Web Request Analysis

Web request analysis in the context of web security and penetration testing is the process of examining the [[HTTP Verbs|requests]] and [[HTTP Response Codes|responses]] exchanged between a web client (like a browser) and a server. This analysis is crucial for understanding how data is transmitted, identifying security vulnerabilities, and evaluating the behavior of web applications under various conditions.

You should analyze the [[HTTP methods]] (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, etc.) used and the structure of the [[Uniform Resource Locator|URLs]] to understand how the application processes different types of requests.

Examine the data sent in request parameters (query strings, form data) and payloads. This is critical for identifying injection points for attacks like [[SQL Injection]], [[Cross-Site Scripting]] (XSS), and [[Cross-Site Request Forgery]] (CSRF).

Inspect [[HTTP headers]] and [[cookies]] for information about session management, caching policies, and security configurations (like security headers). Headers like User-Agent, Referer, and Cookie can provide insights into session handling and potential vulnerabilities.

Review how the application manages authentication and authorization in requests. This includes analyzing tokens, session cookies, and other mechanisms that control access to resources.

Study the server’s responses to understand how it handles different requests, including error messages, status codes, and headers. Responses can reveal information about the server, its configuration, and how it handles invalid input.

Understand how the application manages state, particularly in stateless protocols like [[HTTP Protocol|HTTP]], often through cookies or session tokens.

If the application uses [[APIs]] ([[REST APIs|RESTful]], [[SOAP]], [[GraphQL]]), analyzing the requests and responses specific to these APIs is important for understanding the API structure and potential API-specific vulnerabilities.

Identify security configurations in requests and responses, such as [[Content Security Policy]] (CSP) headers, [[HTTP Strict Transport Security]] (HSTS), and others that indicate the application’s security posture.

Tools like [[Burp Suite]], [[OWASP ZAP]], and [[Wireshark]] are commonly used for intercepting, viewing, and modifying web requests and responses. These tools are essential for in-depth web request analysis.