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Introduction:
In the world of ethical hacking and web security training, PortSwigger’s Web Security Academy has become a cornerstone for learners. A recent social media post humorously asks, “PortSwigger, do you have some personal issue with carlos?” referring to the ubiquitous fictional user targeted in nearly every lab. This lighthearted observation underscores a critical point: repetitive, hands-on exploitation against a consistent target (like “carlos”) is the most effective way to internalize vulnerability identification and mitigation strategies. By relentlessly attacking the same user account, learners move from theoretical knowledge to practical, offensive security skills.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the pedagogical value of repetitive, hands-on lab environments in cybersecurity training.
- Learn to execute common web application attacks (e.g., IDOR, privilege escalation) using Burp Suite.
- Identify and implement mitigation strategies to protect user accounts from targeted attacks.
You Should Know:
- The Methodology: Attacking “carlos” in Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) Labs
PortSwisser’s labs often feature “carlos” in IDOR challenges, where the goal is to access his data by manipulating object references. This teaches the critical flaw of trusting user input for access control.
Step‑by‑step guide: Exploiting an IDOR to steal “carlos’s” password
1. Log in to the application using the provided test credentials (often wiener:peter).
2. Navigate to a feature that displays your account details, such as `View Profile` or My Account. Note the URL, e.g., https://target-site.com/my-account?id=wiener`.carlos
3. Open Burp Suite and ensure Intercept is on. Click the link again to capture the request.
4. Send the request to Repeater (right-click > Send to Repeater).
5. Modify the parameter in the Repeater tab. Change the `id` value from `wiener` to.carlos`, adding a new password parameter.
- `GET /my-account?id=carlos HTTP/2`
6. Send the request. If the application is vulnerable, it will return the account details of "carlos," which may include an API key, password, or personal data.
7. To automate password change (a common lab step), find the `Update Password` function. Capture the POST request and modify the `username` parameter from `wiener` to
– `POST /update-password HTTP/2`
– `username=carlos&new-password=hacked&confirm-password=hacked`
2. Privilege Escalation: Deleting “carlos” via Admin Panels
Many labs require you to become an administrator to delete “carlos.” This often involves manipulating session cookies or hidden parameters.
Step‑by‑step guide: Becoming an admin to delete a user
1. After logging in as wiener, browse the application. Check your cookies using browser dev tools or Burp.
2. Look for a cookie that defines the user role, such as `Admin: false` or session=....
3. In Burp Suite (Proxy > HTTP History), find a request to your profile.
4. Send this request to Burp Repeater. If the cookie is plaintext (e.g., Admin=false), modify it to Admin=true.
– Request Header Example:
GET /my-account HTTP/2 Host: target-site.com Cookie: session=your-session-id; Admin=false
Change to:
`Cookie: session=your-session-id; Admin=true`
- Send the modified request. If successful, the response may reveal an admin panel link (e.g.,
/admin). - Navigate to the admin panel (
GET /admin). You will likely see a list of users, including “carlos.” - Find the delete function for “carlos,” which might be a link like
/admin/delete?username=carlos. Send a GET request to this endpoint using your elevated session.
– Command Line Equivalent (cURL):
curl -X GET 'https://target-site.com/admin/delete?username=carlos' \ -H 'Cookie: session=your-session-id; Admin=true'
8. Verify that “carlos” no longer exists by attempting to access his profile or checking the admin panel again.
3. Exploiting Authentication Vulnerabilities: Password Brute-Forcing “carlos”
Labs focused on “carlos” often simulate weak login mechanisms to teach brute-force and credential stuffing attacks.
Step‑by‑step guide: Using Intruder to brute-force “carlos’s” password
- Navigate to the login page and attempt to log in as `carlos` with a fake password (e.g.,
test). - Capture this POST login request in Burp Suite.
- Right-click the request and select Send to Intruder.
- Go to the Positions tab. Clear any auto-selected payload markers (§). Highlight the password value (
test) and click Add § to set it as the attack position.
– Example Payload Position:
`username=carlos&password=§test§`
- Go to the Payloads tab. Under Payload Options, load a list of common passwords (e.g., the `top-passwords.txt` list provided in the lab).
6. Start the attack. Click Start Attack.
- Analyze the results. Sort by Status (a 302 redirect often indicates success) or Length (a successful login response is often longer or shorter than the “Invalid credentials” page). The request that returns a different length is the valid password for “carlos.”
- Log in as `carlos` using the discovered password to complete the lab objective.
-
Mitigation Strategies: Protecting User “carlos” in the Real World
Understanding how to exploit these flaws is only half the battle; the other half is knowing how to fix them. Here are the hardening techniques that prevent the attacks used against “carlos.”
Configuration & Code Examples:
- Mitigating IDOR:
- Use Indirect Object References: Map internal IDs (e.g.,
carlos) to a temporary, per-session random ID. - Implement Robust Access Control Checks (Backend):
Python (Flask Example) @app.route('/api/user/<username>') def get_user_profile(username): current_user = get_logged_in_user() Ensure the requested username belongs to the current user OR the current user is an admin if current_user.username != username and not current_user.is_admin: return abort(403) Forbidden ... proceed to fetch and return profile - Mitigating Privilege Escalation (Role Manipulation):
- Never trust client-side role data. Store user roles and permissions in a secure, server-side session store, not in a cookie.
- Example Session Configuration (Node.js/Express with express-session):
// On successful login, store role securely on the server req.session.user = { username: 'carlos', role: 'user' // This is stored server-side, not in a client cookie };</li> </ul> <p>// Middleware to check admin access function ensureAdmin(req, res, next) { if (req.session.user && req.session.user.role === 'admin') { next(); // User is admin, proceed } else { res.status(403).send('Forbidden'); // User is not admin } }– Mitigating Brute-Force:
– Account Lockout: Lock the “carlos” account after 5 failed attempts for 30 minutes.
– Rate Limiting (Linux Server – Nginx):In nginx.conf within the http block limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=login_limit:10m rate=5r/m; In the server block for the login page location /login { limit_req zone=login_limit burst=5 nodelay; proxy_pass http://your_app_server; }What Undercode Say:
- Key Takeaway 1: Repetition is the mother of skill. The constant targeting of “carlos” in PortSwigger labs is a deliberate design choice to build muscle memory for exploit techniques, forcing learners to focus on the vulnerability mechanics rather than the target context.
- Key Takeaway 2: The offensive skills learned (IDOR, privilege escalation) directly inform defensive strategies. By learning how to delete “carlos,” you learn exactly how to implement the authentication and authorization checks necessary to stop a real attacker.
The humorous frustration directed at “carlos” masks a deeper truth: cybersecurity is a discipline of applied paranoia. Every lab that asks you to steal from, delete, or hack “carlos” is training you to think like the adversary. This hands-on, target-rich environment is far more effective than passive learning, transforming curiosity into the capability to defend real systems and users from the next inevitable attack.
Prediction:
As web applications become more complex, the need for gamified, practical training environments like PortSwigger’s Academy will explode. We will see a rise in AI-driven, personalized lab environments that dynamically generate targets (like “carlos”) and adjust difficulty based on the learner’s performance, making the repetitive, hands-on model even more scalable and effective. The “carlos” approach is a precursor to fully adaptive, automated cybersecurity skill development.
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