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Retrieve Content Using Malicious XML External Entities (XXE)

In this lab, you'll learn how to identify and exploit an Extensible Markup Language (XML) External Entity (XEE) attack. When you've finished with this lab, you'll know how to exploit a vulnerable endpoint to read local files on a remote system.

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Lab Info
Rating
(444)
Level
Beginner
Last updated
Aug 04, 2025
Duration
30m

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Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Getting Started in the Lab Environment

    Here are the initial instructions and explanation of the lab environment. Read this while your environment is busy creating itself from nothing. Yes, this violates physics; we know. How fun!

  2. Challenge

    Parsing an XML schema

    In this challenge, you will access a web application and parse error messages to create an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document that complies with a schema. Once created, the XML document can be accepted and processed by the application.

  3. Challenge

    Exploiting an XML External Entity (XXE) injection

    In this challenge, you will introduce an additional DOCTYPE element to the XML structure recovered in the previous challenge. The DOCTYPE element will define an external entity which contains a local file path on the remote server. Once the DOCTYPE is defined, you will edit the XML document to also make use of the external entity, in order to exploit the vulnerable application and read the contents of the file on the remote system.

  4. Challenge

    The Last Challenge

    Welcome to the final challenge! This is your last chance to experiment in the environment. Clicking Finish Lab will end this little world that flittered into existence just for you.

About the author

Riley has technical security consultancy experience – leading and building teams to deliver projects and outcomes for clients. He has created and facilitated technical trainings across secure coding, python for hackers, offensive operations, and Capture The Flag competitions. Riley has created technical educational content across YouTube, TCM Academy, and his personal Capture The Flag platform – 247CTF. Riley holds a number of certifications including OSCP, OSCE, OSED, OSWE, OSEP, CRTO, CRTL, CEH, CISA, CISSP, CREST CRT and CREST CCT. He has also completed a Bachelor of Software Engineering degree with honours from the Australian National University.

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