GraphQL Offensive: Mastering the Art of Attacking Next-Gen APIs with Black Hat Techniques

By Marco Hardwick

Book Description: GraphQL is rapidly replacing traditional REST APIs in modern applications, offering flexibility, speed, and efficiency. But with this power comes a new attack surface one that many developers, security engineers, and red team professionals are still struggling to understand and defend. GraphQL Offensive is your definitive manual for mastering offensive security against GraphQL-based APIs.This book doesn't just skim the surface. It takes you into the guts of GraphQL technology and shows you step by step how to identify, exploit, and weaponize its weaknesses. Whether you're a penetration tester, a bug bounty hunter, a red team operator, or a developer wanting to secure your stack, this book gives you the actionable insights, practical tools, and real-world examples you need to confidently assess and break GraphQL implementations.Inside, you'll learn how to: Identify hidden GraphQL endpoints using passive and active recon methodsExploit schema exposure via introspection, field abuse, and recursive structuresPerform GraphQL injection attacks, both boolean-based and time-basedEnumerate users and escalate privileges through broken access controlsOverwhelm APIs with DoS attacks using deep queries, aliases, and recursive fragmentsAbuse batching, fragments, and directives for stealthy exfiltrationLeverage GraphQL for lateral movement and persistent access in post-exploitationExtract secrets from mobile apps, federated APIs, and misconfigured servicesBypass modern GraphQL defenses, including rate-limiting, query complexity guards, and WAFsBuild and deploy offensive payloads for real-world red teaming and C2 integrationEach chapter is filled with accurate code samples, hands-on payloads, and field-proven tactics used in real bug bounty reports and red team campaigns. The book also includes a robust exploit-ready payload library, real bug bounty case studies, a red team methodology appendix, and legal guidelines to ensure responsible use.Whether you're trying to break into the field of offensive security or you're already running GraphQL attack chains in the wild, this book will sharpen your edge, strengthen your toolset, and challenge your understanding of API security.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FQ1TMWS2
• ISBN13: 9798263930554
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.7" x 9.6"