GraphQL offers developers a flexible and efficient way to query APIs. However, this flexibility introduces new attack vectors that are often overlooked during traditional security testing.
GraphQL's introspection feature allows anyone to query the schema and understand all available types, queries, and mutations. If left enabled in production, it's a goldmine for attackers.
IDOR is just as prevalent in GraphQL as it is in REST. Attackers can manipulate arguments in queries or mutations to access data they shouldn't have access to.
GraphQL allows multiple queries to be sent in a single request. Attackers can use this to perform brute-force attacks or exfiltrate large amounts of data while bypassing rate limits.
Complex, deeply nested queries can consume significant server resources. Without proper depth limiting, an attacker can crash the server with a single, well-crafted query.
Key defensive measures include disabling introspection in production, implementing robust authorization at the resolver level, and enforcing query depth and complexity limits.