GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

A successful Directory Traversal attack allows an attacker to manipulate the URL or input parameters in such a way that they can navigate outside the intended directories of a web application. By exploiting this vulnerability, the attacker gains the ability to access restricted areas of the server's filesystem, thereby achieving unlimited access to the server's filesystem. This means that the attacker could potentially view, modify, or download sensitive files that should not be accessible to unauthorized users, including configuration files, user data, and other critical resources.

This type of attack is particularly concerning because it can lead to further exploitation of the server or application, as the attacker may then gain more information about the server's structure, access sensitive data, or install malicious software. Therefore, the risk posed by a successful Directory Traversal attack should be treated with a high level of urgency in cybersecurity practices.