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Introduction
On January 25, 2026, B K Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology (BKBIET), Pilani, hosted a one-day workshop on Cyber Security, drawing over 100 participants from Computer Science and related technical branches. The event, led by industry experts Mr. Siddharth Singh from Appflayer and Mr. Dheeraj Madhukar—a renowned freelance security researcher and trainer—focused on demonstrating the effective use of security tools while cautioning against their misuse. This workshop underscored a critical industry reality: in an era of escalating cybercrime, academic institutions must equip students with practical, offensive security skills to meet current industry demands. The following article extracts the technical essence of such training, providing a comprehensive guide to the core competencies of modern penetration testing, from OSINT automation to cloud hardening.
Learning Objectives
- Master OSINT and Attack Surface Mapping: Learn to automate the discovery of sensitive data and exposed assets using tools like
back-me-up,gau, andkatana. - Execute Web and API Penetration Testing: Understand and apply methodologies to identify and exploit OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities in web applications and APIs.
- Implement Cloud Security Hardening: Acquire practical skills to audit and secure cloud infrastructures (AWS, Azure, GCP) against common misconfigurations and identity-based attacks.
You Should Know
1. OSINT Automation and Sensitive Data Leakage Detection
Modern bug bounty hunting and penetration testing begin with extensive reconnaissance. The goal is to map the target’s external attack surface by discovering subdomains, exposed endpoints, and juicy files that may contain sensitive information. Tools like Dheeraj Madhukar’s `back-me-up` automate this process by executing multiple utilities to collect URLs from internet archives and then applying RegEx patterns to identify data leaks.
Step-by-step guide to setting up an automated OSINT pipeline on Linux:
1. Installation:
Clone the back-me-up repository git clone https://github.com/Dheerajmadhukar/back-me-up.git cd back-me-up Install dependencies (Go tools) go install -v github.com/projectdiscovery/katana/cmd/katana@latest go install -v github.com/lc/gau/v2/cmd/gau@latest go install -v github.com/tomnomnom/waybackurls@latest
2. Passive Subdomain Enumeration:
Use tools like `subfinder` and `assetfinder` to discover subdomains.
subfinder -d example.com -o subdomains.txt
3. URL Collection:
Feed the subdomains into `gau` (Get All URLs) and `waybackurls` to fetch historical URLs from the Wayback Machine.
cat subdomains.txt | gau --subs | tee all_urls.txt cat subdomains.txt | waybackurls >> all_urls.txt
4. Active Crawling:
Use `katana` to perform active crawling of the live websites.
katana -list subdomains.txt -d 5 -ps -pss waybackarchive -o crawled_urls.txt
5. Sensitive Data Leakage Detection:
Use `grep` with custom RegEx patterns to search for API keys, secrets, and juicy file extensions (e.g., .env, .git, .json).
cat all_urls.txt | grep -E ".(env|git|json|yaml|log|sql|bak|conf|config)" | tee sensitive_files.txt cat all_urls.txt | grep -E "(api[_-]?key|secret|token|password)" | tee potential_secrets.txt
- Web Application Penetration Testing with Burp Suite and OWASP ZAP
Web applications remain the primary attack vector for data breaches. A structured approach using intercepting proxies and automated scanners is essential for identifying common vulnerabilities like SQL Injection (SQLi), Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and authentication flaws. The core workflow involves intercepting HTTP traffic, analyzing requests, and crafting exploits.
Step-by-step guide for a web application penetration test using OWASP ZAP on Linux:
1. Setup Proxy:
Launch OWASP ZAP and configure your browser to use ZAP’s proxy (default: localhost:8080).
2. Spidering:
Use ZAP’s “Spider” tool to crawl the target web application and discover all accessible pages and endpoints.
3. Automated Scanning:
Right-click on the target site in ZAP’s “Sites” tree and select “Attack” -> “Active Scan”. ZAP will automatically test for a wide range of vulnerabilities.
4. Manual Testing with Repeater:
Identify a request with user inputs (e.g., a search bar or login form). Send it to the “Repeater” tool to manually modify parameters.
5. Exploiting SQL Injection:
Insert a classic SQLi payload into a parameter (e.g., ' OR '1'='1).
GET /products?id=1' OR '1'='1 HTTP/1.1 Host: example.com
If the application returns all products, the parameter is vulnerable.
6. Exploiting XSS:
Inject a JavaScript payload into a parameter that reflects back to the page.
<script>alert('XSS')</script>
7. Bypassing 403 Forbidden:
As demonstrated by tools like `4-ZERO-3` (created by Dheeraj Madhukar), often developers misconfigure access controls. Try adding headers like `X-Original-URL: /admin` or `X-Forwarded-For: 127.0.0.1` to bypass restrictions.
3. API Security Testing
APIs are the backbone of modern applications and are often overlooked in security assessments. The OWASP API Security Top 10 highlights risks like Broken Object Level Authorization (BOLA/Broken Access Control), Broken Authentication, and Excessive Data Exposure. Testing APIs requires a shift from traditional web app testing, focusing on JSON/XML payloads and authentication tokens like JWTs.
Step-by-step guide for API security testing using Postman and custom scripts:
1. Analyze the OpenAPI Spec:
Obtain the OpenAPI (Swagger) specification file (openapi.json or swagger.yaml) to understand all endpoints, parameters, and authentication requirements.
2. Automated Scanning with OFFAT:
Use the OWASP OFFAT (OFFensive Api Tester) tool to automatically test API endpoints.
Clone OFFAT git clone https://github.com/OWASP/OFFAT.git cd OFFAT Run tests against the OpenAPI spec python3 offat.py -f /path/to/openapi.json
This tool automatically generates tests and fuzzes inputs to find vulnerabilities.
3. Testing for IDOR (Insecure Direct Object References):
In Postman, intercept a request that fetches a user’s data (e.g., GET /api/users/123). Change the ID to another user’s ID (e.g., GET /api/users/124). If you can access another user’s data without proper authorization, the API is vulnerable.
4. Testing for Mass Assignment:
In a `POST /api/users` request to create a user, add an extra parameter like "is_admin": true. If the application creates an admin user, it’s vulnerable.
{
"username": "attacker",
"password": "password123",
"is_admin": true
}
5. JWT Weakness Testing:
Check for JWTs with the `none` algorithm. Use tools like `jwt_tool` to test for this.
python3 jwt_tool.py <JWT_TOKEN> -X a -alg none
4. Cloud Security Hardening (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Cloud misconfigurations are a leading cause of data breaches. The shared responsibility model means that while the cloud provider secures the infrastructure, you are responsible for securing your data, configurations, and access controls. Implementing CIS benchmarks and using automated tools are key to hardening cloud environments.
Step-by-step guide for auditing and hardening an AWS environment:
1. Install AWS CLI and Configure Credentials:
pip3 install awscli aws configure
2. Enable CloudTrail:
Ensure CloudTrail is enabled in all regions for comprehensive audit logging of all API calls.
aws cloudtrail create-trail --1ame my-trail --s3-bucket-1ame my-bucket aws cloudtrail start-logging --1ame my-trail
3. Check S3 Bucket Permissions:
One of the most common misconfigurations is publicly accessible S3 buckets.
aws s3api get-bucket-acl --bucket my-bucket aws s3api get-bucket-policy --bucket my-bucket
Ensure the bucket policy does not contain `”Effect”: “Allow”` with `”Principal”: “”` and "Action": "s3:GetObject".
4. Harden IAM:
Enforce MFA for all users and remove unused IAM users and roles. Apply the principle of least privilege.
aws iam list-users aws iam list-mfa-devices --user-1ame <username>
5. Automated Hardening with Terraform:
Use community modules that implement CIS benchmarks to automate the hardening process. For example, the `security-hardening-cloud` project provides Terraform modules for AWS, GCP, and Azure.
module "aws_hardening" {
source = "dmytrobazeliuk-devops/security-hardening-cloud/aws"
version = "~> 1.0"
... configuration ...
}
5. Advanced OSINT with Shodan and Automation
Moving beyond standard web searches, Shodan provides a window into the internet’s exposed infrastructure. Dheeraj Madhukar’s “karma v2” automation leverages the Shodan Premium API to find deep information, WAF/CDN bypassed IPs, and exposed internal infrastructure. This approach is invaluable for penetration testers mapping a target’s true attack surface.
Step-by-step guide to using Shodan for infrastructure discovery:
1. Obtain a Shodan Premium API Key:
A free API key is very limited. A premium key is required for comprehensive automation like karma v2.
2. Search for SSL Certificates:
Use SSL SHA1 checksums to find all IPs associated with a specific certificate, which can help discover hidden assets.
shodan search ssl.cert.sha1:"<SHA1_HASH>"
3. Filter by Organization:
Search for IPs belonging to the target organization.
shodan search org:"Target Company"
4. Find Favicon Hashes:
Download the favicon from the target website, generate its mmh3 hash, and search for it on Shodan to find other sites using the same favicon, often indicating shared infrastructure.
import mmh3
import requests
response = requests.get("https://example.com/favicon.ico")
favicon_hash = mmh3.hash(response.content)
print(favicon_hash)
shodan search http.favicon.hash:<HASH_VALUE>
5. Automate with nuclei:
Use the `nuclei` tool with custom templates to scan discovered IPs for known CVEs and vulnerabilities.
nuclei -l ip_list.txt -t cves/ -severity critical,high
What Undercode Say:
- Key Takeaway 1: Practical, hands-on training is non-1egotiable. The BKBIET workshop’s success highlights that theoretical knowledge is insufficient. Students and professionals must engage with the actual tools and techniques used by both defenders and attackers. The demonstrations by experts like Dheeraj Madhukar, who bridge the gap between academic concepts and real-world exploitation, are invaluable for developing a security mindset.
- Key Takeaway 2: The attack surface is expanding and automating. From OSINT pipelines like `back-me-up` to cloud infrastructure, the modern attack surface is vast and complex. The only way to keep pace is through automation. Security professionals must become proficient in scripting, using APIs, and orchestrating tools to efficiently discover and remediate vulnerabilities. The future of cybersecurity lies in DevSecOps, where security is integrated from the start, not bolted on at the end.
Prediction:
- -1 The “toolification” of hacking will lower the barrier to entry for malicious actors. As powerful, automated tools become more accessible, script kiddies and less-skilled threat actors will be able to launch sophisticated attacks. This will lead to a surge in automated, large-scale attacks, forcing organizations to adopt equally automated defense mechanisms. The focus will shift from perimeter security to identity and zero-trust architectures.
- +1 AI-driven security operations will become the standard. To counter the rise of automated attacks, the industry will rapidly adopt AI and machine learning for threat detection, incident response, and even penetration testing. We will see the emergence of “Autonomous Penetration Testing” platforms that can continuously scan, exploit, and remediate vulnerabilities without human intervention, fundamentally changing the role of the security analyst.
- -1 The cybersecurity skills gap will widen. Despite the proliferation of workshops and training programs, the demand for truly skilled professionals will outpace supply. The complexity of cloud, API, and AI security requires a deep, multidisciplinary understanding that short-term workshops cannot fully provide. This will drive up salaries for top talent but leave many organizations vulnerable, creating a lucrative market for managed security service providers (MSSPs).
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