This write-up describes the process of discovering and exfiltrating a sensitive credential file, , often found in Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges or real-world misconfigurations. 1. Reconnaissance

: Start by checking the robots.txt file at the root of the web server (e.g., http://target.com ). This file often lists "disallowed" paths like /passwords/ or /backup/ that contain sensitive data.

: If the application uses a parameter to fetch files (e.g., download.php?file=logo.png ), you can try to traverse back to the root directory to find sensitive files using payloads like ../../../../accounts.txt .

Common vulnerabilities that allow the download of accounts.txt include:

: Use tools like DIRB or ffuf with a common wordlist to find unlinked directories. A typical finding might be a /storage/ or /ftp/ folder containing an accounts.txt file. 2. Vulnerability Identification