performing-directory-traversal-testing

# Performing Directory Traversal Testing ## When to Use - During authorized penetration tests when the application handles file paths in URL parameters or request bodies - When testing file download, file view, or file include functionality - For assessing Local File Inclusion (LFI) and Remote File Inclusion (RFI) vulnerabilities - When evaluating template engines, logging systems, or report generators that reference files - During security assessments of APIs that accept file names or paths as parameters ## Prerequisites - **Authorization**: Written penetration testing agreement for the target - **Burp Suite Professional**: For intercepting and modifying file path parameters - **ffuf**: For fuzzing file path parameters with traversal payloads - **dotdotpwn**: Automated directory traversal fuzzer (`apt install dotdotpwn`) - **SecLists**: Traversal payload wordlists from Daniel Miessler's collection - **curl**: For manual testing of traversal payloads ## Workflow ### Step 1: Identify File Path Parameters Find application endpoints that reference files through parameters. ```bash # Common file-handling patterns to look for: # /download?file=report.pdf # /view?page=about.html # /api/files?path=documents/invoice.pdf # /template?name=header.html # /include?module=sidebar # /image?src=photos/avatar.jpg # /export?format=csv&template=default # In Burp Suite, search proxy history for file-related parameters # Filter by parameter names: file, path, page, template, include, # m...