RedTiger: Advanced Automated XSS Vulnerability Testing Tool

Introduction

In today's digital landscape, web application security is more critical than ever. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) remains one of the most prevalent security vulnerabilities according to OWASP Top 10, affecting countless websites and applications. Yet, the process of identifying these vulnerabilities can be time-consuming and complex, requiring multiple tools and manual correlation.

Enter RedTiger – an all-in-one automated XSS vulnerability testing tool designed to streamline security assessments with intelligent endpoint filtering and an elegant terminal UI. As a cybersecurity professional, I developed RedTiger to address the challenges of efficient XSS testing at scale.

The Problem RedTiger Solves

XSS vulnerability testing traditionally involves several disjointed steps:

1. Discovering subdomains
2. Filtering viable targets
3. Finding endpoints with parameters
4. Testing each endpoint for XSS vulnerabilities

This fragmented approach often leads to inefficiencies, missed vulnerabilities, and excessive time spent switching between tools. RedTiger transforms this process into a seamless, automated workflow that handles each step methodically while providing real-time feedback.

Key Features

RedTiger combines power and elegance with these standout features:

🔍 Comprehensive Scanning Pipeline

RedTiger automates the complete XSS testing workflow:

• Subdomain Enumeration: Discovers all related subdomains for thorough coverage
• Intelligent Link Filtering: Focuses on potentially vulnerable endpoints
• Parameter Detection: Tests only endpoints with parameters (containing "?")
• XSS Vulnerability Testing: Employs sophisticated payload testing

🎯 Efficiency Through Smart Filtering

Not all endpoints are created equal when it comes to XSS vulnerability. RedTiger intelligently filters:

• Live and responsive subdomains only
• Endpoints containing query parameters
• URLs likely to process user input

This targeted approach dramatically reduces testing time while maintaining comprehensive coverage.

🖥️ Beautiful Terminal User Interface

Security tools don't need to be visually bland. RedTiger features:

• Animated progress indicators
• Color-coded outputs for instant status recognition
• Clear section dividers for each testing phase
• Real-time statistics and completion percentages

📊 Comprehensive Reporting

RedTiger provides detailed insights at each stage:

• Subdomain discovery metrics
• Link filtering statistics
• Endpoint extraction counts
• XSS vulnerability findings with severity ratings

Technical Implementation

RedTiger orchestrates several specialized tools to accomplish its mission:

1. subfinder: For fast and efficient subdomain discovery
2. katana: For intelligent web crawling and endpoint extraction
3. XnovaX: For filtering and processing viable target links
4. XSSNOVA: For advanced XSS payload testing and vulnerability detection

The architecture follows a pipeline pattern where the output of each stage feeds into the next, with appropriate filtering and processing between stages.

Workflow Visualization

Input Domain → Subdomain Enumeration → Link Filtering → Endpoint Extraction → Parameter Filtering → XSS Testing → Vulnerability Report

Installation and Setup

Getting started with RedTiger is straightforward:

1. Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/medjahdi/RedTiger.git
cd RedTiger

1. Make the script executable:

chmod +x redtiger.sh

1. Install dependencies (if not already installed):

# Install subfinder
GO111MODULE=on go get -v github.com/projectdiscovery/subfinder/v2/cmd/subfinder

# Install katana
GO111MODULE=on go get -v github.com/projectdiscovery/katana/cmd/katana

1. Ensure the proper directory structure:

RedTiger/
├── redtiger.sh
├── XnovaX/
│   └── xnovax.py
└── XSSNOVA/
    └── xssnova.py

Using RedTiger

Run RedTiger against a target domain with a simple command:

./redtiger.sh example.com

The tool automatically creates an organized directory structure for the target domain, storing results from each phase of testing:

example.com/
├── subdomains.txt     # All discovered subdomains
├── clean_livesubs.txt # Filtered useful links
├── endpoints.txt      # All extracted endpoints
└── attack.txt         # Endpoints with parameters for XSS testing

Real-World Applications

RedTiger excels in various security testing scenarios:

Bug Bounty Hunting

Quickly scan target domains for XSS vulnerabilities, giving you a competitive edge in finding reportable issues before others.

Security Assessments

Perform comprehensive XSS testing during security assessments, providing clients with actionable vulnerability reports.

Continuous Security Testing

Integrate RedTiger into CI/CD pipelines to test for XSS vulnerabilities before deployment.

Educational Use

Learn about XSS vulnerabilities and web application security by observing how RedTiger identifies potential injection points.

The Journey Behind RedTiger

As a cybersecurity professional specializing in web application security, I repeatedly found myself manually chaining together tools to perform XSS testing. Each assessment required the same sequence of actions with different target domains. I created RedTiger to automate this process and to provide a more elegant, efficient solution.

The development process involved careful selection of dependencies, refining the filtering logic to minimize false positives, and designing a user interface that provides clarity during intensive scanning operations.

What's Next for RedTiger

The development roadmap includes:

• Expanded vulnerability testing beyond XSS (SQL injection, CSRF, etc.)
• Customizable reporting formats (HTML, PDF, JSON)
• Integration with vulnerability management platforms
• Advanced payload generation using machine learning
• Collaboration features for security teams

About the Author

I'm Med Jahdi, a cybersecurity researcher and ethical hacker passionate about web application security. With expertise in vulnerability assessment and penetration testing, I focus on creating tools that make security testing more efficient and accessible.

Connect with Me

• GitHub: https://github.com/medjahdi
• Portfolio: https://medjahdi.github.io

Support This Project

If you find RedTiger useful in your security testing workflow, consider supporting its continued development:

https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/W5SHTZX6LZH86

Your support helps maintain and improve RedTiger while enabling the development of new security tools for the community.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of web security, efficient vulnerability detection tools are essential. RedTiger combines multiple testing phases into a seamless workflow, allowing security professionals to identify XSS vulnerabilities with unprecedented efficiency.

Whether you're a bug bounty hunter, security consultant, or developer concerned about application security, RedTiger provides the automated intelligence needed to find vulnerabilities before malicious actors do.

I welcome your feedback and contributions to make RedTiger even better. Feel free to open issues, submit pull requests, or reach out with suggestions.

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⚠️ Disclaimer: RedTiger is designed for ethical security testing only. Always ensure you have proper authorization before testing any domain or application.