Map Application architecture
OWASP Web Security Testing Guide 4.2 > 1. Information Gathering > 1.10. Map Application architecture
| ID | Link to Hackinglife | Link to OWASP | Objectives |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.10 | WSTG-INFO-10 | Map Application Architecture | - Understand the architecture of the application and the technologies in use. - Identify application architecture whether on Application and Network components: Applicaton: Web server, CMS, PaaS, Serverless, Microservices, Static storage, Third party services/APIs , Network and Security: Reverse proxy, IPS, WAF |
- In a blind testing, start with the assumption that there is a simple setup (a single server.)
- Then, question if there is a firewall protecting the web server.
- Is it a stateful firewall or is it an access list filter on a router? Is it bypasseable?
- See response headers and try to identify a typical firewall response header.
- Reverse proxies might be in use, and configured as Intrusion Prevention System.
- Application- level firewall might be in use.
- Proxy-caches can be in use.
- Is there a Load Balancer in place? F5 BIG-IP load balancers introduces some prefixed cookies.
- Some application web servers include values in the response or rewrite URLS automatically to do session tracking.