Exploiting GraphQL Vulnerabilities: How Misconfigurations Can Lead to Data Leaks

Introduction
GraphQL is a powerful API query language that allows clients to request exactly the data they need. While it improves flexibility and performance, improper GraphQL configurations can lead to serious security vulnerabilities, including:

🔴 Unauthorized data access
🔴 Sensitive information disclosure
🔴 Exploitation of misconfigured object IDs
🔴 Mass enumeration of private data

In a recent security report, a researcher discovered a severe GraphQL vulnerability that exposed sensitive data from a private system, earning a substantial bug bounty reward. This article explores how attackers exploit GraphQL vulnerabilities and how you can secure your APIs from similar threats.

1️⃣ How GraphQL Works and Its Security Risks
🔹 What is GraphQL?
GraphQL is an alternative to REST APIs that allows clients to fetch specific data by sending structured queries. Unlike REST, which returns fixed responses, GraphQL lets users define exactly what they need.

💡 Example GraphQL Query:

{
"query": "{user(id: 1) {name, email, role}}"
}
💡 Example Response:
...

Read the Complete Article on Medium

Exploiting GraphQL Vulnerabilities: How Misconfigurations Can Lead to Data Leaks | by Karthikeyan Nagaraj | Feb, 2025 | Medium

Karthikeyan Nagaraj ・ Feb 21, 2025 ・

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