This is just a basic article on Directory transversal. You may find it useful for some of hts’s realistic missions.
Disclaimer: I do not take any responsibility for any of the information in this document or the uses it is put to.
What is directory transversal?
Simply it is a way do navigate from one web page to another usually the one above it.
It is similar to using the cd command in MS-DOS.
It works like this.
Add /../ to the end of any web address and it will take you back to the directory above it.
Simple isn’t it.
If we had a URL like this, www.somewebpagehere.com/a/b/c now if we were to add /../ to the end like so, www.somewebpagehere.com/a/b/c/../ then it would take us back to www.somewebpagehere.com/a/b. If you were to add /../../to the end it would take you back to www.somewebpagehere.com/a.
Okay so now you understand the basics of directory transversal.
Here’s where things get a little trickier.
Say you had this scenario. Folder A contains file B and file C and you want to get from B to C. So you are at www.webpage.com/B what you have to do is add /../C. so you end up with, www.webpage.com/B/../C this takes you from file B to folder A and then down to file C.
How is this useful?
As you progress in hts you will come across many situations where directory transversal is useful for completing a mission. So go and try it and you will find out exactly how it can be used.
Thanks for reading my article I hope it was useful.
neco
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Comments: Published: 23 comments.
SGT Cortez - 02:57 pm Wednesday September 12th, 2007
Good article, it explains the concept of directory transversal very well. 8/10
Da Curlz 22 - 03:13 pm Wednesday September 12th, 2007
I liked it, it was short, simple, and to the point. I remember how much of a hard time I had with the directory transversal challenge. If only I had read this a few months sooner...
thetrojan01 - 01:42 pm Saturday September 22nd, 2007
7/10 You explained it very well, but you could do it better a bit... Not just in the URL, or go more \"deep\".... :)
However: Very Good =D
m0nk3ysh1n3 - 10:06 am Wednesday October 03rd, 2007
This was a great tutorial, and it introduced the basics of Directory Transversal to me. Thanks alot. 9/10.
Just a note: (Positive Criticism)
1. "Transversal"
A transversal is a set containing exactly one element from each member of the collection (primarily used in math)
2. "Traversal" refers to the process of visiting each node in a tree data structure, exactly once, in a systematic way (primarily used in computer science)
good article short and simple splly for new learners but you should also gv some examples to explain its utility area
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Good article, it explains the concept of directory transversal very well. 8/10