Learning about web security with Web Security Dojo
Master Class
Protecting your own websites from attack either costs a lot of money or requires a lot of expertise. Web Security Dojo helps you learn to think like an expert.
Security is now a major focus for Internet users and companies. Unfortunately, the sophisticated nature of recent attack techniques, as well as the ever-increasing surveillance ambitions of the authorities and data-mining corporations, continues to complicate the quest for a safe and secure Internet.
A specialized Linux environment called Web Security Dojo [1] offers an easy way for everyday users and beginning professionals to learn about web security. Dojo is designed to provide practical, hands-on exercises on web security and intrusion techniques.
The Dojo virtual appliance is available on SourceForge [2] as an image of around 2.3GB in OVA format. The Dojo is suitable to run in VirtualBox from version 5.0 and also in VMware. After you download the image, install a test environment in VirtualBox by specifying the storage path for the OVA file in the newly opened dialog via the File | Import Appliance… menu. Then create a new virtual machine from the appliance (Figure 1).
The virtual machine is available in VirtualBox as Dojo 3.0. After booting, Dojo launches as a Xubuntu 16.04 32-bit system with the XFCE desktop (Figure 2).
Start and Finish
The Web Security Dojo virtual learning environment includes various services that are configured to serve as targets for simulated attacks. The services listed in the Targets menu cover a wide range of possible attack scenarios. Some of these target services are already active by default; others must be launched manually.
Some of the services in the Targets menu are web-based applications that require a proxy service. These proxy services are available in the form of Firefox add-ons (Figure 3). Since targets and tools already exist on the same system, you do not need an active Internet connection for the lessons.

Application
Firefox is the center of Web Security Dojo. When Launched, Firefox first offers the option to call the Damn Vulnerable Web Application (DVWA) page [3], a preconfigured test environment that familiarizes the user with a variety of vulnerabilities in web applications (Figure 4). In the DVWA window, log in with the username admin
and password password
.
In the menu on the left, you will find various attack technique options, such as Cross Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection, CSRF, or Brute Force. For the various scenarios, you will receive background information in the form of links to related websites and wikis.
In addition to DVWA, Dojo has other tools for more advanced attack scenarios. For example, you will find the Java application WebGoat, which is part of the OWASP Project [4]. Launch WebGoat using the WebGoat Start script in the Targets menu, and then click on the WebGoat link in Firefox on the homepage. You can authenticate using guest as a username and password.
The application provides a brief introduction and lists various test scenarios in a vertical scrollbar on the left edge of the screen (Figure 5). Subgroups partly summarize individual categories. For example, under Authentication Flaws , you will find tests for authentication vulnerabilities.
Several options appear at the top edge of the screen. Click on Show Solution to display the solution to a scenario; Show Plan provides additional didactic information. Show Source familiarizes you with the source code, and Restart Lesson launches the active task again. WebGoat Stop from the menu stops the service.
Google Gruyere and McAfee's Hacme Casino are two other toolkits for learning protection technologies for web pages. You have to manually launch these tools via the Targets menu before the web pages are available in Firefox. Gruyere, which is named after the cheese, portrays several typical methods for hacking a website and familiarizes you with solutions that prevent such attacks.
Hacme Casino is extremely playful and looks like a gambling website; however, it also serves as a learning tool, letting the user trace through some common attack techniques. A detailed manual for Hacme Casino is available in English with many practical examples [5].
In the Tools menu, you will find a wide range of tools and scanners for your own research. These tools includes the security scanner Arachni, the browser exploitation framework BeEF, the Metasploit Framework, and the w3af framework – including a command-line version. DirBuster, an application written in Java for brute force attacks, and BurpSuite are also available. Pure command-line applications such as Skipfish, SqlMap, or Skavenger Shell round out the portfolio.
Documentation
The manufacturer has put a lot of effort into documentation for Web Security Dojo. You'll find plenty of PDF and HTML files for the various tools, as well as several video tutorials hosted on YouTube. The documents and videos make it easier for beginners to install and get acquainted with the system. You can also find some basic information on the desktop in the README.html
and GettingStarted.html
files.
Instructions for the main suites and frameworks are available in the Documentation folder. The Zim desktop wiki is available for you to record your own notes. To launch Zim, click the Zim icon on the desktop.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Direct Download
Read full article as PDF:
Price $2.95
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Find SysAdmin Jobs
News
-
Kubuntu Focus Announces XE Gen 2 Linux Laptop
Another Kubuntu-based laptop has arrived to be your next ultra-portable powerhouse with a Linux heart.
-
MNT Seeks Financial Backing for New Seven-Inch Linux Laptop
MNT Pocket Reform is a tiny laptop that is modular, upgradable, recyclable, reusable, and ships with Debian Linux.
-
Ubuntu Flatpak Remix Adds Flatpak Support Preinstalled
If you're looking for a version of Ubuntu that includes Flatpak support out of the box, there's one clear option.
-
Gnome 44 Release Candidate Now Available
The Gnome 44 release candidate has officially arrived and adds a few changes into the mix.
-
Flathub Vying to Become the Standard Linux App Store
If the Flathub team has any say in the matter, their product will become the default tool for installing Linux apps in 2023.
-
Debian 12 to Ship with KDE Plasma 5.27
The Debian development team has shifted to the latest version of KDE for their testing branch.
-
Planet Computers Launches ARM-based Linux Desktop PCs
The firm that originally released a line of mobile keyboards has taken a different direction and has developed a new line of out-of-the-box mini Linux desktop computers.
-
Ubuntu No Longer Shipping with Flatpak
In a move that probably won’t come as a shock to many, Ubuntu and all of its official spins will no longer ship with Flatpak installed.
-
openSUSE Leap 15.5 Beta Now Available
The final version of the Leap 15 series of openSUSE is available for beta testing and offers only new software versions.
-
Linux Kernel 6.2 Released with New Hardware Support
Find out what's new in the most recent release from Linus Torvalds and the Linux kernel team.