How Cyber Breaches Begin: 5 Real Vulnerabilities That Hackers Exploit

In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, one thing remains constant: attackers don’t break in—they log in. Most data breaches begin not with sophisticated exploits, but with preventable vulnerabilities. Understanding these real-world flaws is the first step in safeguarding your digital infrastructure.

1. AWS Credential Theft via SSRF

One webhook redirect. That’s all it took. A Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) flaw allowed attackers to access AWS metadata, leaking cloud credentials.

Fix it:

✅ Enforce IMDSv2

✅ Monitor for unusual metadata requests

2. Git Repo Leak Leads to SQL Injection

A forgotten .git directory exposed sensitive backend code. This led to an authentication bypass and ultimately a full database compromise via SQL injection.

Fix it:

✅ Secure and scan code repositories

✅ Remove dev artifacts from production environments

3. Remote Code Execution via Metadata

A vulnerable version of ExifTool allowed attackers to upload a malicious PDF, resulting in server-level command execution.

Fix it:

✅ Keep dependencies up-to-date

✅ Secure file upload endpoints

4. From Self-XSS to Full Account Takeover

By combining Self-XSS with cache poisoning, attackers escalated to a persistent XSS attack—taking over user sessions site-wide.

Fix it:

✅ Sanitize all user input

✅ Strengthen cache control headers

5. Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR)

Sometimes, the weakest link is just an incremented number. Attackers exploited IDOR flaws to access private user data like profiles, resumes, and orders.

Fix it:

✅ Enforce strict access controls

✅ Audit APIs and endpoints regularly

Know your exposures before attackers do. Continuous discovery and intelligent scanning are essential to defend against these real, preventable security risks.