Burp Suite Beginner’s Guide
Burp Suite Beginner’s Guide
Burp Suite is a comprehensive web application security testing toolkit developed by PortSwigger. It’s widely used by security professionals for:
- Web vulnerability scanning
- Manual web application testing
- Automated attacks
- Security analysis
Key Components
Main Tools:
- Proxy: Intercept and modify HTTP traffic
- Scanner: Automatic vulnerability detection (Pro version)
- Spider: Map application structure
- Repeater: Manual request manipulation
- Intruder: Automated parameter attacks
Burp Suite Editions
Community Edition
- Free edition. Best for: Students, Hobbyists, and Beginners learning web app security
Professional Edition
- Licensed. Best for: Professional penetration testers and security researchers
Enterprise Edition
- Custom Pricing. Best for: Enterprise security teams and DevOps pipelines
Comparision
| Feature | Community | Professional | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automated Scanning | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Save Projects | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team Collaboration | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Price | Free | $$ | $$$ |
Choosing Guide
- Start with Community Edition if learning or personal use
- Upgrade to Professional for commercial testing work
- Consider Enterprise for team-based continuous testing
Getting Started
Download the tool from the following website:
- portswigger.net
- Install and launch Burp Suite
- Configure browser proxy settings to 127.0.0.1:8080
- Install Burp’s CA certificate for HTTPS traffic
Basic Workflow
The basic workflow is as follows:
- Set up browser proxy configuration
- Use Proxy to intercept requests
- Spider target application to map content
- Analyze requests/responses
- Test for vulnerabilities using Scanner or manual tools
Best Practices
- Always test on non-production environments
- Keep Burp Suite updated
- Combine automated and manual testing
- Document your findings
