Hacking University Student Portals: A Step-By-Step Guide

University student portals are often vulnerable to hacking attempts due to lax security measures. In some cases, universities use default passwords, making it easy for hackers to gain unauthorized access. Additionally, students with computer science skills may exploit weaknesses in the system to their advantage, such as setting up automated notifications for course registration or even modifying their grades. While most students use their skills ethically, others may engage in malicious activities, emphasizing the need for universities to enhance their security protocols and address vulnerabilities proactively.

Characteristics and Values of Hacking a University Student Portal

Using Python and Twilio to automate checking for open spots in a class

University students often face the challenge of trying to register for a class, only to find that it is full. While some universities offer a waitlist system, others require students to log in and manually check the site multiple times a day for any openings. This repetitive task can be automated with Python and the Twilio API.

To begin, ensure that you have pip installed, as this will be necessary for installing the required libraries. The specific libraries utilized in this project include:

Twilio

Pytesseract

Pillow

Requests

Beautifulsoup4

Install these libraries using the pip command provided in the reference article. Now, let's delve into the functionality of this automated system.

The primary objective of this project is to create a system that notifies students when seats in their desired course become available. To achieve this, a subscription functionality is implemented using webhooks. Redis, a tool that provides data structures accessible from multiple processes, is employed to store these subscriptions. This allows users to communicate their intent by simply sharing the course number.

The code has been improved to include two significant changes. Firstly, it validates that the user is requesting a valid course, ensuring that the system responds only to legitimate queries. Secondly, the respond function constructs a TwiML response, enabling the system to send notifications to users who have subscribed to updates for a specific course.

By utilizing Python and Twilio, students can automate the tedious task of manually checking for open spots in a class. This innovative solution not only saves time but also ensures that students don't miss out on registration opportunities. Remember to verify that setting up notifications complies with your university's student system terms of service.

Uploading a JSP file to execute arbitrary code on the server

In the context of hacking a university student portal, an attacker can leverage the JSP file upload vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the server. This involves uploading a JSP file, which contains Java code, to the Tomcat application server. By default, Apache Tomcat restricts the usage of the HTTP PUT method required for this type of attack. However, by modifying the web.xml configuration file, it is possible to disable this restriction. Once this change is made, attackers can send HTTP PUT requests to the server and create files on it.

When the JSP file is uploaded, it can be accessed by the attacker, and Apache Tomcat will execute the Java code within it while rendering the response. This allows the attacker to execute malicious code on the remote machine, potentially compromising the server and the entire university network. It is important to note that this type of attack relies on the server's vulnerability to Path Traversal attacks, which enable hackers to manipulate paths without the server checking their validity.

To carry out this attack, an attacker would typically use tools such as Metasploit and msfvenom to generate a JSP reverse TCP shell. This shell is then uploaded to the Tomcat server using the HTTP PUT method. After a successful upload, the attacker can use an HTTP GET request to retrieve the JSP web shell file and establish a reverse shell in the Metasploit listener. This provides the attacker with unauthorized access to the server and the ability to execute arbitrary code.

While this method of uploading a JSP file can be effective in executing arbitrary code on the server, it is important to note that there are measures in place to protect against such attacks. For example, BIG-IP ASM customers are protected by default as they restrict the usage of the HTTP PUT method and block any such requests sent to the virtual server. Additionally, exploitation attempts can be blocked by implementing a Server Side Code Injection signature.

Taking advantage of default passwords not being changed

Default passwords are a serious security lapse that can expose your devices and data to various cyber threats, including unauthorized access, data theft, and ransomware attacks. Many people neglect to change the default password that comes with a device or software, making it easier for hackers to access and compromise them.

Default passwords are typically simple and publicly documented, intended for initial testing, installation, and configuration operations. They are often identical across all systems from a vendor or within product lines. For example, the New York City Law Department was hacked when an unknown group exploited a vulnerability in the department's Pulse Secure VPN software, which had a default password of "123456" that was never changed.

To take advantage of default passwords not being changed, hackers can use various techniques. They can attempt to log in with blank, default, or common passwords, as this is a widely used attack technique. Additionally, they can use brute force or cracking tools to guess passwords, especially if they are weak or common.

To prevent becoming a victim of such an attack, it is essential to change default passwords as soon as possible and use strong and unique passwords for different devices and accounts. Other password security best practices include using multi-factor authentication, encryption, and password managers. Restricting network access to critical and important systems and limiting the exposure of these devices to the internet can also enhance security.

By following these practices, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and protect your data from potential cyber threats.

Using a phishing scheme to grab teacher credentials

Phishing is a popular type of cyberattack that often targets schools. It involves sending fraudulent messages that appear to be from legitimate sources such as companies, banks, or even the target's own school district. The goal is to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information or installing malware on their devices or the school network. Emails are a common medium for phishing attacks, and these may create a sense of urgency, fear, or panic to prompt an impulsive reaction from the recipient.

To grab teacher credentials through a phishing scheme, one must understand the psychology of the target group. Teachers often have access to confidential student data and sensitive school systems. They may also have their login credentials, personal information, and financial data compromised through phishing attacks. Therefore, the phisher must create a convincing narrative that would resonate with teachers and exploit their tendencies to trust.

One possible scenario for a phishing scheme targeting teacher credentials could involve the following steps:

• Send an email to teachers from a spoofed email address that appears to be from the school's IT department or a trusted educational platform that teachers in the district commonly use.
• Craft a compelling narrative, such as an urgent issue with their accounts or a mandatory update from the school board.
• Include alarming language to create a sense of urgency, prompting teachers to take immediate action. For example, "Your account has been compromised. Please verify your credentials immediately to avoid further complications."
• Provide a link that directs teachers to a fake website designed to mimic the actual school portal or educational platform. Ensure the website looks identical to the original, including logos, color schemes, and content placement.
• When teachers enter their credentials on the fake website, their login information is captured and sent to the phisher.
• With the captured credentials, the phisher can now access sensitive information and potentially compromise the entire school network.

It is important to note that such an attack would be illegal and unethical. The above information is provided for educational purposes only, to help people understand the methods used in phishing attacks so they can better protect themselves and their organizations.

Using complex algorithms to crack passwords

When it comes to hacking university student portals, password cracking is a common approach. This involves using complex algorithms and strategic machine learning to decrypt and unencrypt passwords. While there are various methods to crack passwords, one of the most well-known is the brute-force attack, which exhaustively tries every possible combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. However, this method is often ineffective and time-consuming, especially for longer passwords.

To improve the efficiency of brute-force attacks, attackers may use rainbow tables, which are comprehensive directories that list out all possible plaintext versions of encrypted passwords. These tables are created by using a password hash algorithm to calculate hashes for a character set. While rainbow tables can significantly speed up password recovery, they also have limitations, such as requiring large amounts of storage space for complex passwords.

Another technique used in password cracking is the dictionary attack, which involves entering every word in a dictionary as a potential password. In cryptography, "dictionary" refers to a list of common substitutions and numeric entries, such as "4pple" for "apple". A permutation attack is a variation of the dictionary attack, where each entry in the dictionary is used to generate permutations, such as trying "god," "ogd," "odg," and so on for the word "dog."

More advanced methods, such as the PRINCE attack (PRobability INfinite Chained Elements), use algorithms to try the most likely password candidates by creating chains of combined words from a single dictionary. Additionally, rule-based attacks use rules to eliminate possibilities and can be highly complex and flexible.

To protect against password cracking, it is essential to use strong cryptography and complex passwords. Long passwords that incorporate a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols are more secure and take significantly longer to crack. Additionally, salting, or adding a random string of characters before hashing, can enhance password security by making it harder for attackers to recognize hashed passwords.

Frequently asked questions