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A media type (formerly known as MIME type) is an identifier for file formats and format contents transmitted. A OpenAPI document lets you specify that a given operation can accept different media types, hence a given request can send data using different file content. As for example, a `PUT /user` operation to update user data could accept data in either XML (media type `application/xml`) or JSON (media type `application/json`) format.
OpenAPI 2.x lets you specify the accepted media types globally or per operation, and OpenAPI 3.x lets you specify the accepted media types per operation. DAST API will check the listed media types, and try to produce sample data for each supported media type.
- In [GitLab 14.10 and later](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/333304), the default behavior is to select one of the supported media types to use. The first supported media type is chosen from the list. This behavior is configurable.
- In GitLab 14.9 and earlier, the default behavior is to perform testing using all supported media types. This means if two media types are listed (for example, `application/json` and `application/xml`), testing are performed using JSON, and then the same tests using XML.
Testing the same operation (for example, `POST /user`) using different media types (for example, `application/json` and `application/xml`) is not always desirable.
For example, if the target application executes the same code regardless of the request content type, it will take longer to finish the test session, and it may report duplicated vulnerabilities related to the request body depending on the target app.
The environment variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_ALL_MEDIA_TYPES` lets you specify whether or not to use all supported media types instead of one when generating requests for a given operation. When the environment variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_ALL_MEDIA_TYPES` is set to any value, DAST API tries to generate requests for all supported media types instead of one in a given operation. This will cause testing to take longer as testing is repeated for each provided media type.
Alternatively, the variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_MEDIA_TYPES` is used to provide a list of media types that will each be tested. Providing more than one media type causes testing to take longer, as testing is performed for each media type selected. When the environment variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_MEDIA_TYPES` is set to a list of media types, only the listed media types are included when creating requests.
Multiple media types in `DAST_API_OPENAPI_MEDIA_TYPES` are separated by a colon (`:`). For example, to limit request generation to the media types `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` and `multipart/form-data`, set the environment variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_MEDIA_TYPES` to `application/x-www-form-urlencoded:multipart/form-data`. Only supported media types in this list are included when creating requests, though non-supported media types are always skipped. A media type text may contain different sections. For example, `application/vnd.api+json; charset=UTF-8`, is a compound of `type "/" [tree "."] subtype ["+" suffix]* [";" parameter]`. Parameters are not taken into account when performing the filtering media types on request generation.
The environment variables `DAST_API_OPENAPI_ALL_MEDIA_TYPES` and `DAST_API_OPENAPI_MEDIA_TYPES` allow you to decide how to handle media types. These settings are mutually exclusive. If both are enabled, DAST API reports an error.
the [`DAST-API.gitlab-ci.yml` template](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Security/DAST-API.gitlab-ci.yml) in your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
1. The [configuration file](#configuration-files) has several testing profiles defined with different checks enabled. We recommend that you start with the `Quick` profile.
Testing with this profile completes faster, allowing for easier configuration validation.
Provide the profile by adding the `DAST_API_PROFILE` CI/CD variable to your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
1. Provide the location of the OpenAPI Specification as either a file or URL.
Specify the location by adding the `DAST_API_OPENAPI` variable.
the [`DAST-API.gitlab-ci.yml` template](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Security/DAST-API.gitlab-ci.yml) in your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
1. The [configuration file](#configuration-files) has several testing profiles defined with different checks enabled. We recommend that you start with the `Quick` profile.
Testing with this profile completes faster, allowing for easier configuration validation.
or URL. [URL support was introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/285020) in GitLab 13.10 and later. Specify the location by adding the `DAST_API_HAR` variable.
1. The [configuration file](#configuration-files) has several testing profiles defined with different checks enabled. We recommend that you start with the `Quick` profile.
Testing with this profile completes faster, allowing for easier configuration validation.
1. Provide the location of the Postman Collection file as either a file or URL. Specify the location by adding the `DAST_API_POSTMAN_COLLECTION` variable.
Although Postman can export environment variables into a JSON file, the format is not compatible with the JSON expected by `DAST_API_POSTMAN_COLLECTION_VARIABLES`.
If the Bearer token must be generated and doesn't expire during testing, you can provide DAST API a file that has the token. A prior stage and job, or part of the DAST API job, can
To validate that authentication is working, run an DAST API test and review the job logs and the test API's application logs. See the [overrides section](#overrides) for more information about override commands.
|[`DAST_API_EXCLUDE_URLS`](#exclude-urls) | Exclude API URL from testing. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/357195) in GitLab 14.10. |
|[`DAST_API_OPENAPI_ALL_MEDIA_TYPES`](#openapi-specification) | Use all supported media types instead of one when generating requests. Causes test duration to be longer. Default is disabled. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/333304) in GitLab 14.10. |
|[`DAST_API_OPENAPI_MEDIA_TYPES`](#openapi-specification) | Colon (`:`) separated media types accepted for testing. Default is disabled. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/333304) in GitLab 14.10. |
|[`DAST_API_OVERRIDES_CMD_VERBOSE`](#overrides) | When set to any value. It shows overrides command output as part of the job output. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/334578) in GitLab 14.6. |
|`DAST_API_PRE_SCRIPT` | Run user command or script before scan session starts. |
|`DAST_API_POST_SCRIPT` | Run user command or script after scan session has finished. |
To provide the overrides JSON as a file, the `DAST_API_OVERRIDES_FILE` CI/CD variable is set. The path is relative to the job current working directory.
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/334578) in GitLab 14.8.
By default the output of the overrides command is hidden. If the overrides command returns a non zero exit code, the command is displayed as part of your job output. Optionally, you can set the variable `DAST_API_OVERRIDES_CMD_VERBOSE` to any value in order to display overrides command output as it is generated. This is useful when testing your overrides script, but should be disabled afterwards as it slows down testing.
It is also possible to write messages from your script to a log file that is collected when the job completes or fails. The log file must be created in a specific location and following a naming convention.
Adding some basic logging to your overrides script is useful in case the script fails unexpectedly during normal running of the job. The log file is automatically included as an artifact of the job, allowing you to download it after the job has finished.
Following our example, we provided `renew_token.py` in the environment variable `DAST_API_OVERRIDES_CMD`. Please notice two things in the script:
- Log file is saved in the location indicated by the environmental variable `CI_PROJECT_DIR`.
logging.error(f'Error, unkown error when overwritng file {overrides_file_path}. Error message: {e}')
raise
# logs informing override has finished successfully
logging.info("Override file has been updated")
# end
```
In the overrides command example, the Python script depends on the `backoff` library. To make sure the library is installed before executing the Python script, the `DAST_API_PRE_SCRIPT` is set to a script that will install the dependencies of your overrides command.
As for example, the following script `user-pre-scan-set-up.sh`
```shell
#!/bin/bash
# user-pre-scan-set-up.sh
# Ensures python dependencies are installed
echo "**** install python dependencies ****"
python3 -m ensurepip
pip3 install --no-cache --upgrade \
pip \
backoff
echo "**** python dependencies installed ****"
# end
```
You have to update your configuration to set the `DAST_API_PRE_SCRIPT` to our new `user-pre-scan-set-up.sh` script. For example:
```yaml
stages:
- dast
include:
- template: DAST-API.gitlab-ci.yml
variables:
DAST_API_PROFILE: Quick
DAST_API_OPENAPI: test-api-specification.json
DAST_API_TARGET_URL: http://test-deployment/
DAST_API_PRE_SCRIPT: user-pre-scan-set-up.sh
DAST_API_OVERRIDES_FILE: dast-api-overrides.json
DAST_API_OVERRIDES_CMD: renew_token.py
DAST_API_OVERRIDES_INTERVAL: 300
```
In the previous sample, you could use the script `user-pre-scan-set-up.sh` to also install new runtimes or applications that later on you could use in our overrides command.
When testing an API it can be useful to exclude certain paths. For example, you might exclude testing of an authentication service or an older version of the API. To exclude paths, use the `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PATHS` CI/CD variable . This variable is specified in your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file. To exclude multiple paths, separate entries using the `;` character. In the provided paths you can use a single character wildcard `?` and `*` for a multiple character wildcard.
To verify the paths are excluded, review the `Tested Operations` and `Excluded Operations` portion of the job output. You should not see any excluded paths listed under `Tested Operations`.
```plaintext
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: --[ Tested Operations ]-------------------------
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: 201 POST http://target:7777/api/users CREATED
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: ------------------------------------------------
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: --[ Excluded Operations ]-----------------------
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: GET http://target:7777/api/messages
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: POST http://target:7777/api/messages
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: ------------------------------------------------
To exclude one or more nested levels within a path we use `**`. In this example we are testing API endpoints. We are testing `/api/v1/` and `/api/v2/` of a data query requesting `mass`, `brightness` and `coordinates` data for `planet`, `moon`, `star`, and `satellite` objects. Example paths that could be scanned include, but are not limited to:
-`/api/v2/planet/coordinates`
-`/api/v1/star/mass`
-`/api/v2/satellite/brightness`
In this example we test the `brightness` endpoint only:
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/292196) in GitLab 14.10.
While testing an API you may might want to exclude a parameter (query string, header, or body element) from testing. This may be needed because a parameter always causes a failure, slows down testing, or for other reasons. To exclude parameters, you can set one of the following variables: `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_ENV` or `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_FILE`.
The `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_ENV` allows providing a JSON string containing excluded parameters. This is a good option if the JSON is short and will not often change. Another option is the variable `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_FILE`. This variable is set to a file path that can be checked into the repository, created by another job as an artifact, or generated at runtime with a pre script using `DAST_API_PRE_SCRIPT`.
#### Exclude parameters using a JSON document
The JSON document contains a JSON object, this object uses specific properties to identify which parameter should be excluded.
You can provide the following properties to exclude specific parameters during the scanning process:
-`headers`: Use this property to exclude specific headers. The property's value is an array of header names to be excluded. Names are case-insensitive.
-`cookies`: Use this property's value to exclude specific cookies. The property's value is an array of cookie names to be excluded. Names are case-sensitive.
-`query`: Use this property to exclude specific fields from the query string. The property's value is an array of field names from the query string to be excluded. Names are case-sensitive.
-`body-form`: Use this property to exclude specific fields from a request that uses the media type `application/x-www-form-urlencoded`. The property's value is an array of the field names from the body to be excluded. Names are case-sensitive.
-`body-json`: Use this property to exclude specific JSON nodes from a request that uses the media type `application/json`. The property's value is an array, each entry of the array is a [JSON Path](https://goessner.net/articles/JsonPath/) expression.
-`body-xml`: Use this property to exclude specific XML nodes from a request that uses media type `application/xml`. The property's value is an array, each entry of the array is a [XPath v2](https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath20/) expression.
To exclude the header `Upgrade-Insecure-Requests`, set the `header` property's value to an array with the header name: `[ "Upgrade-Insecure-Requests" ]`. For instance, the JSON document looks like this:
```json
{
"headers": [ "Upgrade-Insecure-Requests" ]
}
```
Header names are case-insensitive, so the header name `UPGRADE-INSECURE-REQUESTS` is equivalent to `Upgrade-Insecure-Requests`.
##### Excluding both a header and two cookies
To exclude the header `Authorization`, and the cookies `PHPSESSID` and `csrftoken`, set the `headers` property's value to an array with header name `[ "Authorization" ]` and the `cookies` property's value to an array with the cookies' names `[ "PHPSESSID", "csrftoken" ]`. For instance, the JSON document looks like this:
```json
{
"headers": [ "Authorization" ],
"cookies": [ "PHPSESSID", "csrftoken" ]
}
```
##### Excluding a `body-form` parameter
To exclude the `password` field in a request that uses `application/x-www-form-urlencoded`, set the `body-form` property's value to an array with the field name `[ "password" ]`. For instance, the JSON document looks like this:
```json
{
"body-form": [ "password" ]
}
```
The exclude parameters uses `body-form` when the request uses a content type `application/x-www-form-urlencoded`.
The JSON Path expression uses special syntax to identify JSON nodes: `$` refers to the root of the JSON document, `.` refers to the current object (in our case the root object), and the text `schema` refers to a property name. Thus, the JSON path expression `$.schema` refers to a property `schema` in the root object.
The exclude parameters uses `body-json` when the request uses a content type `application/json`. Each entry in `body-json` is expected to be a [JSON Path expression](https://goessner.net/articles/JsonPath/). In JSON Path characters like `$`, `*`, `.` among others have special meaning.
To exclude the property `password` on each entry of an array of `users` at the root level, set the `body-json` property's value to an array with the JSON Path expression `[ "$.users[*].paswword" ]`.
The JSON Path expression starts with `$` to refer to the root node and uses `.` to refer to the current node. Then, it uses `users` to refer to a property and the characters `[` and `]` to enclose the index in the array you want to use, instead of providing a number as an index you use `*` to specify any index. After the index reference, we find `.` which now refers to any given selected index in the array, preceded by a property name `password`.
The exclude parameters uses `body-json` when the request uses a content type `application/json`. Each entry in `body-json` is expected to be a [JSON Path expression](https://goessner.net/articles/JsonPath/). In JSON Path characters like `$`, `*`, `.` among others have special meaning.
To exclude an attribute named `isEnabled` located in the root element `credentials`, set the `body-xml` property's value to an array with the XPath expression `[ "/credentials/@isEnabled" ]`.
The XPath expression `/credentials/@isEnabled`, starts with `/` to indicate the root of the XML document, then it is followed by the word `credentials` which indicates the name of the element to match. It uses a `/` to refer to a node of the previous XML element, and the character `@` to indicate that the name `isEnable` is an attribute.
The exclude parameters uses `body-xml` when the request uses a content type `application/xml`. Each entry in `body-xml` is expected to be a [XPath v2 expression](https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath20/). In XPath expressions characters like `@`, `/`, `:`, `[`, `]` among others have special meanings.
To exclude the text of the `username` element contained in root node `credentials`, set the `body-xml` property's value to an array with the XPath expression `[/credentials/username/text()" ]`.
In the XPath expression `/credentials/username/text()`, the first character `/` refers to the root XML node, and then after it indicates an XML element's name `credentials`. Similarly, the character `/` refers to the current element, followed by a new XML element's name `username`. Last part has a `/` that refers to the current element, and uses a XPath function called `text()` which identifies the text of the current element.
The exclude parameters uses `body-xml` when the request uses a content type `application/xml`. Each entry in `body-xml` is expected to be a [XPath v2 expression](https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath20/). In XPath expressions characters like `@`, `/`, `:`, `[`, `]` among others have special meanings.
To exclude the element `username` contained in root node `credentials`, set the `body-xml` property's value to an array with the XPath expression `[/credentials/username" ]`.
In the XPath expression `/credentials/username`, the first character `/` refers to the root XML node, and then after it indicates an XML element's name `credentials`. Similarly, the character `/` refers to the current element, followed by a new XML element's name `username`.
The exclude parameters uses `body-xml` when the request uses a content type `application/xml`. Each entry in `body-xml` is expected to be a [XPath v2 expression](https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath20/). In XPath expressions characters like `@`, `/`, `:`, `[`, `]` among others have special meanings.
To exclude anXML element `login` which is defined in namespace `s`, and contained in `credentials` root node, set the `body-xml` property's value to an array with the XPath expression `[ "/credentials/s:login" ]`.
In the XPath expression `/credentials/s:login`, the first character `/` refers to the root XML node, and then after it indicates an XML element's name `credentials`. Similarly, the character `/` refers to the current element, followed by a new XML element's name `s:login`. Notice that name contains the character `:`, this character separates the namespace from the node name.
The namespace name should have been defined in the XML document which is part of the body request. You may check the namespace in the specification document HAR, OpenAPI, or Postman Collection file.
The exclude parameters uses `body-xml` when the request uses a content type `application/xml`. Each entry in `body-xml` is expected to be an [XPath v2 expression](https://www.w3.org/TR/xpath20/). In XPath, expressions characters like `@`, `/`, `:`, `[`, `]` among others have special meanings.
To provide the exclusion JSON document set the variable `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_ENV` with the JSON string. In the following example, the `.gitlab-ci.yml`, the `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_ENV` variable is set to a JSON string:
To provide the exclusion JSON document set the variable `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_FILE` with the JSON file path. The file path is relative to the job current working directory. In the following example `.gitlab-ci.yml` content, the `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_PARAMETER_FILE` variable is set to a JSON file path:
The `dast-api-exclude-parameters.json` is a JSON document that follows the structure of [exclude parameters document](#exclude-parameters-using-a-json-document).
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/357195) in GitLab 14.10.
As an alternative to excluding by paths, you can filter by any other component in the URL by using the `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_URLS` CI/CD variable. This variable can be set in your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file. The variable can store multiple values, separated by commas (`,`). Each value is a regular expression. Because each entry is a regular expression, an entry like `.*` will exclude all URLs because it is a regular expression that matches everything.
In your job output you can check if any URLs matched any provided regular expression from `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_URLS`. Matching operations are listed in the **Excluded Operations** section. Operations listed in the **Excluded Operations** should not be listed in the **Tested Operations** section. For example the following portion of a job output:
```plaintext
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: --[ Tested Operations ]-------------------------
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: 201 POST http://target:7777/api/users CREATED
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: ------------------------------------------------
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: --[ Excluded Operations ]-----------------------
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: GET http://target:7777/api/messages
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: POST http://target:7777/api/messages
2021-05-27 21:51:08 [INF] API Security: ------------------------------------------------
```
NOTE:
Each value in `DAST_API_EXCLUDE_URLS` is a regular expression. Characters such as `.` , `*` and `$` among many others have special meanings in [regular expressions](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_expression#Standards).
#### Examples
##### Excluding a URL and child resources
The following example excludes the URL `http://target/api/auth` and its child resources.
```yaml
variables:
DAST_API_EXCLUDE_URLS: http://target/api/auth
```
##### Excluding two URLs and allow their child resources
To exclude the URLs `http://target/api/buy` and `http://target/api/sell` but allowing to scan their child resources, for instance: `http://target/api/buy/toy` or `http://target/api/sell/chair`. You could use the value `http://target/api/buy/$,http://target/api/sell/$`. This value is using two regular expressions, each of them separated by a `,` character. Hence, it contains `http://target/api/buy$` and `http://target/api/sell$`. In each regular expression, the trailing `$` character points out where the matching URL should end.
##### Excluding two URLs and their child resources
In order to exclude the URLs: `http://target/api/buy` and `http://target/api/sell`, and their child resources. To provide multiple URLs we use the `,` character as follows:
In order to exclude exactly `https://target/api/v1/user/create` and `https://target/api/v2/user/create` or any other version (`v3`,`v4`, and more). We could use `https://target/api/v.*/user/create$`, in the previous regular expression `.` indicates any character and `*` indicates zero or more times, additionally `$` indicates that the URL should end there.
When configured correctly, a CI/CD pipeline contains a `dast` stage and an `dast_api` job. The job only fails when an invalid configuration is provided. During normal operation, the job always succeeds even if vulnerabilities are identified during testing.
Vulnerabilities are displayed on the **Security** pipeline tab with the suite name. When testing against the repositories default branch, the DAST API vulnerabilities are also shown on the Security & Compliance's Vulnerability Report page.
To prevent an excessive number of reported vulnerabilities, the DAST API scanner limits the number of vulnerabilities it reports per operation.
## Viewing DAST API vulnerabilities
The DAST API analyzer produces a JSON report that is collected and used
[to populate the vulnerabilities into GitLab vulnerability screens](#view-details-of-a-dast-api-vulnerability).
See [handling false positives](#handling-false-positives) for information about configuration changes you can make to limit the number of false positives reported.
### View details of a DAST API vulnerability
Follow these steps to view details of a vulnerability:
1. You can view vulnerabilities in a project, or a merge request:
- In a project, go to the project's **{shield}** **Security & Compliance > Vulnerability Report**
page. This page shows all vulnerabilities from the default branch only.
Assertions detect vulnerabilities in tests produced by checks. Many checks support multiple Assertions such as Log Analysis, Response Analysis, and Status Code. When a vulnerability is found, the Assertion used is provided. To identify which Assertions are on by default, see the Checks default configuration in the configuration file. The section is called `Checks`.
This example shows the SQL Injection Check:
```yaml
- Name: SqlInjectionCheck
Configuration:
UserInjections: []
Assertions:
- Name: LogAnalysisAssertion
- Name: ResponseAnalysisAssertion
- Name: StatusCodeAssertion
```
Here you can see three Assertions are on by default. A common source of false positives is
`StatusCodeAssertion`. To turn it off, modify its configuration in the `Profiles` section. This
example provides only the other two Assertions (`LogAnalysisAssertion`,
`ResponseAnalysisAssertion`). This prevents `SqlInjectionCheck` from using `StatusCodeAssertion`:
For self-managed GitLab instances in an environment with limited, restricted, or intermittent access to external resources through the internet, some adjustments are required for the DAST API testing job to successfully run.
Steps:
1. Host the Docker image in a local container registry.
1. Set the `SECURE_ANALYZERS_PREFIX` to the local container registry.
The Docker image for DAST API must be pulled (downloaded) from the public registry and then pushed (imported) into a local registry. The GitLab container registry can be used to locally host the Docker image. This process can be performed using a special template. See [loading Docker images onto your offline host](../offline_deployments/index.md#loading-docker-images-onto-your-offline-host) for instructions.
Once the Docker image is hosted locally, the `SECURE_ANALYZERS_PREFIX` variable is set with the location of the local registry. The variable must be set such that concatenating `/api-security:2` results in a valid image location.
### Error waiting for API Security 'http://127.0.0.1:5000' to become available
A bug exists in versions of the DAST API analyzer prior to v1.6.196 that can cause a background process to fail under certain conditions. The solution is to update to a newer version of the DAST API analyzer.
The version information can be found in the job details for the `dast_api` job.
### Failed to start scanner session (version header not found)
The DAST API engine outputs an error message when it cannot establish a connection with the scanner application component. The error message is shown in the job output window of the `dast_api` job. A common cause of this issue is changing the `DAST_API_API` variable from its default.
**Error message**
- In [GitLab 13.11 and later](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/323939), `Failed to start scanner session (version header not found).`
- Remove the `DAST_API_API` variable from the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file. The value will be inherited from the DAST API CI/CD template. We recommend this method instead of manually setting a value.
- If removing the variable is not possible, check to see if this value has changed in the latest version of the [DAST API CI/CD template](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/ci/templates/Security/DAST-API.gitlab-ci.yml). If so, update the value in the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file.
### Application cannot determine the base URL for the target API
The DAST API engine outputs an error message when it cannot determine the target API after inspecting the OpenAPI document. This error message is shown when the target API has not been set in the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file, it is not available in the `environment_url.txt` file, and it could not be computed using the OpenAPI document.
There is a order of precedence in which the DAST API engine tries to get the target API when checking the different sources. First, it will try to use the `DAST_API_TARGET_URL`. If the environment variable has not been set, then the DAST API engine will attempt to use the `environment_url.txt` file. If there is no file `environment_url.txt`, then the DAST API engine will use the OpenAPI document contents and the URL provided in `DAST_API_OPENAPI` (if a URL is provided) to try to compute the target API.
The best-suited solution will depend on whether or not your target API changes for each deployment. In static environments, the target API is the same for each deployment, in this case please refer to the [static environment solution](#static-environment-solution). If the target API changes for each deployment a [dynamic environment solution](#dynamic-environment-solutions) should be applied.
For environments where the target API remains the same, we recommend you specify the target URL by using the `DAST_API_TARGET_URL` environment variable. In your `.gitlab-ci.yml`, add a variable `DAST_API_TARGET_URL`. The variable must be set to the base URL of API testing target. For example:
In a dynamic environment your target API changes for each different deployment. In this case, there is more than one possible solution, we recommend you use the `environment_url.txt` file when dealing with dynamic environments.
To support dynamic environments in which the target API URL changes during each pipeline, DAST API engine supports the use of an `environment_url.txt` file that contains the URL to use. This file is not checked into the repository, instead it's created during the pipeline by the job that deploys the test target and collected as an artifact that can be used by later jobs in the pipeline. The job that creates the `environment_url.txt` file must run before the DAST API engine job.
1. Modify the test target deployment job adding the base URL in an `environment_url.txt` file at the root of your project.
1. Modify the test target deployment job collecting the `environment_url.txt` as an artifact.
There are cases where the document is autogenerated with an invalid schema or cannot be edited manually in a timely manner. In those scenarios, the API Security is able to perform a relaxed validation by setting the variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_RELAXED_VALIDATION`. We recommend providing a fully compliant OpenAPI document to prevent unexpected behaviors.
#### Edit a non-compliant OpenAPI file
To detect and correct elements that don't comply with the OpenAPI specifications, we recommend using an editor. An editor commonly provides document validation, and suggestions to create a schema-compliant OpenAPI document. Suggested editors include:
If your OpenAPI document is generated manually, load your document in the editor and fix anything that is non-compliant. If your document is generated automatically, load it in your editor to identify the issues in the schema, then go to the application and perform the corrections based on the framework you are using.
#### Enable OpenAPI relaxed validation
Relaxed validation is meant for cases when the OpenAPI document cannot meet OpenAPI specifications, but it still has enough content to be consumed by different tools. A validation is performed but less strictly in regards to document schema.
API Security can still try to consume an OpenAPI document that does not fully comply with OpenAPI specifications. To instruct API Security to perform a relaxed validation, set the variable `DAST_API_OPENAPI_RELAXED_VALIDATION` to any value, for example:
### No operation in the OpenAPI document is consuming any supported media type
API Security uses the specified media types in the OpenAPI document to generate requests. If no request can be created due to the lack of supported media types, then an error will be thrown.
**Error message**
- In [GitLab 14.10 and later](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/333304), `Error, no operation in the OpenApi document is consuming any supported media type. Check 'OpenAPI Specification' to check the supported media types.`
**Solution**
1. Review supported media types in the [OpenAPI Specification](#openapi-specification) section.
1. Edit your OpenAPI document, allowing at least a given operation to accept any of the supported media types. Alternatively, a supported media type could be set in the OpenAPI document level and get applied to all operations. This step may require changes in your application to ensure the supported media type is accepted by the application.
To get support for your particular problem please use the [getting help channels](https://about.gitlab.com/get-help/).
The [GitLab issue tracker on GitLab.com](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues) is the right place for bugs and feature proposals about API Security and DAST API.
Please use `~"Category:API Security"` [label](../../../development/contributing/issue_workflow.md#labels) when opening a new issue regarding DAST API to ensure it is quickly reviewed by the right people. Please refer to our [review response SLO](../../../development/code_review.md#review-response-slo) to understand when you should receive a response.
[Search the issue tracker](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues) for similar entries before submitting your own, there's a good chance somebody else had the same issue or feature proposal. Show your support with an award emoji and or join the discussion.
When experiencing a behavior not working as expected, consider providing contextual information:
- GitLab version if using a self-managed instance.
-`.gitlab-ci.yml` job definition.
- Full job console output.
- Scanner log file available as a job artifact named `gl-api-security-scanner.log`.
WARNING:
**Sanitize data attached to a support issue**. Please remove sensitive information, including: credentials, passwords, tokens, keys, and secrets.
- Assert: Assertions are detection modules used by checks to trigger a vulnerability. Many assertions have
configurations. A check can use multiple Assertions. For example, Log Analysis, Response Analysis,
and Status Code are common Assertions used together by checks. Checks with multiple Assertions
allow them to be turned on and off.
- Check: Performs a specific type of test, or performed a check for a type of vulnerability. For
example, the SQL Injection Check performs DAST testing for SQL Injection vulnerabilities. The DAST API scanner is comprised of several checks. Checks can be turned on and off in a profile.
- Profile: A configuration file has one or more testing profiles, or sub-configurations. You may
have a profile for feature branches and another with extra testing for a main branch.
