Pentesting gRPC-Web

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Manipulating gRPC-Web Payloads

gRPC-Web uses Content-Type: application/grpc-web-text in requests which is kind of protobuf in base64 encoded form, you can use gprc-coder tool ,and you can also install its Burp Suite Extension.

Manual with gGRPC Coder Tool

1. First decode the payload:

echo "AAAAABYSC0FtaW4gTmFzaXJpGDY6BVhlbm9u" | python3 grpc-coder.py --decode --type grpc-web-text | protoscope > out.txt

2. Edit the content of decoded payload

nano out.txt
2: {"Amin Nasiri Xenon GRPC"}
3: 54
7: {"<script>alert(origin)</script>"}

3. Encode the new payload

protoscope -s out.txt | python3 grpc-coder.py --encode --type grpc-web-text

4. Use output in Burp interceptor:

AAAAADoSFkFtaW4gTmFzaXJpIFhlbm9uIEdSUEMYNjoePHNjcmlwdD5hbGVydChvcmlnaW4pPC9zY3JpcHQ+

Manual with gRPC-Web Coder Burp Suite Extension

You can use gRPC-Web Coder Burp Suite Extension in gRPC-Web Pentest Suite which is easier. You can read the installation and usage instruction in its repo.

Analysing gRPC-Web Javascript Files

There is at least one Javascript file in every gRPC-Web application. You can analyse the file to find new messages, endpoints and services. Try using gRPC-Scan tool.

1. Download the Javascript gRPC-Web File
2. Scan it with grpc-scan.py:

python3 grpc-scan.py --file main.js

3. Analyse output and test the new endpoints and new services:

Output:
Found Endpoints:
  /grpc.gateway.testing.EchoService/Echo
  /grpc.gateway.testing.EchoService/EchoAbort
  /grpc.gateway.testing.EchoService/NoOp
  /grpc.gateway.testing.EchoService/ServerStreamingEcho
  /grpc.gateway.testing.EchoService/ServerStreamingEchoAbort

Found Messages:

grpc.gateway.testing.EchoRequest:
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Field Name |     Field Type     | Field Number |
+============+====================+==============+
| Message    | Proto3StringField  | 1            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Name       | Proto3StringField  | 2            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Age        | Proto3IntField     | 3            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| IsAdmin    | Proto3BooleanField | 4            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Weight     | Proto3FloatField   | 5            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test       | Proto3StringField  | 6            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test2      | Proto3StringField  | 7            |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test3      | Proto3StringField  | 16           |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test4      | Proto3StringField  | 20           |
+------------+--------------------+--------------+

grpc.gateway.testing.EchoResponse:
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
|  Field Name  |     Field Type     | Field Number |
+==============+====================+==============+
| Message      | Proto3StringField  | 1            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Name         | Proto3StringField  | 2            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Age          | Proto3IntField     | 3            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| IsAdmin      | Proto3BooleanField | 4            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Weight       | Proto3FloatField   | 5            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test         | Proto3StringField  | 6            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test2        | Proto3StringField  | 7            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test3        | Proto3StringField  | 16           |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| Test4        | Proto3StringField  | 20           |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+
| MessageCount | Proto3IntField     | 8            |
+--------------+--------------------+--------------+

grpc.gateway.testing.ServerStreamingEchoRequest:
+-----------------+-------------------+--------------+
|   Field Name    |    Field Type     | Field Number |
+=================+===================+==============+
| Message         | Proto3StringField | 1            |
+-----------------+-------------------+--------------+
| MessageCount    | Proto3IntField    | 2            |
+-----------------+-------------------+--------------+
| MessageInterval | Proto3IntField    | 3            |
+-----------------+-------------------+--------------+

grpc.gateway.testing.ServerStreamingEchoResponse:
+------------+-------------------+--------------+
| Field Name |    Field Type     | Field Number |
+============+===================+==============+
| Message    | Proto3StringField | 1            |
+------------+-------------------+--------------+

grpc.gateway.testing.ClientStreamingEchoRequest:
+------------+-------------------+--------------+
| Field Name |    Field Type     | Field Number |
+============+===================+==============+
| Message    | Proto3StringField | 1            |
+------------+-------------------+--------------+

grpc.gateway.testing.ClientStreamingEchoResponse:
+--------------+----------------+--------------+
|  Field Name  |   Field Type   | Field Number |
+==============+================+==============+
| MessageCount | Proto3IntField | 1            |
+--------------+----------------+--------------+

References

• Hacking into gRPC-Web Article by Amin Nasiri
• gRPC-Web Pentest Suite