Microsoft Expands Bug Bounty Program: 6 New Domains for XSS Hunters!

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Introduction:

Microsoft has broadened its Identity Bug Bounty scope, adding six new domains—opening fresh opportunities for ethical hackers and bug bounty hunters. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) remains a critical vulnerability, and tools like xss0r (store.xss0r.com) can help testers uncover flaws efficiently.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand Microsoft’s latest bug bounty scope expansion.
  • Learn key XSS exploitation techniques using xss0r.
  • Master reconnaissance and payload testing on newly added domains.

1. Reconnaissance: Enumerating Microsoft’s New Domains

Before testing, identify subdomains and endpoints. Use OSINT tools like Amass and Subfinder:

Linux Command:

amass enum -d microsoft.com -config config.ini -o microsoft_subs.txt 
subfinder -d microsoft.com -o subdomains.txt

What This Does:

  • Amass performs DNS enumeration, discovering subdomains.
  • Subfinder collects subdomains from public sources.

How to Use:

1. Install tools via `go install`:

go install github.com/owasp-amass/amass/v3@latest 
go install github.com/projectdiscovery/subfinder/v2/cmd/subfinder@latest

2. Run commands, then merge results:

cat microsoft_subs.txt subdomains.txt | sort -u > all_subs.txt

2. XSS Payload Testing with xss0r

xss0r automates XSS payload generation. Test stored/reflected XSS:

Command:

python3 xss0r.py -u "https://target.com/search?q=<XSS>" -p basic

What This Does:

  • Injects payloads like <script>alert(1)</script>.
  • Detects vulnerable parameters.

How to Use:

1. Clone the repo:

git clone https://github.com/xss0r/xss0r.git

2. Run against a target URL with vulnerable input.

3. Windows PowerShell: Testing API Security

Check for insecure API endpoints in new domains:

PowerShell Command:

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://api.target.com/v1/user" -Method GET -Headers @{"Authorization"="Bearer null"}

What This Does:

  • Tests for broken authentication by sending an invalid token.

How to Use:

1. Open PowerShell ISE.

2. Modify the `-Uri` with target API endpoints.

4. Exploiting DOM-Based XSS

Modern web apps often have DOM XSS. Use Burp Suite or Browser Console:

JavaScript Snippet:

document.write('<img src=x onerror=alert(document.domain)>');

What This Does:

  • Triggers an XSS if unsanitized.

How to Use:

1. Open DevTools (F12).

  1. Paste into the console on the target site.

5. Mitigation: Secure Coding Practices

Prevent XSS via Content Security Policy (CSP):

Apache Config Snippet:

Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'unsafe-inline' 'unsafe-eval' https:"

What This Does:

  • Restricts inline scripts, reducing XSS risk.

How to Use:

1. Add to `.htaccess` or Apache config.

  1. Test with CSP Evaluator (https://csp-evaluator.withgoogle.com/).

6. Cloud Hardening: Azure WAF Rules

Block XSS attacks via Azure WAF:

Azure CLI Command:

az network application-gateway waf-policy rule create --name BlockXSS --policy-name MyWAF --rule-type MatchRule --action Block --match-conditions "RequestArgNames=" "Operator=Contains" "MatchValues=<script>"

What This Does:

  • Blocks requests containing `