Web App Penetration Testing - #1 - Setting Up Burp Suite

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of setting up Burp Suite, a vital tool for web application penetration testing. Burp Suite provides a graphical interface for testing the security of web applications and is a key resource for security professionals and enthusiasts alike. This guide will help you install and configure Burp Suite to get started with your penetration testing journey.

Step 1: Download Burp Suite

• Navigate to the Burp Suite official website: PortSwigger.
• Select the appropriate version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
• For beginners, the Community Edition is recommended as it is free and provides essential features for basic testing.

Step 2: Install Burp Suite

• Locate the downloaded installer and run it.
• Follow the installation prompts:
  • On Windows, accept the license agreement and choose the installation directory.
  • On macOS, drag the Burp Suite icon to the Applications folder.
  • On Linux, extract the downloaded tar file and navigate to the directory using the terminal.
• Launch Burp Suite after installation is complete.

Step 3: Configure Your Browser

• Open your preferred web browser (Firefox is commonly used with Burp Suite).
• Install the Burp Suite CA certificate to intercept HTTPS traffic:
  • In Burp Suite, go to the "Proxy" tab and then the "Options" sub-tab.
  • Configure the proxy listener to listen on 127.0.0.1:8080 (default settings).
  • Open your browser's settings and configure the proxy settings to use 127.0.0.1 and port 8080.
• To install the CA certificate:
  • In Burp Suite, go to the “Proxy” tab and then to “Intercept” and click on “Options”.
  • Click on the “Import / export CA certificate” button and follow the instructions to export the certificate.
  • In your browser, navigate to the settings for certificates and import the Burp CA certificate.

Step 4: Test the Configuration

• Open a new tab in your browser and visit a website.
• In Burp Suite, go to the "Proxy" and then "HTTP history" to see if the requests are being captured.
• If you see the captured requests, your configuration is successful.

Step 5: Set Up Additional Tools (Optional)

• Explore other features within Burp Suite, such as:
  • Spider: To discover content and functionality of the application.
  • Scanner: To find vulnerabilities automatically (available in the professional version).
  • Intruder: To perform automated attacks on web applications.

Conclusion

You have successfully set up Burp Suite for web application penetration testing. By following these steps, you can now start testing the security of web applications. As you grow more comfortable with the tool, explore advanced features to enhance your testing capabilities. Remember to always practice ethical hacking and ensure you have permission before testing any application. Happy testing!