Karl.Fail

Tag: vulnerable-app

  • OWASP Juice Shop: The Most Broken Secure App You’ll Ever Love

    Welcome to OWASP Juice Shop: The Buggiest Secure App Around

    Meet OWASP Juice Shop – the most modern and sophisticated intentionally insecure web application ever made. Designed for training, awareness, CTFs, and tool testing, Juice Shop is a security testing playground disguised as an online store. With vulnerabilities from the entire OWASP Top Ten and more, this app is your one-stop-shop for learning about web application security by doing.

    Why Juice Shop Is a Must-Have for Security Learners

    Whether you’re a student, ethical hacker, developer, or trainer, Juice Shop offers realistic hacking scenarios that mirror issues in real-world applications. You can:

    • Practice exploiting XSS, SQLi, CSRF, and many more vulnerabilities
    • Host Capture the Flag events with built-in scoring and challenges
    • Use it to test security scanners and automation tools
    • Teach secure coding through interactive, hands-on examples

    Installation & Setup

    Juice Shop runs virtually anywhere! Choose the method that fits your workflow best:

    1. From Source

    • Install Node.js (v18.x to v22.x recommended)
    • Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/juice-shop/juice-shop.git --depth 1
    • cd juice-shop
    • npm install
    • npm start

    2. Packaged Distributions

    • Download the latest release for your platform
    • Unzip and run npm start

    3. Docker

    • Install Docker
    • docker pull bkimminich/juice-shop
    • docker run --rm -p 127.0.0.1:3000:3000 bkimminich/juice-shop

    4. Vagrant

    • Install Vagrant and VirtualBox
    • git clone https://github.com/juice-shop/juice-shop.git
    • cd vagrant && vagrant up

    Core Features

    • OWASP Top 10 Coverage: Every major web vulnerability is here
    • Gamified Learning: Complete challenges and track your score
    • CTF-Ready: Easily host security competitions with built-in support
    • Multiple Deployments: Supports Docker, Node.js, Vagrant, and cloud platforms
    • Custom Branding: Make it your own with rebranding support

    Security Concepts in Action

    OWASP Juice Shop isn’t just about theory. You’ll get to practice:

    • Injection attacks (SQL, NoSQL)
    • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
    • Broken authentication and access control
    • Security misconfigurations and more

    Each vulnerability is paired with a challenge – many with hints and full walkthroughs in the official companion guide.

    Support & Community

    Stuck? Check out the troubleshooting guide or hop on the Gitter Chat. Contributions, translations, and improvements are always welcome.

    Security Considerations

    Juice Shop is intentionally vulnerable. Do not deploy it on the public internet without proper containment (e.g., firewalls or VMs). Use it responsibly for ethical hacking and educational purposes only.

    Final Thoughts

    OWASP Juice Shop transforms the process of learning application security from boring lectures into an exciting, hands-on experience. With broad vulnerability coverage, multiple deployment options, and strong community support, it’s the ideal sandbox for anyone serious about web security.

    Ready to challenge yourself? Then Juice Shop is waiting.

  • Damn Vulnerable Web Application (DVWA): The Classic Playground for Web App Security

    Welcome to DVWA: Learn Web Security the Hands-On Way

    Damn Vulnerable Web Application (DVWA) is a legendary tool in the cybersecurity world, purposefully crafted to be insecure. Built using PHP and MariaDB, DVWA is designed for learning, practicing, and testing web security techniques in a safe and controlled environment.

    Whether you’re a budding ethical hacker, a seasoned pentester, or a developer trying to build more secure applications, DVWA offers a rich environment filled with real-world vulnerabilities. It’s perfect for hands-on practice with web security challenges.

    Use Cases for DVWA

    DVWA is ideal for:

    • Practicing common web vulnerabilities like XSS, SQLi, CSRF, and file inclusion
    • Testing and developing security tools in a controlled environment
    • Teaching web security concepts to students in labs or classrooms
    • Running Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions

    The app includes both documented and hidden vulnerabilities, encouraging exploration and deep learning.

    Installation and Setup

    You can install DVWA in various ways based on your environment and comfort level:

    1. Manual Installation

    Clone the repository and set up the application using Apache, PHP, and MariaDB. You’ll need:

    • Apache2
    • PHP (v7.3+ recommended)
    • MariaDB server and client
    • PHP modules like mysqli and gd

    On Debian-based systems, install dependencies using:

    apt update
apt install -y apache2 mariadb-server mariadb-client php php-mysqli php-gd libapache2-mod-php

    2. Docker

    If you prefer containerization, DVWA has an official Docker image. After installing Docker and Docker Compose, simply run:

    git clone https://github.com/digininja/DVWA.git
cd DVWA
docker compose up -d

    DVWA will be available at http://localhost:4280.

    3. Windows + XAMPP

    Download and install XAMPP, then place the DVWA files in the htdocs directory. Detailed video guides are available for walkthroughs.

    Core Features

    • Multiple Security Levels: Adjust difficulty from low to high for scalable training
    • Wide Vulnerability Coverage: Practice XSS, SQLi, RFI, LFI, CSRF, command injection, and more
    • API Lab: Practice attacks on a dedicated RESTful API
    • Authentication Bypass Configs: Optional settings for disabling login, useful for automation
    • SQLite3 Support: Offers additional flexibility for SQL injection labs

    Security Considerations

    Important: DVWA is intentionally insecure. Never deploy it on a public-facing server. Use it within isolated virtual machines or containers with NAT networking. Misuse could lead to system compromise.

    By default, login credentials are:

    • Username: admin
    • Password: password

    Troubleshooting and Tips

    DVWA provides an extensive troubleshooting guide, including help with database configuration, permission issues, blank pages, and PHP errors. Enable PHP error display for debugging, and consult the video tutorials linked in the repo for additional guidance.

    Final Thoughts

    DVWA remains a cornerstone for anyone serious about understanding web application security. With its flexible deployment options, layered security levels, and support for both beginner and advanced users, it’s an essential tool in the learning arsenal of any cybersecurity enthusiast or professional.

    Set it up, start hacking, and level up your web security skills!