Hunting for Blind XSS Vulnerabilities

Blind XSS Hunting Guide

Blind XSS vulnerabilities can be elusive, but knowing where to look can help in identifying them. Below are some common areas to hunt for Blind XSS:

  • User Input Fields:
    • Account creation forms: Username, email, phone number, address fields.
    • Profile update forms: Bio, profile picture metadata, job titles.
    • Contact and feedback forms: Name, email, message.
    • Comment sections and user posts: Blog comments, forums, reviews.
    • Support and ticketing systems: Issue descriptions, attachments metadata.
  • Email-Related Workflows:
    • Email registration and verification processes.
    • Password reset forms (e.g., inject payload into email field).
    • Unsubscribe links: Modify or add payload in email fields.
  • Administrative Panels (Back-End Systems):
    • Internal dashboards: Reflection of user-generated content.
    • Audit logs: Monitor if inputs are logged in dashboards.
    • Email notifications to admins (triggered by user input).
  • Headers and Metadata:
    • User-Agent, Referer, Accept headers in HTTP requests.
    • API requests with custom headers that log data.
    • Metadata in file uploads (EXIF, image metadata).
  • Web Application Workflows:
    • Password reset workflows (inject in email or hidden fields).
    • Subscription or unsubscribe workflows (alter email input).
    • Forms triggered by dynamic events.
  • File Uploads and Attachments:
    • File metadata injection (name, type, or description fields).
    • Upload forms: Include hidden inputs where Blind XSS might trigger during review.
  • Notifications and Alerts:
    • Email notifications sent to users or admins based on submitted forms.
    • System alerts and pop-ups generated from submitted feedback.
  • Burp Suite Opportunities:
    • Intercept and modify HTTP requests: Inject payloads into parameters or headers.
    • Repeat requests: Modify with different Blind XSS payloads targeting multiple headers.

By understanding where to look for Blind XSS vulnerabilities, you can enhance your security testing efforts. Always conduct tests responsibly and within legal boundaries.