HTML Scraping
HTML scraping is the process of extracting and analyzing the HTML content of a web page to uncover hidden elements, understand the structure, and identify potential security issues. Here's a detailed breakdown:
1. What Is HTML Scraping?
HTML scraping involves programmatically or manually inspecting a web page's HTML source code to extract information. In penetration testing, it's used to discover hidden form fields, parameters, or other elements that may not be visible in the rendered page but could be manipulated.
2. Why Use HTML Scraping in Penetration Testing?
- Identify Hidden Inputs: Hidden fields may contain sensitive data like session tokens, user roles, or flags.
- Reveal Client-Side Logic: JavaScript embedded in the page may expose logic or endpoints.
- Discover Unlinked Resources: URLs or endpoints not visible in the UI may be found in the HTML.
- Understand Form Structure: Helps in crafting payloads for injection attacks (e.g., SQLi, XSS).
3. Techniques for HTML Scraping
Manual Inspection
- Use browser developer tools (F12 or right-click → Inspect).
- Look for <input type="hidden">, JavaScript variables, or comments.
- Check for form actions, method types (GET/POST), and field names.
Automated Tools
- Burp Suite: Intercepts and analyzes HTML responses.
- OWASP ZAP: Scans and spiders web apps to extract HTML.
- Custom Scripts: Use Python with libraries like BeautifulSoup or Selenium.
Example using Python:
4. What to Look For
- Hidden form fields
- CSRF tokens
- Session identifiers
- Default values
- Unusual parameters
- Commented-out code or debug info
5. Ethical Considerations
- Always have authorization before scraping or testing a web application.
- Respect robots.txt and terms of service when scraping public sites.
- Avoid scraping personal or sensitive data unless explicitly permitted.
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