Burp Suite: Solution Overview, Tutorial, and Top 5 Alternatives

Burp Suite Editions

Burp Suite Enterprise Edition

Burp Suite Enterprise Edition is for organizations requiring continuous automated security testing. It enables scanning across numerous web applications without manual intervention. This edition integrates with CI/CD pipelines, ensuring immediate identification of vulnerabilities during the development process.

The Enterprise Edition supports large-scale deployments. Integrations with tools like Jenkins allow automated testing workflows. With its API, Enterprise Edition ensures that security testing becomes part of the development lifecycle, providing vulnerability management.

Burp Suite Professional

Burp Suite Professional caters to security testers seeking manual testing capabilities. This edition offers a suite of tools to analyze application vulnerabilities deeply. From intercepting HTTP traffic to exploiting security flaws, users have control over the testing process.

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The Professional edition is suitable for penetration testers. It complements manual testing with features like request interception, response analysis, and session handling. This edition supports extending functionality through plug-ins, enabling security experts to tailor testing efforts to application needs.

Burp Suite Community Edition

Burp Suite Community Edition is the free version for learners and hobbyists interested in web security testing. Although limited compared to other editions, it provides tools such as the proxy and repeater, allowing users to conduct basic testing and understand web security fundamentals.

The Community Edition serves as an entry point for those new to security testing. While it lacks features like scanning or automation, it provides hands-on experience with manual testing tasks.

Dastardly

Dastardly is a free, lightweight web application scanner intended for CI/CD pipelines. It automatically detects seven common security issues, offering fast feedback for developers working in agile environments. Dastardly helps identify errors that could cause security weaknesses when left unchecked.

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Targeted at developers, Dastardly complements Burp Suite by providing pre-emptive scans on development builds. This approach identifies potential security concerns during the coding stage. Although limited to common vulnerabilities, it aids in maintaining security practices within agile workflows.

Key Tools Offered by Burp Suite

Proxy

Burp Suite's Proxy tool intercepts HTTP/S traffic between browsers and web servers. It allows users to inspect and modify data in transit, aiding in identifying vulnerabilities. The tool provides analysis, enabling testers to refine requests, analyze responses, and discover hidden security issues.

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The Proxy tool is a foundation for manual security assessments, giving testers visibility into application-server communication. It supports modifying requests to test application behavior under various conditions.

Repeater

The Repeater tool lets users manually customize and resend HTTP requests, essential in manual testing to observe application responses. It supports iterative testing, pinpointing vulnerabilities by offering varied request parameters, and analyzing response behaviors.

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With Repeater, testers can engage in analysis without the noise of automated processes. This manual control is useful during penetration tests, allowing exploration of individual vulnerabilities.

Intruder

Burp Suite's Intruder module automates customized attacks on web applications. It allows security testers to execute different attack types such as credential stuffing, parameter manipulation, and fuzzing. Users can tailor payload insertion, automating repetitive tasks that would be time-consuming manually.

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Intruder is useful for discovering weaknesses that require automated probing. It supports creating complex attack vectors and aiding in the analysis of application logic vulnerabilities.

Sequencer

Sequencer focuses on analyzing the randomness of session tokens and other security items. It evaluates the predictability of these tokens, determining if an application might be vulnerable to session token prediction attacks. The tool provides statistical analysis of token randomness, a critical factor in security assessments.

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Assessing token predictability is important for applications that rely on session management. Sequencer offers insights into session token robustness, ensuring sessions are secure from potential hijacking. It aids in identifying weak areas in token generation schemas used across applications.

Scanner

Burp Suite's Scanner is an automated tool to identify vulnerabilities within web applications. It checks for common security issues like SQL injection, XSS, and others. The scanner provides detailed reporting, allowing security experts to pinpoint sources and types of vulnerabilities quickly.

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While automated, the Scanner can also integrate into manual processes for enhanced testing depth. It aids in applying consistent testing across applications, ensuring thorough exploration of security flaws. Its integration into other pipeline systems allows regular, automated security checks.

Decoder

The Decoder tool in Burp Suite assists with encoding and decoding data into popular formats such as URL, Base64, and HTML. It's useful for analyzing and transforming data involved in application testing. Understanding these transformations is useful for uncovering hidden vulnerabilities.

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The tool speeds up data analysis by providing quick transformation of data formats, simplifying testing tasks. Security testers can inspect and manage encoding details, supporting a deeper understanding of application communications.

Extender

Burp Suite Extender allows users to enhance the tool's functionality by adding extensions. This customization makes it possible to develop testing tools tailored to different application environments. The tool supports various programming languages, enhancing the user’s ability to extend capabilities.

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With Extender, Burp Suite becomes more versatile than its standard functionalities. Users can create extensions or integrate existing ones from the BApp Store, broadening testing capabilities.

How Is Burp Suite Used in Cybersecurity

Burp Suite’s tools are useful for several cybersecurity functions.

Web Crawling

Burp Suite enables web crawling by automatically mapping out and scanning web applications, building a structural map for testing. This feature identifies all accessible endpoints, allowing security testers to understand application architecture. Web crawling is vital for thorough security testing, ensuring no application components are overlooked.

Web Application Testing

In web application testing, Burp Suite offers tools that analyze and identify security flaws. By intercepting traffic and analyzing server responses, testers can discover issues such as injection flaws, insecure deserialization, and misconfigurations. This aids in maintaining application security in the face of evolving threats.

Penetration Testing

Burp Suite supports penetration testing with tools to discover and exploit application vulnerabilities. By simulating attacks, testers can determine security weaknesses, leveraging tools like Intruder or Repeater for tailored exploits. Penetration testing with Burp Suite validates application resilience against real-world threats, helping uncover exploitable vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability Detection

Burp Suite uses its scanner and other tools to automatically identify weaknesses like XSS or CSRF. It offers detailed reporting on detected issues, enabling quick remediation plans. Efficient vulnerability detection is critical for proactive security maintenance. Burp Suite's detection mechanisms aid in continuously identifying and addressing security gaps.

Tutorial: Getting Started with Burp Suite

This tutorial walks you through setting up and performing basic functions with Burp Suite.

Download and Install Burp Suite

To begin:

You need to download the latest version of Burp Suite. You can choose between the Professional Edition and the Community Edition, depending on your needs. Visit the official PortSwigger website to access the download links.
After downloading the installer, run it to install Burp Suite on your system. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. If you’re using the Professional Edition, you’ll be prompted to enter your license key. For first-time users, you can skip any project file or configuration setup by clicking Next, then Start Burp.
Once installed, you can begin exploring Burp Suite’s features. If you’re new to the platform, it’s recommended to follow the interactive tutorial provided by Burp Suite to get acquainted with its core functionalities.

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Intercept HTTP Traffic with Burp Proxy

In the Burp browser:

Navigate to the Intercept tab under Proxy in Burp Suite and set the intercept toggle to Intercept on.
Then, click on Open Browser to launch Burp's preconfigured browser. Arrange your windows so that both Burp Suite and the browser are visible.
In Burp’s browser, attempt to visit a website. You’ll notice that the page doesn’t load immediately because Burp Proxy has intercepted the HTTP request. This intercepted request is displayed in the Intercept tab, allowing you to examine it before forwarding it to the server.
Click the Forward button to send the intercepted request to the server. You may need to forward multiple requests before the page fully loads in Burp's browser.
After examining the necessary requests, you can switch off interception by toggling Intercept off in the Proxy tab. This allows subsequent traffic to pass through Burp Proxy without interruption.
To review all HTTP traffic, navigate to Proxy and then the HTTP history tab. Here, you can see a log of all HTTP requests and responses that have passed through Burp Proxy.
Clicking on any entry will display the raw HTTP data, which is crucial for understanding how the web application interacts with the server.

Modify a Request in Burp Proxy

Before modifying requests, make sure interception is switched off in Burp. Then:

Use Burp’s browser to visit a deliberately vulnerable website provided by PortSwigger. These are called labs, which you can open by selecting Access the lab.
Switch interception back on, and interact with the website (e.g., adding an item to a shopping cart). Burp Proxy will intercept the request, allowing you to study the parameters involved.
Examine the intercepted request and locate a parameter of interest (e.g., the price of an item). This can be done from the Intercept tab under Proxy.
Manually change the value of this parameter to test how the server responds to unexpected inputs. Once modified, click Forward to send the altered request to the server. It there are multiple requests, click Forward all.
After forwarding the modified request, check the website in Burp’s browser to see if the modification was successful. For example, you might find that an item in your shopping cart now has a drastically reduced price, demonstrating a potential security vulnerability.

Set the Target Scope

To adjust the target scope for Burp Suite testing:

Start by opening Burp’s browser and visiting a specific URL, such as a testing site provided by PortSwigger.
Navigate through various pages on the target site to generate HTTP traffic that Burp can capture and analyze.
Go to the Proxy tab, then to the HTTP history tab to review the captured requests. This history will include traffic from both the target site and any third-party services the browser interacted with, such as analytics tools.
In the Site map tab under Target, locate the target site in the left-hand panel. Right-click on the site and select Add to scope.
Confirm by clicking Yes when prompted to exclude out-of-scope traffic.
Return to the HTTP history tab under Proxy and use the display filter to show only in-scope items. This filtered view simplifies your analysis by focusing only on traffic from the target site, making it easier to identify potential vulnerabilities.

Manually Reissue a Request Using Burp Repeater

To repeatedly reissue a given request:

In Burp’s HTTP history, find a request that warrants further investigation, such as one involving a product page.
Right-click on this request and click on Send to Repeater.
Go to the Repeater tab, where the selected request is displayed. Modify parameters within the request, such as the productId, and click Send to observe how the server responds to each variation.
By sending different inputs, you can test how the server handles unexpected data. For example, sending a non-integer value instead of an expected numeric ID might trigger an error, revealing information about the server's configuration and potential vulnerabilities.

Run a Scan

To start scanning:

Navigate to the Dashboard tab in Burp Suite and click New scan to open the scan launcher.
In the scan launcher, enter the URL of the target site you wish to scan. Ensure all other settings remain at their default values unless specific adjustments are necessary.
To configure the scan, select the Lightweight scan mode under Scan configuration. This mode provides a quick overview of the target site by running a scan for a maximum of 15 minutes.
Click OK to begin the scan. Burp Scanner will start by crawling the site, mapping out its structure and content.
While the scan runs, you can monitor its progress in the Dashboard. The Site map tab under Target will also update as the scan discovers new content.After the scan completes, review any identified vulnerabilities by selecting the scan task from the Dashboard and examining the Issues tab. Each issue includes detailed information and evidence, helping you understand and address the security risks on the target site.

Related content: Read our guide to Burp Suite tutorial

Burp Suite Limitations

While Burp Suite is widely used for various security functions, it also has several drawbacks that prompt some organizations to seek alternatives.

Learning Curve

Burp Suite presents a steep learning curve, especially for those new to the platform. It is a complex and feature-rich tool, which may not be immediately intuitive to beginners. New users often find themselves overwhelmed upon first navigating the homepage, struggling to utilize the tool's capabilities without extensive tutorials.

Extension Compatibility

One of the limitations faced by users of Burp Suite is the inconsistent compatibility with various extensions. This inconsistency can undermine the reliability of the tool's automated reporting features, as not all extensions work as expected. Users often find themselves unable to rely on the tool for comprehensive auto-generated reports due to these compatibility issues. Its UI is also considered less user-friendly than that of its competitors.

Manual and Automated Log Separation

Burp Suite cannot separate logs generated from manual testing and automated scanning. This lack of separation results in a significant accumulation of logs, particularly from the scanner, making it cumbersome for users engaged in both manual and automatic analysis to filter through manual logs.

Notable Burp Suite Alternatives

1. Pynt

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Pynt is a cutting-edge API security platform that automates vulnerability detection using context-aware attack simulations. Its contextual analysis secret sauce makes it more precise by understanding how APIs function within specific environments, leading to fewer false positives and more relevant findings.

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2. ZAP

Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is a penetration testing tool for web applications. Maintained by the Software Security Project (SSP), it is a free and open-source utility. ZAP acts as a man-in-the-middle proxy, intercepting messages between the browser and web applications to inspect, modify, and forward data packets. ZAP is available for all major operating systems and can also be run as a daemon process.

License: Apache 2.0

Repo: https://github.com/zaproxy/zaproxy

GitHub stars: 12,000+

Contributors: 200+

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Features of ZAP:

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Man-in-the-middle proxy: Sits between the tester's browser and the web application to intercept, inspect, and modify messages, enhancing security testing efficacy.
Cross-platform compatibility: Offers versions for Windows, Linux, macOS, and Docker, ensuring accessibility across different operating systems.
Extensibility through add-ons: A variety of add-ons are available in the ZAP Marketplace, allowing users to extend functionality to meet specialized testing needs.
Session management: Offers options to persist sessions, with data saved in a local database for future access.
Varied scanning capabilities: Supports passive and active scanning modes to identify vulnerabilities without affecting the target's functionality and security.

Related content: Read our guide to Burp Suite vs Zap

3. Acunetix

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Acunetix is a web application security solution to automate the process of identifying and securing web applications, websites, and APIs. This tool can discover and crawl various aspects of web applications to identify a wide array of vulnerabilities, including over 7,000 known flaws.

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Features of Acunetix:

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Discovery and crawling: Automatically creates and updates a list of all websites, applications, and APIs, ensuring no potential vulnerabilities are overlooked.
Scanning capabilities: Capable of scanning single page applications (SPAs), sites rich in scripts, and applications built with modern technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript.
Vulnerability detection: Detects over 7,000 vulnerabilities, including zero-day exploits, with a blend of DAST and IAST scanning for coverage.
Resolution of security issues: Reduces false positives and clearly identifies the exact code changes needed, enabling developers to independently resolve issues.
Integration with development tools: Easily integrates with CI/CD pipelines, issue trackers, and WAFs.

4. Invicti

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Invicti is a security automation tool that integrates into the software development life cycle (SDLC), offering a proactive approach to web application security.It automates the discovery of web assets, vulnerability detection, and the resolution of security issues, enabling teams to identify and address potential threats early in the development process.

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Features of Invicti:

Automated vulnerability detection: Continuously scans web applications for security flaws, including SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other common vulnerabilities.
SDLC integration: Integrates with CI/CD pipelines and other development tools, enabling security testing at every stage of development.
Dynamic & interactive testing: Uses both Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) and Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) methods to identify vulnerabilities. This dual approach improves accuracy and reduces false positives.
Detailed remediation guidance: Provides developers with clear, actionable guidance on fixing vulnerabilities, including the exact lines of code that require modification.
Continuous security monitoring: Supports ongoing scans to maintain vigilance over web applications, ensuring security as changes are made or new features are added.

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5. Metasploit

Metasploit is a penetration testing framework that helps security professionals identify, exploit, and validate vulnerabilities within systems and networks. It provides a set of tools for conducting security assessments, enabling testers to simulate real-world attacks and assess the effectiveness of their defenses.

License: BSD-3-clause, others

Repo: https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework

GitHub stars: 33,000+

Contributors: 1,000+

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Features of Metasploit:

Exploitation framework: Offers a library of exploits that security professionals can use to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in a range of systems, helping to simulate real-world attack scenarios.
Payload delivery: Allows testers to deliver and manage payloads to compromised systems, enabling them to control and further assess the system's security posture once access has been gained.
Post-exploitation tools: Provides a suite of tools for conducting activities after a successful exploit, such as privilege escalation, data extraction, and further system manipulation to fully understand the extent of a vulnerability.
Auxiliary modules: Includes a variety of auxiliary modules for tasks like network discovery, service scanning, and fuzzing, which help testers assess systems without exploiting vulnerabilities.
Community and commercial versions: Offers both open-source (community) and commercial versions, making it accessible to a range of users.

Conclusion

Burp Suite is a popular tool for web application security testing, offering a range of features that support both manual and automated testing. Its capabilities extend beyond vulnerability identification, supporting deeper insights into application behavior and security flaws. However, it has several limitations compared to some of its competitors, making it important to evaluate different security solutions before committing to Burp.

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See Additional Guides on Key Security Testing Topics

Together with our content partners, we have authored in-depth guides on several other topics that can also be useful as you explore the world of security testing.