Web Application Analysis in Kali Linux – Tools, Attacks & Practical Overview

What is Web Application Analysis?

A web application is a dynamic website that interacts with users through browsers and communicates with a backend server or database.

Web Application Analysis is the process of:

• Identifying vulnerabilities

• Testing authentication & authorization

• Detecting input validation flaws

• Preventing data leakage

These tools are available in Kali Linux under:

Applications → Web Application Analysis

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Common Web Application Vulnerabilities

Web applications are commonly vulnerable to:

1️⃣ SQL Injection (SQLi)

Manipulating database queries through user input.

2️⃣ Denial of Service (DoS)

Overloading the server to make it unavailable.

3️⃣ URL Manipulation

Changing parameters in URL to access unauthorized data.

4️⃣ Authentication Bypass

Weak login mechanisms.

5️⃣ Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Injecting malicious scripts into web pages.

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Important Web Application Analysis Tools

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1️⃣ Burp Suite

About

Burp Suite is one of the most powerful and widely used web application security testing tools.

It works as a proxy between browser and server.

Key Features:

• Intercept HTTP requests

• Modify request parameters

• Test authentication

• Scan for vulnerabilities

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Burp Suite Interface

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How It Works:

1. Configure browser proxy (127.0.0.1:8080)

2. Enable Intercept

3. Capture login request

4. Modify parameters

5. Forward request

Commonly used for:

• SQL injection testing

• Authentication testing

• Session handling analysis

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2️⃣ HTTrack

About

HTTrack is a website cloning tool.

It downloads complete websites locally.

Uses:

• Analyze website structure

• Discover hidden directories

• Offline vulnerability assessment

Example:

httrack http://example.com

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3️⃣ SQLMap

About

SQLmap is an automated SQL injection testing tool.

It detects and exploits SQL injection vulnerabilities.

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Example Usage:

sqlmap -u "http://example.com/page.php?id=1" --dbs

This checks:

• Whether parameter is injectable

• Lists available databases

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SQLMap Example Output

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4️⃣ Vega

About

Vega is a GUI-based web vulnerability scanner.

Features:

• Detects XSS

• Detects SQL injection

• Scans for misconfigurations

• Automated web crawling

It is beginner-friendly compared to manual tools.

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5️⃣ WebScarab

About

WebScarab is a web proxy tool similar to Burp Suite.

Capabilities:

• Intercept HTTP requests

• Analyze session tokens

• Modify parameters

• Perform fuzzing

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6️⃣ WPScan

About

WPScan is specifically designed to scan WordPress websites.

It detects:

• Vulnerable plugins

• Outdated themes

• Weak passwords

• WordPress version

Example:

wpscan --url http://example.com

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7️⃣ OWASP ZAP

About

OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) is a popular open-source web application scanner.

Features:

• Automated scanning

• Manual testing

• Proxy interception

• Vulnerability reporting

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ZAP Interface Example

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8️⃣ Skipfish

About

Skipfish is a fast web application security reconnaissance tool.

It performs:

• Website crawling

• Vulnerability mapping

• Security testing

Example:

skipfish -o output http://example.com

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Web Application Testing Workflow

1. Identify target website

2. Map application structure

3. Intercept traffic (Burp / ZAP)

4. Test parameters for injection

5. Perform automated scanning

6. Analyze vulnerabilities

7. Recommend mitigation

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Real-World Example

Consider an E-commerce website with payment gateway.

Web Application Analysis checks:

• Is login secure?

• Is payment API protected?

• Can URL parameters be manipulated?

• Is database query sanitized?

If input validation is weak, attackers may:

• Extract customer data

• Bypass authentication

• Manipulate payment amount

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Comparison of Major Tools

Tool	Type	Best For
Burp Suite	Proxy + Manual	Deep testing
Vega	GUI Scanner	Beginner-friendly
WebScarab	Proxy	Manual analysis
SQLMap	CLI	SQL injection
WPScan	Specialized	WordPress security
ZAP	Proxy + Auto	Full web scanning
Skipfish	CLI Scanner	Fast crawling
HTTrack	Cloner	Website structure

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Legal & Ethical Note

Web application testing must only be done:

• On your own lab

• On websites you own

• With written authorization

Unauthorized testing is illegal.