| Encoded Segment | Decoded Value | | --- | --- | | file-3A | file: (The colon : is encoded as %3A ) | | 2F | / | | 2F | / | | 2F | / | | root | root | | 2F | / | | .aws | .aws | | 2F | / | | config | config |
curl -v "https://your-app.com/page?file=file:///root/.aws/config" If you get back any content other than a permission denied error, your system is vulnerable. fetch-url-file-3A-2F-2F-2Froot-2F.aws-2Fconfig
Introduction In the world of cloud security, few mistakes are as costly as exposing AWS access keys. While scrolling through debugging logs, error messages, or encoded URL parameters, you might encounter a string like this: | Encoded Segment | Decoded Value | |
This article decodes the string, explains the significance of /root/.aws/config , demonstrates how attackers exploit such patterns, and provides a step-by-step guide to remediation. The string is URL-encoded and partially obfuscated. Let's break it down: The string is URL-encoded and partially obfuscated
Consider encrypting the credentials file with tools like gpg or moving to a secrets manager (AWS Secrets Manager, HashiCorp Vault). In a 2022 incident, a bug bounty hunter found a parameter shared_file in a staging server that accepted base64-encoded strings. One string decoded to file:///root/.aws/config . The server returned the config file, which referenced a [prod] profile. The attacker then changed the path to /root/.aws/credentials and exfiltrated valid root keys.