Chapter 1
Engagement Management
Course: Comptia Pentest Pt0 003
Subject: Comptia Pentest Plus
Chapter: Attacks And Exploits
Web application attacks exploit vulnerabilities in authentication, input validation, and server-side processing to compromise applications, extract sensitive data, or gain unauthorized access. Below is an in-depth analysis of common web attacks, their mechanisms, tools used, real-world examples, and defensive strategies.
1. Attack Types
1. Brute-Force Attack
Overview
A brute-force attack systematically guesses user credentials, session tokens, or cryptographic keys by attempting all possible combinations until the correct one is found. These attacks are highly effective against weak passwords and insufficient authentication mechanisms.
Types of Brute-Force Attacks
- Credential brute-forcing: Attempts to guess username-password combinations by cycling through large dictionaries or character permutations.
- Session brute-forcing: Tries to predict valid session cookies or authentication tokens to hijack an active session.
Tools Used
- Hydra: A powerful tool for automating login brute-force attacks.
- Burp Suite Intruder: Automates login form brute-forcing and parameter fuzzing.
- Aircrack-ng: Used for brute-forcing Wi-Fi passwords.