Stale Authorization Cache
A10 · ≈ 45 min · 0 solves
Explore the application as a real target: map the exposed functionality, inspect requests and responses, build a working exploit, and recover the rotating flag. If you get stuck, the verified official solution is available below as an optional spoiler.
Rules of engagement
Stay inside the generated lab URL. Use only the synthetic accounts and data in this instance. The main SecOne4all site and external systems are out of scope.
Challenge brief
What counts as a valid solve
A database failure keeps an obsolete allow decision alive beyond its safe lifetime.
GET /cached-auth?db={value}.
trigger the exceptional path and demonstrate its unsafe fallback or partial state; the successful workflow returns the current rotating flag.
Work only inside your generated lab URL and submit the flag within 45 minutes.
Official solution
Contains the complete exploitation path. Open it only when you want the spoiler.
Reveal official solutionStep-by-step · verified against the live lab
Official solution · A10 · Stale Authorization Cache
Objective
A database failure keeps an obsolete allow decision alive beyond its safe lifetime.
Steps
- Start the isolated lab and establish the normal response or state.
- Prepare the smallest input that triggers the timeout, parser, arithmetic, retry, or cleanup edge case.
- Trigger and exploit the exceptional path: GET
/cached-auth?db=down; the stale cached admin decision is reused. - Confirm the unsafe fallback or partial state returns the rotating flag.
- Submit the flag before stopping the lab.
Expected proof
A successful response for db-failure-stale-auth-cache returns the instance-specific rotating flag. The flag is valid only for the current player and running instance.
Safety boundary
Use only the generated lab URL. No request to the main site, another user, or an external service is part of this solution.