How Cross-Site Request Forgery Attack (CSRF) Works: A Deep Dive

This in-depth 28-minute video demonstration explores the mechanics of Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attacks through a vulnerable PHP application with MySQL database. Discover how session establishment works using PHP session files, the process of setting and storing session cookies in browsers, and how these cookies authenticate subsequent requests. Learn how malicious actors craft URLs to trick servers into performing unintended actions on behalf of authenticated users. Watch a live CSRF attack demonstration in a XAMPP environment, visualize session file creation on servers, and understand browser-based cookie storage. The video concludes with effective strategies and best practices to prevent CSRF attacks in web applications. Note that this educational content includes references to related MySQL and PHP lectures and contains a disclaimer emphasizing the information should only be used for ethical learning purposes.