Directory Traversal
Directory traversal is a type of attack in the field of computer security. It is also known as path traversal. The goal of this attack is to access files and directories that are outside of the intended directory. This is accomplished by exploiting vulnerabilities in software that allows user input to be incorporated into file paths.
Imagine you are trying to open a file on your computer, but you accidentally type in the wrong file path. If the software you are using is not secure, it may let you access files and directories that you were not supposed to see. Attackers can use this same principle to access sensitive information.
For example, let’s say a website has a URL that includes the name of the file to be displayed. An attacker could modify this URL to access files in a different directory, such as files containing sensitive user data or system passwords.
In summary, directory traversal is a type of attack that allows attackers to access files and directories beyond the intended scope. It is important for software developers to take steps to prevent this type of attack, such as sanitizing user input and implementing proper access controls.