HackTheBox - Down
Source: YouTube · IppSec · published Jun 17, 2025 · 25:24
The video demonstrates exploiting a local file disclosure vulnerability in a "is it down" monitoring tool to gain initial access to a Hack the Box machine acquired from VulnLabs 0:00.
Key Takeaways:
• The target application uses curl to check if a website is down, allowing an attacker to inject arguments into the command 0:13.
• Although direct shell injection is blocked by permissions, the tool outputs the content of the requested page, enabling Local File Inclusion (LFI) 0:24.
• By leaking the source code of index.php, the attacker discovers a hidden argument that switches the tool's behavior from curl to netcat 0:30.
• Utilizing this hidden feature allows for argument injection, which ultimately leads to obtaining a remote shell on the target system 0:38.
This walkthrough highlights how minor configuration oversights in utility scripts can lead to critical security breaches.
Sources:
- 0:00 Introduction to the Hack the Box box and its origin from VulnLabs.
- 0:13 Explanation of the "is it down" functionality and curl usage.
- 0:24 Discovery of local file disclosure via curl output.
- 0:30 Leak of source code revealing a hidden netcat switch.
- 0:38 Exploitation of the hidden feature to gain a shell.
Generate CPE Credits
Generate a professional CPE document from this video's transcript.
Estimated credit: 0.5 CPE hours
Estimate uses the video runtime (1 hour ≈ 1 CPE, rounded to the nearest 0.5, minimum 0.5, maximum 2.0). The final amount can be lower after review, never higher.
Topic: Penetration Testing. Commonly maps to: Security Assessment and Testing, Security Operations. Exact CISSP domains are assigned during generation.
Free account. One generation at a time, with a daily limit.
CPEBuddy is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by ISC2, ISACA, or any certification body. Exports are formatted for common CPE submissions; acceptance is at your certification body's discretion.
Transcript Preview
First 800 characters of the transcript
What's going on YouTube? This is IPSC and today we'll be doing down on Hack the Box. This box did come from Vaughn LLabs. If you didn't hear, Hack the Box acquired Von Labs a couple months ago and we'll be releasing the content on HTB throughout the rest of the year. This box is pretty simple. It starts off with a is it down type of site which if you put your IP address in, you can see it uses curl to check if a page is there. We can inject arguments but are unable to drop a shell because we don't have right permissions to the web route. it does allow us to perform local file disclosure because when it does that curl request it outputs the content of that page. So we can um leak the source of index.php which reveals a hidden argument that will switch it from curl to netcat and through argu…