An attacker modifies a web application's URL by adding "../" sequences to access resources outside of the application's authorized files. What type of attack is being performed?
This attack is a directory traversal. By inserting "../" into the URL, the attacker navigates the file system hierarchy to access files and folders that are outside the intended scope of the web application. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files. Directory traversal exploits occur when input validation is insufficient on file path parameters. The other options are distinct types of attacks: SQL injection involves injecting malicious SQL queries into a database query, cross-site scripting (XSS) entails injecting malicious scripts into web content viewed by other users, and a buffer overflow occurs when too much data is sent to a fixed-length memory buffer, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code.
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What is input validation and why is it important in preventing directory traversal attacks?
Can you explain how directory traversal attacks can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files?
What are some common protections against directory traversal attacks?