Understanding Race Conditions Vulnerabilities in Web App Penetration Testing | 2023

Navigating the Complex World of Race Conditions | Karthikeyan Nagaraj

Karthikeyan Nagaraj
3 min readSep 23, 2023

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n the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, staying one step ahead of potential threats is paramount. Among the multitude of vulnerabilities that web applications can face, Race Conditions stand as a formidable challenge. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the intricate world of Race Conditions, shedding light on their nature, risks, and strategies for effective mitigation.

1. The Essence of Race Conditions

In the realm of web application security, a Race Condition occurs when multiple processes or threads attempt to modify shared data concurrently, leading to unpredictable and potentially harmful outcomes. These vulnerabilities often exploit the timing and sequence of operations within an application.

2. Types of Race Conditions

Race Conditions can manifest in various forms, each with its unique characteristics and consequences:

File-Based Race Conditions

This type occurs when multiple processes attempt to access and modify the same file simultaneously. It can lead to…

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Karthikeyan Nagaraj

Entrepreneur | Writer | Cyber Security Consultant | AI Researcher