What is a Directory or Path Traversal? How to Avoid These Attacks
If your website serves as the backbone of your business, understanding and safeguarding against cyber threats is crucial. One such threat, often overlooked but potentially devastating, is the directory or path traversal attack. This type of cyber assault exploits vulnerabilities in a web application to access unauthorized directories and files.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll outline what directory traversal is, how it operates, and, most importantly, how you can shield your digital assets from such attacks. By the end of this guide you’ll fully understand this security challenge and knowledge of some practical steps to enhance your cyber defenses.
What is directory traversal in cybersecurity?
Directory traversal is a method used by hackers to gain unauthorized access to restricted directories and files on a server. In essence, it’s an exploit that sidesteps normal access controls.