GO KALI FREE

XSSer

Web Application

Intermediatemedium risk

XSSer (Cross Site Scripting Exploiter) is an automatic framework to detect, exploit, and report XSS vulnerabilities in web applications. It contains features to bypass several filters and various options for automated payload generation.

Installation

sudo apt install xsser

Basic Syntax

xsser -u "<URL>"

Quick Facts

Full Name
XSSer (Cross Site Scripting Exploiter)
License
GPL v3
Written In
Python
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Windows
Category
XSS Testing Framework
Test Types
Reflected, Stored, DOM-based, Blind
First Release
2011
Author
epsylon

Tool Overview

XSSer is an automated cross-site scripting testing framework that streamlines the detection and exploitation of XSS vulnerabilities. It supports reflected, stored, DOM-based, and blind XSS testing with automatic payload generation, injection, and verification.

Developed by epsylon, XSSer features a modular architecture with multiple encoding engines for WAF bypass, a heuristic scanner for parameter analysis, and a report generator for documentation. It is one of the most comprehensive XSS-specific tools available.

Security professionals use XSSer during web application assessments to quickly identify XSS vulnerabilities across large applications. Its automated approach covers hundreds of payload variations that would be time-consuming to test manually.

Common Commands

xsser -u "http://192.168.1.1/search?q=test"Basic XSS test - Analyze a specific target URL and its query parameters for reflected XSS
xsser -u "http://192.168.1.1/search?q=test" --autoAutomatic mode - Let the framework automatically select and test a variety of built-in payloads
xsser -u "http://192.168.1.1/search?q=test" --Fp "<script>alert(1)</script>"Custom payload - Inject a specific payload string directly into the targeted parameter to test filters
xsser -u "http://192.168.1.1/search?q=test" --heuristicHeuristic auditing - Evaluate how parameters handle special characters to discover potential entry points
xsser -u "http://target.com/search?q=test"Basic XSS test
xsser -u "http://target.com/search?q=test" --autoAuto mode
xsser -u "http://target.com/search?q=test" --Fp "<script>alert(1)</script>"Custom payload
xsser -u "http://target.com/page" -d "q=test"POST test — inject payloads into POST body parameters
xsser --url "http://target.com/page?q=test" --Coo="session=abc"Authenticated — carry a session cookie into the XSS test
xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --HexHex encoding — obfuscate payloads to bypass simple filters
xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --reverse-checkBlind XSS — verify execution via a reverse connection
xsser --crawl -u "http://target.com/"Crawl — spider the site and test discovered parameters
xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --proxy http://127.0.0.1:8080Proxy — route the audit through Burp/ZAP for inspection

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. 1Find input parameters
  2. 2Run xsser against target
  3. 3Review injection results
  4. 4Test successful payloads manually
  5. 5Document XSS findings

Warnings

Use Cases

Reflected XSS Detection

Test URL parameters and form inputs for reflected cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.

Stored XSS Testing

Identify persistent XSS vulnerabilities that store malicious scripts on the target server.

DOM-based XSS Analysis

Detect client-side XSS vulnerabilities that execute in the browser without server interaction.

WAF Bypass Testing

Evaluate WAF effectiveness against various XSS obfuscation and encoding techniques.

Blind XSS Discovery

Test for XSS vulnerabilities that trigger in back-end systems like admin panels and ticketing systems.

Payload Generation

Generate custom XSS payloads with specific encoding and obfuscation for manual testing.

Related Tools

XSStrike

Web Application

Advanced XSS detection suite with intelligent payload generation and context analysis.

BeEF

Exploitation

Browser exploitation framework for client-side attacks through XSS hooks.

SQLMap

Web Application

Automated SQL injection and database takeover tool.

Commix

Web Application

Automated command injection and exploitation tool.

Nikto

Web Application

Web server scanner that tests for dangerous files, outdated software, and misconfigurations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is XSSer used for?

XSSer is an automated cross-site scripting framework that detects, exploits, and reports XSS vulnerabilities. It tests for reflected, stored, DOM-based, and blind XSS with automatic payload generation and WAF bypass capabilities.

What types of XSS can XSSer detect?

XSSer can detect reflected XSS (immediate script execution), stored XSS (persistent injection), DOM-based XSS (client-side execution), and blind XSS (triggered in back-end systems like admin panels).

Can XSSer bypass WAFs?

Yes, XSSer includes multiple encoding and obfuscation techniques to bypass WAF filters, including Unicode encoding, hex encoding, string concatenation, and other evasion methods.

Is XSSer better than manual XSS testing?

XSSer automates the tedious process of testing hundreds of payload variations, but manual testing is still needed for complex DOM-based XSS and business logic-specific scenarios.

What is reflected XSS and how does XSSer detect it?

Reflected XSS occurs when user input is immediately returned in the HTTP response without proper encoding. XSSer detects it by injecting payloads into URL parameters and analyzing the response for unescaped script execution.

How does XSSer detect stored XSS vulnerabilities?

XSSer can test for stored XSS by injecting payloads into form fields that persist on the server. Detection requires verification that the payload executes when other users view the affected page.

Can XSSer detect DOM-based XSS vulnerabilities?

Yes, XSSer includes DOM analysis capabilities to detect client-side XSS vulnerabilities where the payload executes through JavaScript processing of the DOM without server-side reflection.

How does XSSer bypass input filters for XSS?

XSSer uses multiple encoding techniques including URL encoding, HTML entity encoding, JavaScript encoding, and Unicode transformations to bypass common input filters and WAF rules.

What encoding options does XSSer support for payloads?

XSSer supports hex encoding, URL encoding, HTML encoding, JavaScript encoding, and custom encoding combinations to obfuscate payloads and evade detection mechanisms.

Is XSSer suitable for automated XSS scanning in CI/CD pipelines?

XSSer can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines for automated XSS testing, though it requires careful configuration to avoid false positives and should be used alongside manual verification.

How do I use XSSer with cookies for authenticated testing?

Use the --Coo flag to pass session cookies: xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --Coo="session=abc123". This allows testing behind authentication by maintaining a valid session.

Can XSSer test for XSS in HTTP headers?

Yes, use the --H (headers) flag to test HTTP headers for XSS: xsser -u "http://target.com/page" --H="X-Forwarded-For". XSSer injects payloads into the specified header and checks for reflection.

How do I run XSSer in automatic mode?

Use the --auto flag: xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --auto. This enables automatic payload selection and injection without manual configuration. XSSer tests the most common XSS vectors automatically.

Can XSSer generate custom payloads?

Yes, use the --Fp flag with custom payload: xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --Fp "<img src=x onerror=alert(1)>". This tests a specific payload against the target parameter.

How do I use XSSer's reverse check for blind XSS?

Use --reverse-check to verify blind XSS: xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --reverse-check. This sets up a listener to confirm when the blind payload executes in back-end systems.

Can XSSer scan multiple URLs from a file?

Yes, use the -i flag with a file containing URLs: xsser -i urls.txt. XSSer processes each URL and tests parameters for XSS vulnerabilities, generating a comprehensive report of all findings.

How do I use XSSer's heuristic mode?

Use --heuristic to analyze parameter filtering behavior: xsser -u "http://target.com/page?q=test" --heuristic. This mode determines what characters and patterns the target filters, helping generate bypass payloads.

Can XSSer detect both reflected and stored XSS?

Yes, XSSer tests for reflected XSS by injecting payloads and checking HTTP responses, and for stored XSS by injecting into form fields that persist. DOM-based XSS detection is also supported through DOM analysis.

How do I update XSSer to the latest version?

Update with: cd XSSer && git pull. Or reinstall from GitHub: git clone https://github.com/psagon/xsser.git. Check the version with python3 xsser --version.

Tags

#web-application#xss#vulnerability-detection#exploitation#automation

Output Explanation

Shows tested payloads and successful injections. Color-coded results.

Ethical Usage Notice

This tool is designed for authorized security testing, educational purposes, and legitimate network administration only. Unauthorized access to computer systems is illegal.