanding of the network,
Speaker 1: what do they do?
Speaker 2: Then they move on to vulnerability scanning.
Speaker 1: Vulnerability scanning so pretty self explanatory.
Speaker 2: Yeah, pretty much. Okay, so this is where they actually
Speaker 2: use tools like endmap to scan the network for those
Speaker 2: potential weaknesses end map.
Speaker 1: Remind me what that does again?
Speaker 2: Okay, So think of end map as a very powerful
Speaker 2: radar system for your network. So it sends out signals
Speaker 2: to identify open ports, determine what services are running on
Speaker 2: those ports, and even guess the operating system of the
Speaker 2: target machine.
Speaker 1: So it's like getting a detailed map of the network's terrain.
Speaker 1: It is highlighting all the potential points of entry exactly. Okay,
Speaker 1: And once they've identified these potential vulnerabilities, what happens then?
Speaker 2: Then the real fund begins?
Speaker 1: Ooh, tell me more.
Speaker 2: It's the exploitation phase.
Speaker 1: Exploitation that sounds a little ominous.
Speaker 2: It can be. Yeah, So this is where they actually
Speaker 2: try to exploit the vulnerabilities they've found. They might use
Speaker 2: a tool like metasploit to gain access to systems, escalate
Speaker 2: their privileges, or even take control of the entire network. Wow,
Speaker 2: so it's pretty.
Speaker 1: Powerful metasploid didn't we mention that earlier?
Speaker 2: Well, it's a framework for developing and executing exploits. It's
Speaker 2: kind of like a hacker's toolbox filled with these pre
Speaker 2: made tools and the ability to create custom ones.
Speaker 1: So they're not just identifying vulnerabilities, they're actually trying to
Speaker 1: break in. They are, but it's all done ethically, ethically
Speaker 1: with the client's permission.
Speaker 2: Yes, always with permission.
Speaker 1: Okay, So they've exploited the vulnerabilities. Are they done now?
Speaker 2: Almost? There's one more phase. It's called the post exploitation phase.
Speaker 1: Post exploitation, so what happens there?
Speaker 2: This is where they assess the damage? Okay, So they
Speaker 2: figure out what an attacker could actually do, okay, once
Speaker 2: they've gained access, So they're.
Speaker 1: Not just breaking in, they're seeing what they can get
Speaker 1: away with exactly.
Speaker 2: Okay. They might try to steal sensitive data, install backdoors
Speaker 2: for future access, or even use the compromise system to
Speaker 2: attack other systems on the network.
Speaker 1: That's a lot, it is. So it's not just about
Speaker 1: finding vulnerabilities, it's about understanding the potential impact it is
Speaker 1: and demonstrating the real world risks.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, this is.
Speaker 1: Really intense stuff. So we've covered pre engagement, threat modeling,
Speaker 1: source code review, and network penetration testing.
Speaker 2: Yes we have.
Speaker 1: I'm guessing the next step is to actually start testing
Speaker 1: the web application itself.
Speaker 2: You are correct, Okay, we've laid all the groundwork and
Speaker 2: now it's time to put everything together and perform those
Speaker 2: web intrusion tests.
Speaker 1: This is what we've been building up to, it is okay.
Speaker 1: So how did they actually go about testing the web application.
Speaker 2: It's a structured process. It starts with crawling the web
Speaker 2: application to actually map out its structure. Okay, So imagine
Speaker 2: those digital spiders we talked about earlier, but this time
Speaker 2: they're exploring every nook and cranny of the web app.
Speaker 1: So they're building a detailed map of the web apption
Speaker 1: identifying all the pages and features exactly. And while they're
Speaker 1: doing that, they're also looking for hidden content they are right,
Speaker 1: that might reveal sensitive information exactly, like secret files or
Speaker 1: directories that aren't meant to be publicly accessible. So it's
Speaker 1: like playing a digital detective game. It is searching for
Speaker 1: clues and piecing together information exactly. Okay. So once they
Speaker 1: have a good understanding of the web apps structure and
Speaker 1: potential weaknesses, what do they do Then they.
Speaker 2: Start actually testing for vulnerabilities.
Speaker 1: Okay, So this is where they put all their tools
Speaker 1: and techniques to the test.
Speaker 2: Exactly. They use a combination of automated and manual techniques
Speaker 2: to probe for those vulnerabilities. Okay, they use tools like
Speaker 2: burp suite to scan for common weaknesses. Yeah, but they'll
Speaker 2: also manually test for those more subtle flaws.
Speaker 1: So it's a mix of technology and human intuition.
Speaker 2: It is, it is.
Speaker 1: They're looking for things like cross site scripting vulnerabilities, SQL
Speaker 1: injection flaw, file inclusion weaknesses, authentication authorization bypasses, and many more.
Speaker 2: Yes, they are.
Speaker 1: Wow, a lot of ways a web application can be vulnerable.
Speaker 2: There are, there are, and that's why penetration testing is
Speaker 2: so important.
Speaker 1: Yea.
Speaker 2: It helps organizations uncover these vulnerabilities before the bad guys
Speaker 2: can exploit them.
Speaker 1: That's the whole point, makes sense. So once they've found
Speaker 1: some vulnerabilities, what's next?
Speaker 2: Then they need to assess the severity of each vulnerability
Speaker 2: because not all vulnerabilities are created equal. Some are minor
Speaker 2: annoyances and others could be catastrophic.
Speaker 1: So how do we assess the severity of a vulnerability?
Speaker 2: That's where the Common Vulnerability Scoring System or CVSS comes in.
Speaker 1: CVSS right a way to rank the severity of vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2: It is like giving them a risk rating. Got it?
Speaker 2: So CVSS takes into account things like how easy is
Speaker 2: it to actually exploit the vulnerability, what's the potential damage
Speaker 2: if a successful exploit, where to happen, and are there
Speaker 2: any known mitigations or workarounds.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about finding vulnerabilities, it's about understanding
Speaker 1: how dangerous they are exactly. And the book provides practical
Speaker 1: examples of how to actually calculate CVFS scores, showing how
Speaker 1: different factors can influence that overall severity rating. So it's
Speaker 1: a really valuable tool for prioritizing remediation efforts. It is,
Speaker 1: so we've identified the vulnerabilities, assess their severity, and now
Speaker 1: it's time to share our findings with the client. It is,
Speaker 1: and that brings us to the final yes, and arguably
Speaker 1: the most important step in the web intrusion testing process.
Speaker 1: It is reporting.
Speaker 2: Yes, reporting, So reporting.
Speaker 1: This is where we translate all of our technical findings
Speaker 1: into a language that the client can understand and act
Speaker 1: upon exactly exactly okay. So a well written report can
Speaker 1: make the difference between a successful penetration test that leads
Speaker 1: to meaningful security improvements and one that just ends up ignored.
Speaker 2: It really can.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm starting to see how important this is. But
Speaker 1: I have to admit, when I think of penetration testing,
Speaker 1: I picture hackers, you know, hunched over glowing screens, fingers
Speaker 1: flying across keyboards. Reporting doesn't exactly scream.
Speaker 2: Action packed, No it doesn't.
Speaker 1: So what makes a good penetration testing report?
Speaker 2: So a good report it tells a story, a story,
Speaker 2: a compelling narrative that grabs the reader's attention and motivates
Speaker 2: them to actually take action. Remember, we're not just presenting data,
Speaker 2: we're explaining the risks and offering solutions. So we need
Speaker 2: to bridge the gap between the technical world of penetration
Speaker 2: testing and the business world of decision making.
Speaker 1: So we're like translators.
Speaker 2: We are translators.
Speaker 1: Yeah, bridging the gap between the technical world and the
Speaker 1: business world exactly. Okay, So where do we even begin?
Speaker 1: What are the key elements of an effective penetration testing report?
Speaker 2: Okay, so the book offers a very helpful sample report template. Okay,
Speaker 2: but let's break down those essential components. So we start
Speaker 2: with an executive summary, followed by the methodology section. Then
Speaker 2: we dive into the findings, and finally we lay out
Speaker 2: clear recommendations.
Speaker 1: Perfect. Let's start with that executive summary. Why is it
Speaker 1: so important?
Speaker 2: So think of the executive summary as the elevator pitch
Speaker 2: for your report. It's a high level overview of the
Speaker 2: entire penetration test, summarizing those key findings, the overall risk assessment,
Speaker 2: and the most critical recommendation.
Speaker 1: So it's the TLDR version exactly for busy executives who
Speaker 1: might not have time to read the entire report, got it.
Speaker 2: So it needs to be concise, impactful, and very easy
Speaker 2: to digest.
Speaker 1: Okay. So what comes after that impactful executive summary?
Speaker 2: Okay? Then comes the methodology section. Okay, So this is
Speaker 2: where transparency is key. You explain how you conducted the
Speaker 2: penetration test, the tools and techniques that you used, the
Speaker 2: scope of the engagement. Okay, So you want to give
Speaker 2: the client a clear understanding of how you approach the
Speaker 2: test and any limitations of your findings.
Speaker 1: So it's not just about the results, now, it's not.
Speaker 1: It's about explaining the process it is and being upfront
Speaker 1: about any constraints or assumptions exactly. Okay. Now for the
Speaker 1: finding section, okay, So this is where we get into
Speaker 1: the nitty gritty details, right, Yes it is. This is
Speaker 1: where you present the vulnerabilities you discovered, along with a
Speaker 1: detailed description of each one exactly. But remember we're not
Speaker 1: just listing out technical jargon here, No, we need to
Speaker 1: explain the vulnerabilities in plain language. We do highlighting the
Speaker 1: potential impact of a successful exploit. Absolutely, So instead of
Speaker 1: saying we found a cross site scripting vulnerability in the
Speaker 1: input field on page X, we'd say something like an
Speaker 1: attacker could inject malicious code into this form, potentially stealing
Speaker 1: user Welcome back. Last time, we explored a ton from
Speaker 1: setting up our hacking lab to understanding common vulnerabilities. We've
Speaker 1: been touched on that automation with Python.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's power stuff.
Speaker 1: But now it's time to get hands on and see
Speaker 1: how this all comes together in a real world web
Speaker 1: intrusion test. So imagine we're those ethical hackers hired to
Speaker 1: test a company's website. Where do we even begin.
Speaker 2: Well, before we jump into the web application itself, let's
Speaker 2: revisit the web server vulnerability assessment.
Speaker 1: Remember endmap, Yeah, that handy tool we use to scan
Speaker 1: the server for open ports and potential vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2: Exactly. It's like we were mapping out the server's terrain
Speaker 2: right identifying those potential entry points.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've scanned the server. What's next on our
Speaker 1: penetration testing checklist, It's time to fire up burpsuite.
Speaker 2: Put on our detective heads now, make sure intercept is
Speaker 2: on in the proxy tab. This is like setting up
Speaker 2: a surveillance camera, capturing all the communication between your browser
Speaker 2: and that web server.
Speaker 1: So as we browse the web application, burpsuite is secretly
Speaker 1: recording everything happening behind the scenes.
Speaker 2: Precisely click on links, submit forms, use the search functions,
Speaker 2: even try different user roles if the application allows it.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we're simulating how a real user would interact
Speaker 1: with the web app. But with burpsuite capturing every click,
Speaker 1: every request, every response, I'm starting to see how this
Speaker 1: gives us powerful insight into how the application works.
Speaker 2: And as you browse, keep an eye on burp's target tab.
Speaker 2: That's your dashboard showing the site map, requests, responses, everything
Speaker 2: verb is intercepting. Okay, this is where you start piecing
Speaker 2: together the puzzle, looking for clues that might reveal vulnerabilities.
Speaker 1: Okay, but browsing every single page manually could take forever,
Speaker 1: especially with a large web app.
Speaker 2: You're right, that's where automation comes in. Burpsuite has these
Speaker 2: awesome features spider and content discovery. Think of them as
Speaker 2: those automated web crawlers, those digital spiders.
Speaker 1: We talked about, right, So we unleash these spiders to
Speaker 1: explore the website, mapping out its structure, uncovering all the
Speaker 1: hidden pages and files.
Speaker 2: Precisely, they systematically crawl through the web application, follow links,
Speaker 2: and index everything they find.
Speaker 1: Got it.
Speaker 2: Now, while those spiders are busy, we can start looking
Speaker 2: for other clues that might reveal sensitive information. A good
Speaker 2: place to start the robots dot txt file.
Speaker 1: Robots dot txt Remind me what that is again?
Speaker 2: Basically, it's a set of instructions for those search engine bots,
Speaker 2: telling them which parts of the website they should and
Speaker 2: shouldn't index. But sometimes it can accidentally reveal hidden directories
Speaker 2: or files that weren't meant to be public.
Speaker 1: Ah, so it's like stumbling upon a secret map leading
Speaker 1: to hidden treasures like sensitive data or can fig files.
Speaker 2: Exactly. We're looking for anything that could help us understand
Speaker 2: the application better or potentially exploit it. Things like database
Speaker 2: connection strings, API keys, even backup files.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've crawled the web application, scan the server,
Speaker 1: scoured the robots dot txt file for hidden treasures. What's next?
Speaker 2: Now the real fun begins. Burp suite has compiled a
Speaker 2: list of all those pages and files that discovered during crawling.
Speaker 2: We go through each one methodically testing for vulnerabilities.
Speaker 1: So this is where we put on our hacker hats
Speaker 1: and try to break things.
Speaker 2: Not break things, but more like gently poke and prod
Speaker 2: for weaknesses. It's a stress test for the web application.
Speaker 2: We're applying pressure to see where it cracks.
Speaker 1: Okay, I like that analogy. So how do we actually
Speaker 1: test these pages and files?
Speaker 2: We start by sending each request to burpsuite scanner. It's
Speaker 2: like an automated security guard checking for those common vulnerabilities
Speaker 2: sequal injection, cross site scripting, and many more.
Speaker 1: So it's like having a robot do the initial screening,
Speaker 1: flagging anything suspicious exactly.
Speaker 2: But even the most sophisticated tools can miss things, so
Speaker 2: we also need to do some manual testing.
Speaker 1: Got it. So we combine the speed of automation with
Speaker 1: the intuition and experience of a human penetration tester.
Speaker 2: You got about and to guide that manual testing. The
Speaker 2: book provides a comprehensive checklist of common web age vulnerabilities.
Speaker 1: Okay, so what's on this checklist?
Speaker 2: It covers things like input validation issues, cross site scripting vulnerabilities,
Speaker 2: sequal injection flaws, file inclusion weaknesses, authentication and authorization bypasses,
Speaker 2: and many more.
Speaker 1: Wow, a lot to consider. But the specific tests we
Speaker 1: do will depend on the type of page. Right, A
Speaker 1: log in page will have different vulnerabilities than a simple content.
Speaker 2: Page, absolutely, and that's why the book also has checklists
Speaker 2: for special pages, log in pages, registration forms, password reset functions,
Speaker 2: and file upload mechanisms.
Speaker 1: Oh so really targeted testing?
Speaker 2: Yes, very targeted.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've gone through the checklists and uncovered a
Speaker 1: few vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2: What now, Now we got to determine how serious these
Speaker 2: vulnerabilities are. Not all vulnerabilities are created equal, Some are
Speaker 2: minor annoyances while others could be catastrophic.
Speaker 1: Right, that makes sense. So how do we assess how
Speaker 1: severe a vulnerability is?
Speaker 2: That's where the Common Vulnerability Scoring System or CVSS comes in.
Speaker 2: Remember that scoring system we mentioned.
Speaker 1: Right, like giving vulnerabilities or risk grading exactly.
Speaker 2: CVSS takes into account factors like how easy is it
Speaker 2: to exploit, what's the potential damage if exploited? Are there
Speaker 2: mitigations or workarounds?
Speaker 1: Okay, so it's not just finding them, it's understanding their
Speaker 1: impact and prioritizing. A minor vulnerability that's hard to exploit
Speaker 1: might not be a big deal, but a critical one
Speaker 1: needs immediate action.
Speaker 2: You got it. And the book shows how to calculate
Speaker 2: those CVSS scores, demonstrating how different factors can influence the
Speaker 2: overall rating. It's a great tool for prioritizing remediation efforts.
Speaker 1: Okay, so we've identified the vulnerabilities, assess their severity, and
Speaker 1: now it's time to share our findings with the client.
Speaker 2: Right exactly, And that brings us to the final and
Speaker 2: arguably the most important step in web intrusion testing. Reporting.
Speaker 1: Welcome back to our deep dive into practical web penetration testing.
Speaker 2: Yeah, we're in the home stretch. Now.
Speaker 1: We've been through setting up a lab, exploring tools like burpsuite, Metasploid,
Speaker 1: even touched on Python automation.
Speaker 2: A lot of ground covered, but now we got to
Speaker 2: talk about a crucial part that often gets overlooked.
Speaker 1: Reporting, Absolutely, reporting is that bridge between the technical work
Speaker 1: and the actions the client needs to take to improve
Speaker 1: their security.
Speaker 2: So a good report makes the difference between a successful
Speaker 2: penetratation test, one that actually leads to change, right, meaningful change,
Speaker 2: and one that just sits on a shelf.
Speaker 1: Pretty much.
Speaker 2: I gotta admit, when I think penetration testing, I picture,
Speaker 2: you know, hackers in the dark, typing away furiously. Yeah,
Speaker 2: the Hollywood image reporting doesn't exactly screen action pack to me,
Speaker 2: what's the big deal?
Speaker 1: It's much more than just listing vulnerabilities. A good report
Speaker 1: tells a story, one that resonates with the client and
Speaker 1: makes them want to take action.
Speaker 2: A story. So it's not just about data.
Speaker 1: No, there's definitely an art to it. Imagine you've spent days,
Speaker 1: weeks digging into a web application, finding weaknesses, exploiting them,
Speaker 1: understanding those risks. Okay, yeah, Now you have to explain
Speaker 1: all that technical stuff to someone who might not be
Speaker 1: technical at all, right, like the client, who might not
Speaker 1: know code or how an exploit even works.
Speaker 2: Well, exactly. The report has to be clear, concise, and
Speaker 2: make them want to do something about it. Highlight the impact,
Speaker 2: explain the risks, and offer solutions.
Speaker 1: Okay, So it's like being a translator, almost bridging that
Speaker 1: gap between tech stuff and business decision.
Speaker 2: You got it.
Speaker 1: Okay, I'm seeing the importance now, But how do we
Speaker 1: even start. What makes a good report?
Speaker 2: Well, the book gives us a template, but let's break
Speaker 2: it down. We start with an executive summary.
Speaker 1: Okay, the executive summary, Why is that so important?
Speaker 2: Think of it as the elevator pitch for the whole report.
Speaker 2: It's high level, key findings, overall risk, the most important recommendations.
Speaker 1: So the TLDR for busy people who won't read the
Speaker 1: whole thing.
Speaker 2: Exactly, concise, impactful, easy to understand.
Speaker 1: Got it. What's next?
Speaker 2: Methodology? Here's where we're transparent. Explain how we did, the
Speaker 2: test tools, techniques, the scope of what we looked at.
Speaker 1: Okay, so the client understands our process.
Speaker 2: Right and any limitations. We're upfront about assumptions constraints so
Speaker 2: they know how reliable the findings are.
Speaker 1: Makes sense now, the finding section. This is where we
Speaker 1: get into the nitty gritty.
Speaker 2: Yes, presenting the vulnerabilities with a good description of each one.
Speaker 2: But remember not just jargon, write plain language. Explain it
Speaker 2: so anyone can get it and highlight the impact if
Speaker 2: someone were to exploit.
Speaker 1: This, So instead of saying cross site scripting vulnerability on
Speaker 1: page X, we'd say an attacker could inject code, steal data,
Speaker 1: takeover accounts.
Speaker 2: Exactly, make it real, show the risks, and include those
Speaker 2: cvsscores too, so they see how severe it is.
Speaker 1: Okay, got it, explain it, impact severity. What else goes
Speaker 1: in the finding.
Speaker 2: Steps to reproduce it so the client's developers can actually
Speaker 2: try it themselves, confirm we're right, a proof, and then recommendations.
Speaker 2: This is where we shift from problem to solution.
Speaker 1: So we're not just complaining, we're offering fixes.
Speaker 2: Exactly, and be clear, don't just say fix the cross
Speaker 2: site scripting. Offer real solutions specific to their tech and
Speaker 2: how they do things.
Speaker 1: So for that cross site scripting we might recommend output
Speaker 1: in coding or input validation exactly.
Speaker 2: The more concrete the solution, the more likely they'll actually
Speaker 2: do it.
Speaker 1: Okay, So we have executive summary, methodology, findings with details
Speaker 1: and fixes. What else?
Speaker 2: Two more things? A history log mm hmm, what we
Speaker 2: did when, all the details like our activity.
Speaker 1: Record so if there are questions later we can back
Speaker 1: it up right.
Speaker 2: And lastly, appendices for extra stuff too technical for the
Speaker 2: main report. Screenshots, code, diagrams, whatever supports our findings.
Speaker 1: So a complete picture, well documented.
Speaker 2: Exactly, give the client everything they need to understand, verify
Speaker 2: and fix the problems.
Speaker 1: This has been eye opening. I really get the importance
Speaker 1: of a good report now. So concise summary, clear methodology,
Speaker 1: detailed findings with fixes, a history log and appendicies for proof.
Speaker 2: You got it. Remember the report isn't just a document.
Speaker 2: It starts a conversation penetration testers and client working together,
Speaker 2: understanding the risks making things more secure.
Speaker 1: Well, folks. That wraps up our deep dive into practical
Speaker 1: web penetration testing. We've covered tools, techniques, vulnerability is the
Speaker 1: whole process.
Speaker 2: From building labs to writing reports. It's been quite a journey.
Speaker 1: But the biggest takeaway penetration testing isn't about breaking things
Speaker 1: for fun.
Speaker 2: It's about making things better.
Speaker 1: Working together, improving security, protecting against those attacks.
Speaker 2: Helping organizations build stronger, more resilient systems.
Speaker 1: Maybe some of you listening will even be inspired to
Speaker 1: join this field, become the ethical hackers of tomorrow, making
Speaker 1: the digital world a safer place.
Speaker 2: That would be awesome.
Speaker 1: So keep learning, keep exploring, keep pushing the boundaries of cybersecurity.
Speaker 1: Be curious until next time, Stay vigilant, and keep on
Speaker 1: diving deep