A payload path is the specific URL route on a web server where a file or other resource can be requested. For example, a link may point to a server hostname followed by a path that serves a script, installer, or other payload. A server can host several resources at different paths.
In an attack, a payload path may appear in a link, shortcut, or command used to retrieve a file or a later-stage script. Defenders can monitor requests to these paths, inspect returned content, and use web and endpoint logs to determine whether a resource was merely reachable, downloaded, or executed. An HTTP 200 response shows that a request succeeded; by itself, it does not establish that a user opened the file or that a system was compromised.