Setting Up a Vulnerable GraphQL Server

Installing Docker

Docker is a tool for managing containers, which package software and its dependencies to run in any environment. It's available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. To begin, install Docker on your system:

1. Install Docker via Kali repositories:

   sudo apt install -y docker.io

2. Enable Docker to start automatically on reboot:

   sudo systemctl enable docker --now

3. Verify Docker installation:

   sudo docker

Deploying the Damn Vulnerable GraphQL Application (DVGA)

The DVGA simulates vulnerabilities like DoS attacks, SQL injection, broken authorization, and more, making it ideal for security testing. It’s open source and available on GitHub here.

To set it up:

1. Install Git:

   sudo apt install git -y

2. Clone the DVGA repository:

   git clone -b blackhatgraphql https://github.com/dolevf/Damn-Vulnerable-GraphQL-Application.git
   cd Damn-Vulnerable-GraphQL-Application

3. Build the Docker image for DVGA:

   sudo docker build -t dvga .

4. Run the DVGA container:

   sudo docker run -t --rm -d --name dvga -p 5013:5013 -e WEB_HOST=0.0.0.0 dvga

5. Verify the container is running:

   sudo docker container ps

Accessing the Application

Once the container is up and running, you can access DVGA by opening a web browser and visiting http://localhost:5013. The interface resembles a service like Pastebin, where users can share text snippets called "pastes". Each paste has metadata such as title, content, and author information, which can be used for testing GraphQL queries.

Testing the Server with a GraphQL Query

Finally, confirm the server’s functionality using the Altair GraphQL client. In the client, set the URL to http://localhost:5013/graphql and run the following query:

query {
  systemHealth
}

The response should indicate the system’s health status, confirming that the DVGA server is accessible and ready for further testing.