Drupal Penetration Testing

Drupal penetration testing is the process of evaluating a Drupal website's security by identifying vulnerabilities in its architecture, modules, and custom code. It involves simulating real-world attacks to uncover potential weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious users.

This testing helps ensure the protection of sensitive data and enhances the site's overall security posture. Regular Drupal pentesting helps prevent unauthorized access and maintain the integrity of the website.

This blog provides a comprehensive guide to Drupal penetration testing, explaining why it is essential and how to conduct it effectively. It covers all phases of the process, from reconnaissance to remediation.

What is Drupal?

Drupal is a popular open-source content management system (CMS) known for its flexibility and robust features. It allows users to build and manage complex websites and applications easily. Developers can extend its functionality using modules, themes, and plugins.

While Drupal provides strong security features, it is still susceptible to vulnerabilities and requires regular updates and maintenance. Many organizations use Drupal for everything from personal blogs to large enterprise websites.

What is Drupal Penetration Testing?

Drupal penetration testing involves systematically probing a Drupal-based website or application to identify and exploit security vulnerabilities. This process helps uncover weaknesses that attackers could use to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or disrupt services.

Penetration testers use a combination of automated tools and manual techniques to simulate attacks, test the system's defenses, and evaluate its security posture. The goal is to find and fix vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

Benefits of Drupal Pentest

Drupal penetration testing offers several benefits that enhance the website's security and overall performance. The benefits include:

Identify Security Vulnerabilities

Drupal penetration testing systematically uncovers vulnerabilities in the website’s architecture, including weak points in custom code and configurations. It identifies areas where attackers might exploit issues like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), or authentication flaws. By addressing these vulnerabilities, organizations reduce the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access, ensuring that the website remains secure against evolving threats.

Enhance Drupal Module Security

Through penetration testing, both core and contributed Drupal modules are scrutinized for potential vulnerabilities. Security teams test for weaknesses introduced by third-party modules and ensure that they adhere to best practices. By doing so, organizations strengthen the security of the entire system, safeguarding it against known vulnerabilities or misconfigurations in the modules that are crucial to the website’s functionality.

Improve User Data Protection

By conducting regular penetration tests, organizations can ensure that sensitive user information such as personal details, payment information, and login credentials are secured. Penetration testing identifies flaws that could lead to data breaches, allowing security teams to implement stronger encryption, improve access controls, and prevent unauthorized data exposure. This proactive approach not only protects users but also maintains regulatory compliance and reduces legal liabilities.

Maintain Compliance

Drupal penetration testing ensures that websites meet the security requirements set by regulations like PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR. Organizations address vulnerabilities and improve overall security to reduce the risk of fines or penalties for non-compliance. Regular pen testing creates an audit trail of proactive security measures. This demonstrates the organization's commitment to maintaining high standards of data protection and industry-specific security protocols.

Strengthen Overall Security Posture

A comprehensive pentest uncovers security gaps across various layers of the Drupal platform. Addressing these issues strengthens the entire security infrastructure, reducing the risk of successful cyberattacks and improving defense mechanisms.

Prerequisites for Drupal Pentesting

Before conducting a Drupal penetration test, it's important to understand the platform’s structure and modules. Familiarize yourself with Drupal’s architecture, including its core components, contributed modules, and any customizations, as this knowledge will help identify potential security gaps. A strong understanding of common web vulnerabilities, such as those listed in the OWASP Top 10 (e.g., SQL injection, XSS, and CSRF), is essential to recognize and exploit possible weaknesses effectively. Additionally, prepare the necessary tools and setup, such as Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Nmap, Nikto, and Droopescan, ensuring they are properly configured for comprehensive scanning and testing of the Drupal site.

Drupal Pentest Phases

Let's explore the key phases of Drupal penetration testing, which form the backbone of a comprehensive security assessment for Drupal-based websites and applications.

1. Reconnaissance

Start passive reconnaissance by examining the page source, HTTP headers, and meta tags to identify the Drupal version and active modules. This initial step reveals the components and technologies that make up the website. Utilize tools to analyze the technology stack and gather information from public sources, such as forums, social media, and developer blogs. This data helps build a picture of the target and possible vulnerabilities without directly interacting with the system.

Active reconnaissance involves more direct probing of the target. Use DNS enumeration tools to gather DNS information and perform WHOIS lookups to obtain domain registration details. Scanning with tools like Nmap will reveal open ports and services on the server, helping to identify potential entry points. Additionally, subdomain scanning helps find related sites and services that may expose additional vulnerabilities.

2. Vulnerability Assessment

Automated scanning tools detect known vulnerabilities within the Drupal core, modules, and overall web application during vulnerability assessment. These tools actively uncover common security issues, including misconfigurations and outdated software. Web application scanning tools actively analyze the site to identify vulnerabilities like injection flaws, broken authentication, and insecure configuration.

Testers perform manual assessments to complement the findings of automated scans. Manually review the site’s codebase and configuration settings to detect hidden security issues. Verify Drupal core and module versions against the CVE database to find any known vulnerabilities and examine user roles and permissions to identify potential privilege escalation risks.

3. Exploitation

After identifying vulnerabilities, exploitation involves testing to see if those weaknesses can be leveraged to gain access or control. Test for common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection by probing input fields and URLs to check for flaws in data processing. Attempt to inject malicious scripts into user input fields to test for cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, and create malicious requests to test for cross-site request forgery (CSRF) weaknesses.

Focus on Drupal-specific exploits by researching known vulnerabilities and exploits for the CMS, which can be found in exploit databases. Certain modules may have specific vulnerabilities that can be exploited, and these should be tested to verify their presence. If a successful exploitation occurs, it demonstrates the risk posed to the site.

4. Post-Exploitation

After exploiting a vulnerability, attackers perform post-exploitation activities to maintain access to the target system. This may include uploading web shells to gain persistent control over the server or establishing reverse shells to create a backdoor for future access. Tools that provide stealthy, ongoing connections help ensure the ability to continue testing without being detected.

Data extraction is a critical part of post-exploitation. Retrieve sensitive information from databases, such as user credentials, personally identifiable information (PII), or financial records. Attempt to access restricted files and directories that may have improper permissions, which could provide further sensitive information or control over the site.

5. Reporting

After testing, compile all findings into comprehensive documentation. Detail each discovered vulnerability, method of exploitation, and any extracted data to create a thorough overview of the risks present on the site. Provide step-by-step instructions to reproduce each issue, ensuring that stakeholders can understand the weaknesses and how they were exploited.

The report should also include clear recommendations for remediation. Provide specific guidance on how to fix each vulnerability, whether through software updates, configuration changes, or additional security controls. Suggest best practices for ongoing Drupal site security, including regular updates, enforcing strong password policies, and applying the principle of least privilege for user permissions.

6. Remediation Verification

Security teams conduct follow-up tests after implementing fixes to verify proper vulnerability remediation. This step confirms that the remediation measures are effective and that the identified security gaps have been closed. Additionally, ensure that no new vulnerabilities have been introduced during the remediation process by retesting all affected components. This verification helps maintain the integrity and security of the Drupal site over time.

Final Thoughts

Drupal penetration testing is essential for securing the site, helping to identify and address vulnerabilities to maintain data integrity and protect sensitive information. Regular testing, combined with an understanding of Drupal’s architecture, strengthens the site's defenses.

Akto offers advanced, automated API security testing that identifies vulnerabilities such as broken authentication, authorization flaws, and input validation issues, which are also critical in Drupal environments.

By integrating Akto into the security framework, organizations can ensure that all API endpoints interacting with the Drupal system are secured, protecting the sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of the website.

For a comprehensive security strategy that covers both web vulnerabilities and API security, consider adding Akto to your security toolkit.