IDOR Challenge _

Insecure Direct Object Reference Vulnerability Demo

Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR)

IDOR vulnerabilities occur when an application exposes a reference to an internal implementation object, such as a file, directory, or database key. Attackers can manipulate these references to access unauthorized data.

In this challenge, try to access files you shouldn't have permission to view by manipulating the URL parameter.

Change the file parameter in the URL to access different files:

?file=secret1.txt → ?file=admin_notes.txt

This demonstrates why applications should always validate user input and check authorization before providing access to resources.

File Download System

You are logged in as a regular user. You can download your own file below:

Download My File (secret1.txt)

How to Prevent IDOR Vulnerabilities

To prevent IDOR vulnerabilities:

  • Avoid exposing direct references to internal objects
  • Use indirect references that are mapped on the server side
  • Implement proper access control checks for each request
  • Validate that the user has permission to access the requested resource
  • Use session-based or user-specific tokens for resource access