Instagram API Reverse Engineering | Bug Bounty Tips | #bugbounty

Zodiac
11 Sept 202406:17

TLDRThis video demonstrates how to reverse engineer an API, specifically focusing on Instagram, when no documentation is available. It covers essential steps in API bug hunting, including using mitmproxy to intercept traffic and Swagger for analyzing API requests and responses. The process involves routing traffic through a proxy, interacting with the site as a regular user, and reviewing the captured API calls. The video also hints at another method using Postman. Follow along for more bug bounty tips and API hacking techniques.

Takeaways

  • 🔧 Reverse engineering an API is essential when there is no available documentation.
  • 🚨 Always verify that API bug hunting falls within the scope of a bug bounty program before proceeding.
  • 🔗 Install 'mitmproxy' to intercept and analyze API traffic on your computer.
  • 🛠 Route traffic through '8080' using 'foxyproxy' for easier tracking of interactions with the API.
  • 👤 Use the targeted website as a normal user would to ensure you cover all functionalities (e.g., login, profile editing).
  • 💾 After testing, save the captured traffic using 'mitmproxy' for further analysis.
  • 📄 Convert the intercepted traffic into a Swagger file for clearer insight into the API requests and responses.
  • 📝 Clean up unnecessary paths (like 'ignore') from the Swagger file to make the data more readable.
  • 🖥 Open Swagger Editor and import the file to visualize all requests and responses clearly.
  • ⏳ Consider using Postman for routing traffic as an alternative, though it might take more time.

Q & A

  • What is the first step in reverse engineering an API?

    -The first step is to install mitmproxy, which allows you to monitor and intercept traffic to understand how the API works.

  • Why is it important to reverse engineer an API?

    -Reverse engineering is crucial when there is no documentation available for an API. It helps in understanding how the API functions, which is important for tasks like bug hunting.

  • How can bug hunters benefit from API reverse engineering?

    -Bug hunters can gain an advantage by reverse engineering APIs, as not many people focus on this area. There’s a higher chance of finding bugs and earning bounties.

  • What tool is recommended to intercept traffic for API analysis?

    -Mitmproxy is recommended for intercepting and routing traffic through your local server to analyze API calls.

  • How should one interact with a target site during the API reverse engineering process?

    -You should interact with the site as a normal user would, including actions like creating an account, editing the profile, and uploading a profile photo to capture the API requests.

  • What is the role of Swagger in reverse engineering the API?

    -After capturing the traffic using mitmproxy, Swagger can be used to generate a clear API documentation by converting the traffic flow file into a readable format.

  • What command is used to convert mitmproxy data to Swagger format?

    -The command `mitmproxy to Swagger` is used to convert the captured traffic into a Swagger-compatible flow file.

  • Why is it important to remove the 'ignore' keyword in the file generated by Swagger?

    -Removing the 'ignore' keyword ensures that all API paths are included in the final output, giving a complete overview of the requests and responses.

  • What can you learn from the Swagger editor after importing the flow file?

    -In the Swagger editor, you can see all the API requests, responses, response codes, and the types of data being transferred, providing a full understanding of how the API works.

  • What is an alternative method to analyze API traffic if mitmproxy is not used?

    -An alternative method is using Postman to route and analyze traffic, although it may take more time compared to mitmproxy.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 How to Reverse Engineer an API with No Documentation

In this video, we learn how to reverse engineer an API when there is no available documentation, using Instagram as an example. The process starts with installing MITM Proxy, a tool that captures and inspects HTTP/HTTPS traffic, providing a step-by-step guide for installation on Linux. After setting up MITM Proxy, the user is advised to route traffic through it using FoxyProxy and simulate normal user activity on the target site, such as creating an account and editing the profile. The captured traffic data is then converted to a Swagger format using commands provided in the terminal, allowing for a clearer view of API requests and responses. The video concludes with guidance on removing unnecessary data and importing the cleaned data into the Swagger Editor for better analysis.

05:04

📝 Viewing API Requests and Responses with Swagger Editor

After importing the flow file into the Swagger Editor, all requests and their corresponding responses, along with response codes, are clearly visible. This method provides a comprehensive understanding of how the API functions. The video also mentions an alternative method using Postman for routing traffic and analyzing API requests, which might take more time but is worth exploring. The speaker concludes by promoting their Medium blog, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Blogger handles, promising more videos on API bug hunting in the future.

Mindmap

Keywords

API Reverse Engineering

API Reverse Engineering is the process of analyzing and understanding how an API functions without the official documentation. It involves intercepting and studying the communication between an application and its API, which is a key part of the video. The video demonstrates this process with Instagram’s API to show how to extract insights, useful for bug bounty hunting.

Bug Bounty

Bug Bounty refers to programs offered by companies where security researchers are rewarded for finding and reporting vulnerabilities in their software. In the video, the speaker mentions using reverse engineering techniques for API bug hunting, a lesser-explored area with high potential for earning bounties.

MITM Proxy

MITM Proxy (Man-in-the-Middle Proxy) is a tool used to intercept and monitor traffic between a user's device and a website. The video discusses how to install MITM Proxy and route traffic through it to capture API requests, an essential part of reverse engineering Instagram’s API.

Swagger

Swagger is an open-source tool that helps developers design, build, document, and consume REST APIs. The video describes how to convert the intercepted traffic into a Swagger file using MITM Proxy to Swagger, which helps visualize the API requests and responses in a clear format.

Foxy Proxy

Foxy Proxy is a browser extension that simplifies the process of switching between multiple proxy settings. In the video, it is used to route traffic through MITM Proxy by directing traffic to a specific port (8080) for capturing API requests, crucial for API reverse engineering.

Flow File

A flow file contains all the captured traffic between a website and the user's device when using MITM Proxy. The video explains how to save the captured traffic in a flow file and later convert it into a Swagger file to analyze Instagram’s API.

Postman

Postman is a tool used for API testing, where users can manually send requests to APIs and inspect the responses. The video briefly mentions using Postman as an alternative method for routing traffic and analyzing API requests, though it takes more time than using MITM Proxy.

Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance in the context of cybersecurity involves gathering as much information as possible about a target before attempting to exploit vulnerabilities. The video ties reconnaissance to API reverse engineering, where analyzing API traffic is a form of gathering insights into how an application communicates.

Response Code

A response code is a numerical code returned by a server to indicate the result of a client’s request. The video explains how examining response codes (such as 200 for success or 404 for not found) helps in understanding how an API functions and spotting potential issues.

Functionality Testing

Functionality testing involves using all the features of a website as a normal user to capture the related API requests. The video shows how performing actions like editing a profile or changing a photo helps in gathering a wide range of API requests to analyze during the reverse engineering process.

Highlights

Reverse engineering an API is crucial when no documentation is available.

Instagram is the target for API reverse engineering in this video.

There's a higher chance of getting a bounty by focusing on API bug hunting.

Always check if the API is within the scope of the bug bounty program.

Install mitm proxy on your computer for traffic interception.

Use FoxyProxy to route traffic through mitm proxy on port 8080.

Create an account and use the site as a normal user to generate traffic.

Ensure traffic is going through mitm proxy before proceeding.

After using the site, save the traffic flow in mitm proxy.

Install mitm proxy to Swagger to convert the traffic flow into a Swagger file.

Use the command line to convert the flow file to a Swagger file.

Edit the Swagger file by removing 'ignore' from API paths.

Import the modified Swagger file into the Swagger editor.

The Swagger editor provides a clear view of API requests and responses.

Understanding API responses helps in reverse engineering the API.

An alternative method using Postman for API traffic routing is mentioned.

The video is part of a series on API bug hunting.

More videos on API bug hunting will be released in the coming weeks.

Links to the presenter's Medium account, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Blogger are provided.

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