Playbook: web applications
Note: Run Burpsuite or another proxy in the background during all of this activity.
The Basement
Is the website encrypted (HTTPS)?
SSL/TLS encryption version, algorithms, key length. testssl or sslscan is good for this
Check for outdated web server software (Adobe, Tomcat, etc) - nitko can help
Check for outdated ASP.net etc libraries
Run Nikto or another web vulnerability scanner just to find low-hanging fruit
Check for DNS information with https://dnsdumpster.com/
Authentication
Try to sign up for a new account.
Click through the "Forgot my password" process.
See if there's any path that's guessable, like security questions
2FA: If 2FA requires a 4 digit code or similar, it may be possible to brute-force.
File Discovery
Run gobuster, dirbuster, feroxbuster, etc to discover directories and files
Look through Google or other search engine results for files "hidden in plain sight"
Check for a robots.txt file for unpublished pages
Putting stuff on the website
Look for user-provided input like search bars, contact forms
Look for paths to upload files. Tips: https://kathan19.gitbook.io/howtohunt/file-upload-bypass/file_upload
If they're restricted, try renaming extensions, passing client-side checks, or making other changes
User access (you have a set of credentials)
Log in, look around
Look for unauthorized direct access via Autorize (a plugin for Burp)
Flaws to look for:
OWASP Top Ten is the fundamental guidebook on the most common vulnerabilities to look for.
XSS (Cross Site Scripting)
IDOR (Insecure Direct Object)
CSRF (Cross Site Request Forgery)
Additional references:
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