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What is directory traversal vulnerability?
Directory traversal (also known as file path traversal) is a web security vulnerability that allows an attacker to read arbitrary files on the server that is running an application. This might include application code and data, credentials for back-end systems, and sensitive operating system files.
What is a directory traversal attack sometimes referred to as?
Directory traversal is also known as the ../ (dot dot slash) attack, directory climbing, and backtracking. Some forms of this attack are also canonicalization attacks.
What is LDAP injection flaw?
LDAP injection is a vulnerability in which queries are constructed from untrusted input without prior validation or sanitization. LDAP uses queries constructed from predicates that involve the use of special characters (e.g., brackets, asterisks, ampersands, or quotes).
What can be done with a directory traversal vulnerability?
An attacker that exploits a directory traversal vulnerability is capable of compromising the entire web server. There are two security mechanisms that web servers use to restrict user access: root directory and Access Control Lists (ACLs). The root directory is the top-most directory on a server file system.
How are attackers able to exploit application vulnerabilities?
Attackers are able to exploit vulnerabilities in application code by sending URLs to the web server that instruct the server to return specific files to the application. For this method to work, the attacker must find a URL in which an application retrieves a file from the web server.
Where does directory traversal rank on the list?
Directory traversal, also known as path traversal, ranks #13 on the CWE/SANS Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Errors. 1 Directory traversal attacks use web server software to exploit inadequate security mechanisms and access directories and files stored outside of the web root folder.
What can be done to prevent root directory traversal?
For starters, programmers should be trained to validate user input from browsers. Input validation ensures that attackers cannot use commands, such as SQL injection that leave the root directory or violate other access privileges. Beyond this, filters can be used to block certain user input.