Welcome to XSS Playground! In this challenge, you'll explore Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities in a community message board application. The platform allows users to post messages and share thoughts, but contains critical input validation flaws that can be exploited to execute malicious JavaScript in other users' browsers.

• Understand Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack vectors and payload construction
• Learn about stored XSS vulnerabilities and their impact on web applications
• Practice JavaScript payload development for session hijacking and privilege escalation
• Develop skills in client-side security testing and browser-based exploitation

The challenge features a community message board where users can post public messages. The application lacks proper input sanitization, allowing stored XSS attacks that execute when other users view the messages. You'll need to craft malicious JavaScript payloads to exploit the vulnerability and gain access to administrative functions.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities occur when web applications include untrusted data in web pages without proper validation or escaping. Stored XSS attacks persist malicious scripts in the application's database, executing whenever users access the affected pages. This type of vulnerability can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, and complete account compromise.