Ways to secure your GraphQL API
GraphQL is an open source query language which can be used as an alternative for REST the developers rapidly adopt it to meet the flexibility which is needed to maintain modern and high growth API. It gives the client the power to ask exactly what they need and they completely make it easier to evolve API overtime.
How GraphQL will handle authentication and authorization
GraphQL is a server side runtime query language and it will not handle authorization logic however the platform will allow the developers to implement authentication and authorization checks in the business logic layer before exposing to API to the clients. The continuous automated vulnerability scanning process will allow the developers to save the time and it will completely focus on work while the benchmark web app against OWASP to enhance the security posture. Thus the suit integrates with most exciting development stack and it will allow you to scan various web applications JavaScript function and multiple API within a minute.
Authentication is a process of verifying the Identity of the user in a system if you need to verify the user’s identity you must supply at token or a key which the server has to retrieve the user’s information from the data Bank. Suppose if the user information is a data Bank then the user is authenticated that is the user will allow inside the system if not the server will tell the user which key is not authenticated and he will not be allowed to access the system.
Ideas for configuration
GraphQL implementation offers legimate feature that has been abused by the attackers that including introspection field suggestions and debug mode which is made available carefully.
Avoiding introspection: Naturally GraphQL is introspective which is you can query a GraphQL scheme for the details which completely reveals the information about its data structure that includes arguments, types, field description and status of types. Leaking the information can potential expose the additional attack surfaces that means which may contain other interesting vulnerability for the attackers to leverage. Interrogating the server which would provide the missing piece when trying to construct a complex and high severity attack, introspection is useful in development but it should avoid when you are providing access to the protected sensitive information.
Disable the field suggestions:If introspection is disabled the attackers may attempt to brute forcedly the GraphQL by using a feature commonly referred as a field suggestion they are triggered by supplying and incorrect field name in a query that results in an error response that discloses the field with similar names.
Debug mode: Errors that are very much helpful and it gives up some inside to what is happening when something goes wrong however in properly handling errors will help to introduce a variety of security issues in GraphQL. GraphQL can be run in debug mode and the main feature is to display the detailed errors to request the aid with development. It is extremely problematic if you run your GraphQL implementation in the production with debug enabled so it will result in excessive errors such as tag traces and it exposes other sensitive information with the response with jeopardize not just security but complaints too. Just ensure debug mode is disabled in the production and omit start traces before the details are passed back to the client. By implementing this solution your problem will be solved.
Also read: What is Network Security? Explain about it
Conclusion
GraphQL is a new standard for interacting with API it means that it need to be mindful of the security implementation and attack surface which brings along with it. Fundamentally building a secure software requires and understanding of underlying security principles of whatever technology it has been built upon here the awareness of security flaws which can be introduced at any stage of the development cycle and it can significantly reduce the headache and incidence in the future whether the projects are using GraphQL or not.
