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Bug Bounty Tip:

How to Test Input Validation and Filtering

By Ravindra DagalePublished 3 years ago 2 min read

Testing for input validation and filtering involves assessing whether the implemented mechanisms effectively validate and sanitize user input to prevent security vulnerabilities. Here are some steps to test input validation and filtering:

  • Identify Input Fields: Identify all input fields or user interaction points within the application, such as forms, search fields, or file uploads.
  • Understand Validation Rules: Gain a clear understanding of the expected validation rules for each input field. This includes constraints such as data type, length limitations, allowed characters, and specific formats required.
  • Test Valid Inputs: Provide input values that adhere to the defined validation rules for each field. Verify that the application accepts and processes the input correctly without raising any validation errors.
  • Test Invalid Inputs: Submit input values that violate the defined validation rules. This includes inputs with special characters, excessive lengths, unexpected data types, or invalid formats. Ensure that the application rejects or appropriately handles such inputs and provides meaningful error messages to the user.
  • Test Boundary Cases: Test input values that are at the boundaries of the allowed limits. For example, for a maximum character limit of 100, test inputs with exactly 100 characters and inputs that exceed the limit by one character. Verify that the application behaves as expected in these scenarios, neither accepting nor rejecting inputs inappropriately.
  • Test Special Characters: Attempt to inject special characters that could potentially be used for malicious purposes, such as HTML tags, SQL injection characters, or JavaScript code snippets. Verify that the application correctly sanitizes and escapes such characters, preventing their execution or unintended interpretation.
  • Test File Uploads: If the application allows file uploads, test for various file types, including those that may be potentially dangerous (e.g., executable files). Verify that the application rejects disallowed file types and properly scans uploaded files for potential threats.
  • Test Client-Side Validation Bypass: Verify if the client-side validation can be bypassed by manipulating the input at the client-side before submission. Submit modified requests directly through tools like browser developer tools or intercepting proxies to check if the server-side validation effectively catches and rejects the modified inputs.
  • Test Input in Different Contexts: Test how the application handles the same input value in different contexts. For example, if an input is used in a database query, test for SQL injection vulnerabilities by submitting inputs with SQL statements or special characters. Verify that the application handles the input appropriately in each context and prevents any security issues.
  • Test against Known Vulnerabilities: Utilize known vulnerability testing techniques specific to input validation, such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting (XSS), to verify if the application is adequately protected against common attack vectors.
  • Regular Expression Testing: If regular expressions are used for input validation, test them with different patterns and edge cases to ensure they function correctly and do not have unintended consequences.
  • Input Manipulation Testing: Manipulate input values in unexpected ways, such as appending whitespace, encoding, or obfuscating characters, to identify any weaknesses or bypasses in the validation and filtering mechanisms.
  • Automation Testing: Utilize automated testing tools specifically designed for input validation and filtering to perform comprehensive testing and identify potential vulnerabilities or weaknesses.
  • Regression Testing: Perform regular regression testing to ensure that changes or updates to the application do not introduce new input validation and filtering vulnerabilities or break existing validation mechanisms.

By following these steps, you can thoroughly test input validation and filtering mechanisms, identify potential vulnerabilities, and ensure that user input is appropriately validated and sanitized, reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities in the application.

Thanks for Reading...!!! Have Good Day..!!! :)

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About the Creator

Ravindra Dagale

Hi, Ravindra here an accomplished information security researcher dedicated to safeguarding digital environments from threats and vulnerabilities, with a passion for cybersecurity and a keen eye for detail.

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