Preface

Chapter 1�� Introduction to Penetration Testing and Web Applications
Proactive security testing
Different testing methodologies
Ethical hacking
Penetration testing
Vulnerability assessment
Security audits
Considerations when performing penetration testing
Rules of Engagement
The type and scope of testing
Client contact details
Client IT team notifications
Sensitive data handling
Status meeting and reports
The limitations of penetration testing
The need for testing web applications
Reasons to guard against attacks on web applications
Kali Linux
A web application overview for penetration testers
HTTP protocol
Knowing an HTTP request and response
The request header
The response header
HTTP methods
The GET method
The POST method
The HEAD method
The TRACE method
The PUT and DELETE methods
The OPTIONS method
Keeping sessions in HTTP
Cookies
Cookie flow between server and client
Persistent and nonpersistent cookies
Cookie parameters
HTML data in HTTP response
The server-side code
Multilayer web application
Three-layer web application design
Web services
Introducing SOAP and REST web services
HTTP methods in web services
XML and JSON
AJAX
Building blocks of AJAX
The AJAX workflow
HTML5
WebSockets
Summary

Chapter 2�� Setting Up Your Lab with Kali Linux
Kali Linux
Latest improvements in Kali Linux
Installing Kali Linux
Virtualizing Kali Linux versus installing it on physical hardware
Installing on VirtualBox
Creating the virtual machine
Installing the system
Important tools in Kali Linux
CMS & Framework Identification
WPScan
JoomScan
CMSmap
Web Application Proxies
Burp Proxy
Customizing client interception
Modifying requests on the fly
Burp Proxy with HTTPS websites
Zed Attack Proxy
ProxyStrike
Web Crawlers and Directory Bruteforce
����

Chapter 3�� Reconnaissance and Profiling the Web Sewer
Reconnaissance
Chapter 4�� Authentication and Session Management Flaws
Authentication schemes in web applications
Chapter 5�� Detecting and Exploiting Injection-Based Flaws
Command injection
Chapter 6�� Finding and Exploiting Cross-Site Scripting ��XSS��
Vulnerabilities
Chapter 7�� Cross-Site Request Forgery�� Identification�� and
Exploitation
Chapter 8�� Attacking Flaws in Cryptographic Implementations
Chapter 9�� AJAX�� HTML5�� and Client-Side Attacks
Crawling AJAX applications
Chapter 10�� Other Common Security Flaws in Web Applications
Insecure direct object references
Chapter 11 �� Using Automated Scanners on Web Applications
Considerations before using an automated scanner
Web application vulnerability scanners in Kali Linux

Index