File Inclusion, Path Traversal

Introduction

File Inclusion and Path Traversal are vulnerabilities that arise when an application allows external input to change the path for accessing files. For example, imagine a library where the catalogue system is manipulated to access restricted books not meant for public viewing. Similarly, in web applications, the vulnerabilities primarily arise from improper handling of file paths and URLs. These vulnerabilities allow attackers to include files not intended to be part of the web application, leading to unauthorized access or execution of code.

Objectives

1. Understand what File Inclusion and Path Traversal attacks are and their impact.
2. Identify File Inclusion and Path Traversal vulnerabilities in web applications.
3. Exploit these vulnerabilities in a controlled environment.
4. Understand and apply measures to mitigate and prevent these vulnerabilities.

Prerequisites

1. Basic understanding of web application architecture and server-side scripting.
2. Familiarity with common programming languages used in web development, like PHP.
   
3. Basic knowledge of OWASP ZAP or Burp Suite.
4. Basic knowledge of File Inclusion vulnerabilities.