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Parameter exclusions

By default, Invicti Platform tests all discovered parameters for vulnerabilities. This document explains how to configure parameter exclusions to skip testing on specific inputs - for example, session tokens, framework-generated fields, or parameters that the scanner must not modify during a scan.

Misconfiguration risk

Advanced settings change scanner behavior directly. Incorrect values can cause scans to fail, miss vulnerabilities, or report inaccurate results, and the effect isn't always visible in the scan output.

These settings are intended for cases where Invicti Support has advised a specific value for a specific problem. Don't change them for exploratory or trial-and-error tuning. If you aren't certain what a setting does and why it needs to change, leave it at its default and contact Invicti Support first.

When to use parameter exclusions

Use parameter exclusions to prevent Invicti Platform from testing parameters that:

• Are session or authentication tokens that must remain unmodified, for example PHPSESSID or ASP.NET_SessionId
• Are framework-generated fields that cause errors if the scanner tampers with them, for example __VIEWSTATE or __EVENTVALIDATION
• Produce false positives or irrelevant results when tested
• Are known-safe parameters that slow down the scan without adding security value

Default exclusions

Invicti Platform includes a set of default parameter exclusions covering common session identifiers and framework fields, including:

• ASP.NET session and state fields: ASP.NET_SessionId, __VIEWSTATE, __EVENTVALIDATION, __EVENTTARGET, __EVENTARGUMENT, and related fields
• Java and PHP session IDs: JSESSIONID, PHPSESSID
• ColdFusion session tokens: cfid, cftoken
• Rails authenticity token: authenticity_token
• Cloudflare and Akamai parameters

You can add to this list, but avoid removing default exclusions unless you have a specific reason to test those parameters.

Add a parameter exclusion

Prerequisites

The Advanced settings tab only appears when you enable the Allow users to configure advanced scan configuration option in Settings > Scanning. For more information, refer to Scanning settings.

1. Select Inventory > Targets from the left-side menu.
2. Find the target you want to configure and either:
   • Select anywhere on its row to open the target drawer, then select Edit.
   • Select the three-dot menu (⋮) at the far right of the row and choose Edit target.
3. Select the Advanced settings tab.
4. Locate Parameter exclusions in the Scanning section.
5. Select Add item and fill in the fields described below.
6. Save the target configuration.

Delete a parameter exclusion

1. Select Inventory > Targets from the left-side menu.
2. Find the target you want to configure and either:
   • Select anywhere on its row to open the target drawer, then select Edit.
   • Select the three-dot menu (⋮) at the far right of the row and choose Edit target.
3. Select the Advanced settings tab.
4. Locate Parameter exclusions in the Scanning section.
5. Select the red bin icon next to the exclusion you want to remove.
6. Save the target configuration.

When you delete an exclusion, Invicti Platform includes that parameter in testing during the next scan. If you delete a default exclusion - such as a session token or framework field - the scanner attempts to modify it, which can break the scan or generate false results. Only delete default exclusions if you have a specific reason to test those parameters.

Field reference

Field	Description
Name	A regex pattern that matches the parameter name to exclude. Use the (?i) flag for case-insensitive matching.
Kind	The parameter type to match: cookie, get, post, or * to match any type.
URL	Optional. A regex pattern scoping the exclusion to specific paths. Leave empty to apply the rule to all URLs on the target.
Action	Set to Exclude. This is the only available option and tells the scanner to skip testing the matched parameter.

Examples

Exclude a specific cookie:

Name	Kind	URL
(?i)my_session_cookie	cookie

Exclude a parameter by name across all types:

Name	Kind	URL
(?i)^token$	*

Exclude a GET parameter only on a specific path:

Name	Kind	URL
(?i)^ref$	get	/checkout/

Best practices

• Use the (?i) flag for case-insensitive matching to cover parameter name variations
• Use ^ and $ anchors to match exact names and avoid unintended broad matches - for example, (?i)^sessionid$ rather than (?i)sessionid
• Use * for Kind only when the same parameter appears in multiple request types
• Scope exclusions to a URL pattern when a parameter should only be excluded on specific pages
• Review the default list before adding rules - the parameter you want to exclude may already be covered

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