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OSCP · Module 6

Common Web Application Attacks

Directory traversal, file inclusion, command injection, and cross-site scripting. Detection, exploitation, and filter bypass techniques for the most common web vulnerabilities.

~3 h 19 resources Last updated September 25, 2026

This module covers the most frequently encountered web vulnerabilities in penetration testing. Directory traversal and file inclusion give you file reads and sometimes code execution. Command injection turns user input into shell commands. Cross-site scripting steals sessions and credentials from other users. Each attack class has detection, exploitation, and bypass techniques.

Directory Traversal and File Inclusion

Path traversal reads files outside the web root. Local file inclusion executes server-side code from those files, and remote file inclusion loads attacker-hosted payloads. File upload vulnerabilities bypass restrictions to plant web shells. These are high-value findings that often lead directly to code execution.

Command Injection

When user input reaches a system command, injection operators like ;, |, and $() give you shell access. Detection ranges from in-band output to blind time-based and out-of-band techniques. Filters are common but bypassable with encoding, variable substitution, and alternative operators.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

XSS executes JavaScript in another user's browser. Reflected XSS requires a crafted link, stored XSS fires on every page load, and DOM-based XSS never reaches the server. The impact ranges from cookie theft to full account takeover. Filter bypasses and encoding tricks are essential for real-world exploitation.

Read

The core material for this module. Where a guide goes deeper than needed, the relevant sections are highlighted.

Practice

Apply the module hands-on.

  • Alfred TryHackMe Easy
  • Algernon Proving Grounds Easy
  • Arctic HackTheBox Easy
  • Astronaut Proving Grounds Easy
  • Bank HackTheBox Easy
  • Bashed HackTheBox Easy
  • Beep HackTheBox Easy
  • Blunder HackTheBox Easy
  • Bob 1.0.1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Bounty HackTheBox Easy
  • Bratarina Proving Grounds Easy
  • Busqueda HackTheBox Easy
  • ClamAV Proving Grounds Easy
  • CozyHosting HackTheBox Easy
  • DC 6 Vulnhub Easy
  • DEFCON Toronto Galahad Vulnhub Easy
  • DerpNStink 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Devel HackTheBox Easy
  • Doctor HackTheBox Easy
  • Editorial HackTheBox Easy
  • EVM 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Exfiltrated Proving Grounds Easy
  • Fanatastic Proving Grounds Easy
  • FriendZone HackTheBox Easy
  • FristiLeaks 1.3 Vulnhub Easy
  • Granny HackTheBox Easy
  • Hack Me Please Vulnhub Easy
  • Helpdesk Proving Grounds Easy
  • Jerry HackTheBox Easy
  • Lame HackTheBox Easy
  • LemonSqueezy Vulnhub Easy
  • Love HackTheBox Easy
  • Luanne HackTheBox Easy
  • Misdirection 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Netmon HackTheBox Easy
  • Networked HackTheBox Easy
  • Nibbles HackTheBox Easy
  • Paper HackTheBox Easy
  • Photographer 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Previse HackTheBox Easy
  • RickdiculouslyEasy 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Sar 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Sau HackTheBox Easy
  • ScriptKiddie HackTheBox Easy
  • Sense HackTheBox Easy
  • Servmon HackTheBox Easy
  • Tabby HackTheBox Easy
  • Thompson TryHackMe Easy
  • Tiki 1 Vulnhub Easy
  • Vulnversity TryHackMe Easy
  • Apex Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • AuthBy Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Boolean Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Breach 2.1 Vulnhub Intermediate
  • DVR4 Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • GoldenEye 1 Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Kioptrix: 2014 Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Marshalled Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • MedJed Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Mzeeav Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Nibbles Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Nukem Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Ochima Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Payday Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • PC Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Pelican Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • PwnLab: init Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Readys Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Roquefort Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Shenzi Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • SickOs 1.2 Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Slort Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Snookums Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Spydersec Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Stapler 1 Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Temple of Doom Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Walla Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Wallaby's Nightmare Vulnhub Intermediate
  • Xposedapi Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Zino Proving Grounds Intermediate
  • Bart HackTheBox Medium
  • Bitlab HackTheBox Medium
  • Book HackTheBox Medium
  • Breach 1 Vulnhub Medium
  • Celestial HackTheBox Medium
  • Conceal HackTheBox Medium
  • DevOops HackTheBox Medium
  • Digitalworld.local (Bravery) Vulnhub Medium
  • Digitalworld.local (FALL) Vulnhub Medium
  • Digitalworld.local (JOY) Vulnhub Medium
  • Digitalworld.local (Mercy v2) Vulnhub Medium
  • Djinn 1 Vulnhub Medium
  • Dynstr HackTheBox Medium
  • Escalate_Linux 1 Vulnhub Medium
  • Forge HackTheBox Medium
  • Glasgow Smile 1.1 Vulnhub Medium
  • Hacker Kid 1.0.1 Vulnhub Medium
  • HackPark TryHackMe Medium
  • Haircut HackTheBox Medium
  • Json HackTheBox Medium
  • LaCasaDePapel HackTheBox Medium
  • Nineveh HackTheBox Medium
  • OpenKeyS HackTheBox Medium
  • Ophiuchi HackTheBox Medium
  • Overpass 2 - Hacked TryHackMe Medium
  • Passage HackTheBox Medium
  • Pit HackTheBox Medium
  • Poison HackTheBox Medium
  • Popcorn HackTheBox Medium
  • Prime 1 Vulnhub Medium
  • Ready HackTheBox Medium
  • Relevant TryHackMe Medium
  • Seal HackTheBox Medium
  • Skynet TryHackMe Medium
  • SneakyMailer HackTheBox Medium
  • Sniper HackTheBox Medium
  • TartarSauce HackTheBox Medium
  • Time HackTheBox Medium
  • Vault HackTheBox Medium
  • Worker HackTheBox Medium
  • Zico2 Vulnhub Medium
  • Clue Proving Grounds Hard
  • Kotarak HackTheBox Hard
  • Talkative HackTheBox Hard
  • Vault TryHackMe Hard
  • Wintermute Vulnhub Hard
  • Wreath TryHackMe Hard
  • Zipper Proving Grounds Hard
  • Stacked HackTheBox Insane
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