Web development is often a balancing act between speed, functionality, and security. During active development, temporary files and configurations frequently emerge as practical necessities.
Developers often create vulnerable paths due to practical needs. Configuration management requires environment-specific variables which leads to .env files and various config formats. Development efficiency benefits from debug endpoints, test files, and info pages that help troubleshoot issues quickly. Tooling requirements create standardized paths through framework defaults, package managers, and version control. Legacy support often maintains older functions and endpoints for backward compatibility.
Exposure During Development
During development, these paths can expose significant vulnerabilities even before reaching production.
Many developers work on publicly accessible staging environments where these paths become immediately vulnerable. Local development environments with direct internet access present similar risks. Development teams sometimes test on local machines with port forwarding enabled, unwittingly exposing their entire development directory structure to scanning.
Development exposures create numerous security issues. API testing endpoints often lack proper authentication and input validation. Debug information reveals internal workings through verbose error messages and debugging tools. Temporary backdoors offer quick access functions created for testing. Insecure defaults ship with many frameworks in their default configurations. Environment files typically contain credentials and connection strings that should remain protected.
Risks After Development
The migration from development to production is where many security vulnerabilities slip through. Files intended for temporary use often become permanent fixtures in production environments.
When these paths remain in production, they create substantial security problems. Each unnecessary file or directory expands the attack surface and provides another potential entry point. Configuration files often leak sensitive information such as credentials, API keys, and internal network details. System information enables reconnaissance that helps attackers plan more sophisticated attacks. Access to one component often provides lateral movement capabilities for pivoting to others. Exposed sensitive data may create compliance violations against regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI-DSS.
Risk Mitigation & Best Practices
Configuration Files & Environment Variables
Direct exposure of credentials, API keys, and sensitive configuration creates significant risks. Organizations should use environment variables instead of config files where possible. Strict file permissions must be implemented for necessary configuration files. All sensitive files should be added to .gitignore. Security teams should consider a vault service for secrets management.
AWS & Cloud Credentials
Unauthorized access to cloud resources leads to data breaches and resource hijacking. Teams should use IAM roles instead of static credentials. Temporary, rotating credentials offer better protection than permanent ones. Credentials should be stored in secure credential management systems. Organizations must monitor for unusual access patterns that might indicate compromise.
Database Configuration
Database breaches, unauthorized data access, and schema exposure present substantial threats. Connection strings should be stored in environment variables rather than configuration files. Database user roles should implement least privilege principles. Connection pooling with proper credential management reduces exposure risks. Regular audits and credential rotation should be standard practice.
PHP Info & Test Pages
Server information disclosure and technology stack revelation help attackers plan effective attacks. All test and info pages must be removed before deployment. Proper error handling prevents information leakage. Web application firewalls can block access to these paths. Regular security scans help identify exposed endpoints.
Git & Version Control
Source code exposure and credential leakage from commit history can be catastrophic. Web servers should be configured to deny access to .git and other VCS directories. Teams should use .gitignore to prevent committing sensitive files. Git hooks can scan for secrets before commits. Tools like Git-secrets help prevent credential commits in the first place.
Universal Best Practices
Organizations need comprehensive security approaches. Development-production parity ensures development environments mirror production security controls. Deployment checklists should include steps for removing sensitive files. Pre-deployment scans automate the detection of sensitive paths. Access restrictions should follow the least privilege principle. Regular penetration testing identifies exposed paths that might be missed by automated tools. A strong security culture reinforces awareness that "temporary" files can lead to permanent damage.
Visual Organization of Vulnerable Paths
The grid presents a structured view of commonly targeted web paths, organized by category and risk level. Each path is classified according to its potential security impact, with high-risk paths most likely to contain sensitive information or provide direct system access.
Common Vulnerable Web Paths by Category
Common Vulnerable Web Paths by Category
Configuration Files & Environment Variables
AWS & Cloud Credentials
Database Configuration
PHP Info & Test Pages
Git & Version Control
Log Files
Backup & Old Files
WordPress Paths
Content Management Systems
Web Shell & Backdoor Paths
API & Development Endpoints
Framework-specific Paths
Server Configuration & Status
Deployment & CI/CD Files
Miscellaneous Sensitive Paths
References to Known Attacks
Recent security breaches highlight the dangers of exposed sensitive paths:
Equifax Data Breach (2017) Attackers exploited an unpatched Apache Struts vulnerability, but initial access was gained through exposed development endpoints. The attackers discovered these endpoints through automated scanning of common paths. This allowed them to map the internal network before launching their targeted exploit. The breach ultimately exposed sensitive financial information of 147 million consumers. The Congressional Report on the Equifax Breach documented how this initial reconnaissance phase played a critical role in the attack sequence.
Capital One Breach (2019) A misconfigured web application firewall allowed access to AWS metadata service, exposing IAM credentials. The attacker found the specific path that should have been blocked through systematic testing. This misconfiguration exposed over 100 million customer records including credit applications and social security numbers. Department of Justice case filings revealed that the attacker specifically targeted paths known to potentially yield AWS credentials.
Git Directory Exposure (Widespread) In 2018, thousands of websites were found with exposed .git directories. Attackers systematically downloaded these directories to reconstruct source code from numerous organizations. This allowed them to discover hardcoded credentials and security vulnerabilities that would have remained hidden otherwise. Internetwache Research documented over 5,000 websites with this vulnerability in a single scan of top-ranked domains.
PHPInfo Exploitation Chain Attackers regularly use exposed /phpinfo.php files to gather detailed system information. This information enables them to target specific vulnerabilities in the exact versions discovered. The OWASP Testing Guide documents this reconnaissance technique as a common first step in sophisticated attack chains. The information leakage includes installed modules, system paths, and environment variables that help attackers craft precise exploits.
Environment File Exposures In 2019, a security researcher found over 4,000 exposed .env files in public repositories. These files exposed database credentials, API keys, and other sensitive information. Security researcher Scott Helme's analysis showed that many of these files remained accessible in production environments, not just in code repositories. This exposure led to numerous database breaches and unauthorized API usage.
Tesla's AWS S3 Compromise (2018) Attackers gained access to Tesla's AWS console through exposed credentials found in an unsecured internal application. They used this access to mine cryptocurrency on Tesla's cloud infrastructure. The RedLock Cloud Security Intelligence Report documented how the attackers maintained persistent access for an extended period before discovery. The breach began with access to a simple configuration file that contained cloud credentials.
WordPress wp-config.php Exposures Regular scanning for exposed wp-config.php files continues to yield results for attackers. These files contain database credentials and authentication keys that grant complete access to WordPress installations. The WordPress Security White Paper emphasizes this as one of the most common attack vectors against WordPress sites. A single exposed configuration file often compromises the entire site.
Mass Exploitation of Log4j (2021) Attackers used exposed debug and logging endpoints to exploit Log4j vulnerabilities at scale. Detailed server logs exposed through /log/ paths revealed actionable attack vectors and provided confirmation of successful exploits. CISA's Advisory on Log4j documented how attackers first mapped vulnerable systems through common path scanning before launching their JNDI exploits.
The pattern is clear: most sophisticated attacks begin with reconnaissance through common, exposed paths. Organizations that eliminate these unnecessary exposures significantly reduce their attack surface and make reconnaissance much more difficult for potential attackers.
Conclusion
The development-production lifecycle creates inherent security challenges. The conveniences that make development efficient—quick access files, debugging tools, and informative error messages—become liabilities in production.
Addressing these vulnerabilities requires a multi-layered approach. Secure development practices create environments that mirror production security controls. Pre-deployment scanning automates the detection of sensitive paths before they reach production. Runtime protection implements web application firewalls that block access to common vulnerable paths. Regular security testing identifies exposed paths through penetration tests. A strong security culture reminds teams that "temporary" files can lead to permanent damage.
Organizations that treat these common paths as serious security risks significantly reduce their attack surface. This prevention of reconnaissance makes it much harder for attackers to launch targeted attacks against systems and infrastructure.
