Client Overview: Our client, a leading Learning Management System (LMS) provider, offers a platform used by educational institutions and corporations for managing online courses and training programs. Given the sensitive nature of the data handled, including personal information of students and employees, the client recognized the need for a thorough security assessment to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of their web application.
Challenge: The client was concerned about potential vulnerabilities within their web application that could be exploited by malicious actors, compromising user data, disrupting services, or causing reputational damage. They required a detailed Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) to identify and address critical security issues that could jeopardize their platform’s security and reliability.
Scope: Web Application
Engagement Overview: In today’s increasingly digital world, securing web applications is crucial for businesses – especially for software development companies that handle sensitive user data. Our client, a rapidly growing software development firm, sought to improve the security of their web application to better protect their users and ensure the integrity of their platform. As part of their efforts to enhance security, they engaged Securze to conduct a comprehensive Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing (VAPT) of their web application.
The engagement lasted 15 days, during which we thoroughly tested the client’s web application. We simulated a wide range of real-world cyber attack scenarios to identify vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors. Our objective was not only to find weaknesses but also to work alongside the client’s development team to help them understand the issues and provide actionable steps to fix them.
The Approach: We took a methodical and systematic approach to the VAPT engagement, focusing on various aspects of the web application. Our assessment included the following activities:
- Penetration Testing: We simulated various attack scenarios to test the security of the web application’s different components, including the front-end, back-end, and database interactions.
- Vulnerability Identification: We conducted extensive testing, uncovering a wide range of vulnerabilities that could compromise the security and functionality of the platform.
- Risk Assessment and Reporting: We not only identified vulnerabilities but also assessed the potential risks each posed to the client’s platform, providing a prioritized list of recommendations for remediation.
- Collaboration with Development Team: Throughout the engagement, we worked closely with the client’s development team, providing clear and actionable recommendations, along with sample code snippets for fixing vulnerabilities. This ensured that the client’s team could quickly apply the recommended fixes.
Key Vulnerabilities Identified
The VAPT revealed several critical vulnerabilities in the client’s web application. Each vulnerability presented its own set of risks, but all were exploitable in various attack scenarios. Below are the most significant findings:
- Remote Code Execution (RCE) via Vulnerable File Upload: One of the most critical vulnerabilities we discovered was a Remote Code Execution (RCE) flaw in the web application’s file upload functionality. This vulnerability allowed us to upload a malicious PHP file, which, when fetched by the user, executed as a shell on the server. This granted us complete access to the remote server and its source code files, allowing us to execute arbitrary commands and potentially compromise sensitive information. The potential impact of this vulnerability was severe, as it would allow an attacker to fully control the server and execute malicious actions.
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) – Reflected and Stored: We identified both reflected and stored XSS vulnerabilities within the web application. Reflected XSS was found in user input fields, where an attacker could inject malicious scripts that would be executed when the user visited a specially crafted URL. Stored XSS, on the other hand, allowed attackers to inject scripts into the application that were stored in the server and executed whenever a legitimate user accessed the affected page. These vulnerabilities could allow attackers to steal session cookies, deface pages, or perform other malicious actions.
- Broken Access Control (BAC): During our assessment, we discovered a broken access control (BAC) issue where users could access restricted content without the proper permissions. This was achieved through forced browsing, a technique where an attacker manually modified the URL to access files and data they were not authorized to view. This flaw could lead to unauthorized information disclosure or potentially allow users to perform actions outside of their designated roles.
- Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF): We also identified a Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) vulnerability, which could be exploited by attackers to trick authenticated users into performing unwanted actions, such as changing account settings or initiating transactions, without their knowledge. This type of vulnerability could compromise the integrity of user accounts and potentially lead to account takeovers or unauthorized actions.
- Password Brute Force and Lack of Rate Limiting: The application lacked proper rate limiting, which made it susceptible to brute force attacks. Attackers could repeatedly attempt to guess users’ passwords without being blocked, leading to potential account takeovers. We recommended implementing rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms to mitigate this risk.
- Sensitive Information Disclosure: We discovered that certain sensitive information, such as system configuration details and error messages, were being disclosed in error responses. This information disclosure could provide attackers with valuable insights into the underlying infrastructure, aiding them in exploiting other vulnerabilities.
- Denial of Service (DoS) Potential: The application was also vulnerable to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks due to the lack of sufficient input validation and the potential for resource exhaustion under heavy load. By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker could overwhelm the application’s servers, causing a disruption in service and potentially damaging the client’s reputation.
- Content Discovery and Directory Listing: Through fuzzing and directory listing, we were able to uncover hidden files and resources within the application. This content discovery could allow attackers to gain access to confidential or sensitive information that was not properly secured.
Remediation and Collaboration: Once the vulnerabilities were identified, we compiled a comprehensive report for the client, detailing each issue and its potential impact. The report included sample code snippets for each vulnerability to help the client’s developers easily understand and implement fixes. Our team worked closely with the development team to ensure they fully understood the issues and provided guidance on how to patch each vulnerability.
For example, for the RCE vulnerability in the file upload feature, we suggested enforcing strict file type validation, limiting the file size, and ensuring that uploaded files were stored in non-executable directories. For the XSS vulnerabilities, we recommended implementing proper input sanitization and output encoding to prevent script injection.
In addition to these fixes, we suggested multi-factor authentication (MFA) for user accounts, especially for privileged roles like admin and super admin, to enhance the application’s overall security.
Training and Empowering the Development Team
To ensure the long-term security of the client’s platform, we conducted a training session for the development team. This session focused on secure coding practices, such as preventing common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, and RCE, and how to implement secure development lifecycle (SDLC) processes. We emphasized the importance of regular security reviews and automated security testing in the development pipeline.
Conclusion
The VAPT engagement with our client, a software development company, proved to be an invaluable step in securing their web application. By identifying critical vulnerabilities like Remote Code Execution, XSS, Broken Access Control, and others, we were able to guide the client in patching these issues and significantly enhancing their platform’s security.
The comprehensive report, actionable recommendations, and sample code provided a clear roadmap for the development team to follow. Through our collaborative approach, we not only helped secure their application but also empowered the client to take proactive measures to prevent future vulnerabilities.
Ultimately, our engagement enabled the client to fortify their web application against both current and future threats, thereby increasing their confidence in securing sensitive user data and strengthening their overall security posture. At Securze, we believe in going beyond identifying vulnerabilities; we are committed to working closely with our clients to ensure that their systems remain secure in the face of evolving cyber threats.