What are some examples of XSS attacks?

What are some examples of XSS attacks?

XSS, or Cross-Site Scripting, involves injecting malicious scripts into web pages. Common examples include:<br>1. Stored XSS: Malicious scripts are stored on the server and served to users, like in a comment section.<br>2. Reflected XSS: The script is reflected off a web server, often via a URL, and executed immediately.<br>3. DOM-based XSS: The attack occurs in the browser, manipulating the Document Object Model (DOM) without server interaction.

Can you give me a specific example of a stored XSS attack?

Sure! Imagine a social media platform where users can post comments. If a user posts a comment containing a script tag, like <script>alert('Hacked!');</script>, and the server stores this comment without sanitization, every time another user views that comment, the script executes in their browser, potentially stealing cookies or session data.

How can websites protect against XSS attacks?

Websites can protect against XSS by:<br>1. Input Validation: Ensure all user inputs are validated and sanitized.<br>2. Output Encoding: Encode data before rendering it in the browser to prevent script execution.<br>3. Content Security Policy (CSP): Implement CSP to restrict the sources from which scripts can be loaded.

What tools can help detect XSS vulnerabilities?

There are several tools available for detecting XSS vulnerabilities, including:<br>1. OWASP ZAP: An open-source web application security scanner.<br>2. Burp Suite: A popular tool for web application security testing.<br>3. Acunetix: A commercial web vulnerability scanner that includes XSS detection.