Using Python to Make API Calls to Your Acunetix Installation

In addition to several out-of-the-box integrations, Acunetix provides an API, which lets you integrate the scanner with any environment. The Acunetix API lets you use any of the scanner functions with no need to access the scanner UI. As an example, we will show you how to make calls to the Acunetix API using Python.
We shall discuss 2 options for making API calls using Python:

Option 1: Using the Swagger Client for API Calls
Option 2: Using Basic HTTP for API Calls

For the purposes of this article, we will also assume that you are working in a Windows 64-bit environment.

Option 1: Using the Swagger Client for API Calls

For this option, we will go through the steps necessary to make your first Acunetix API call using Python and the Swagger Client:

Install Python
Install JAVA JDK
Install Git
Install Swagger Codegen
Generate the Acunetix API Library for Python
Create a Python script to make API Calls

You can skip some of the first four steps if you already have the software installed.

Install Python

Download the Windows 64-bit executable installer for Python 3.8.4 by clicking here or browse for a different release if preferred.
Install Python by double clicking on the installer:
- Make sure you enable the Add Python to PATH checkbox.
- Click on the Install Now button.
- Click on the Close button when the installer is finished.

Install JAVA JDK

Download the Windows 64-bit installer for JAVA SE JDK 8 by clicking here.
Install JAVA JDK by double-clicking on the installer:
- There are no options that need to be configured in the installer, so you can simply accept all defaults and proceed to install.
- Click on the Close button when the installer is finished.
From an administrator command prompt, run the following command to set the JAVA_HOME environment variable:
```
setx JAVA_HOME -m "c:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.8.0_261"
```

Install Git

Download the Windows 64-bit installer for Git 2.27.0 by clicking here or look for a different release.
Install Git by double clicking on the installer:
- There are no options that need to be configured in the installer, so you can simply accept all defaults and proceed to install.
- Click on the Finish button when the installer is finished.

Install Swagger Codegen

From a regular command prompt, move to the root folder, clone the swagger-codegen repository, and move into the repository folder:
```
cd c:\
git clone https://github.com/swagger-api/swagger-codegen.git
cd c:\swagger-codegen
```

Build the swagger-codegen tools:

Run the following command from within the folder:
```
mvnw package
```

The result should be similar to the following when successfully completed:

[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Reactor Summary:
[INFO]
[INFO] swagger-codegen-project ............................ SUCCESS [ 43.643 s]
[INFO] swagger-codegen (core library) ..................... SUCCESS [03:28 min]
[INFO] swagger-codegen (executable) ....................... SUCCESS [ 27.892 s]
[INFO] swagger-codegen (maven-plugin) ..................... SUCCESS [ 56.018 s]
[INFO] swagger-generator .................................. SUCCESS [02:43 min]
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] BUILD SUCCESS
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------
[INFO] Total time: 08:30 min
[INFO] Finished at: 2020-07-17T16:06:07+01:00
[INFO] Final Memory: 62M/629M
[INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Generate the Acunetix API Library for Python

Create an acunetix subfolder for swagger-codegen:

md c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix
cd c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix

Copy the swagger.yaml file provided by Acunetix into the c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix folder.
Create a batch file using the following command:
```
notepad c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix\py-ax.bat
```

Insert the following into your py-ax.bat file:

set executable=.\modules\swagger-codegen-cli\target\swagger-codegen-cli.jar
set params=generate -i acunetix\swagger.yaml -l python -o acunetix\python -DpackageName=swagger_client
java %JAVA_OPTS% -jar %executable% %params%

Exit Notepad saving the py-ax.bat file.
Generate the library using the following commands:
```
cd c:\swagger-codegen
acunetix\py-ax.bat
```
This will generate the library inside c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix\python.

Install the library using the following commands:

cd c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix\python
pip install .

Create a Python Script to Make API Calls

Create Your Python Script

Create your new script file:

notepad c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix\apitest.py

Insert the following commands into your apitest.py file:

import swagger_client
from swagger_client.rest import ApiException
from pprint import pprint

api_config = swagger_client.Configuration()
api_config.ssl_ca_cert = 'C:\ProgramData\Acunetix\certs\ca.cer'
api_config.host = 'https://localhost:3443/api/v1'
api_config.api_key['X-Auth'] = '1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd'
api_client = swagger_client.ApiClient(configuration=api_config)
api_instance = swagger_client.TargetsApi(api_client=api_client)
print(api_instance)
try:
    # Targets
    # api_response = api_instance.get_targets(c=c, l=l, q=q, s=s)
    api_response = api_instance.get_targets()
    pprint(api_response)
except ApiException as e:
    print("Exception when calling TargetsApi->getTargets: %s\n" % e)

Remember that you need to replace the API Key with the one from your own Acunetix installation.

Run your API test script:

cd c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix
python apitest.py

View Results

Once successfully executed, the results of your script will resemble the following:

c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix>apitest.py

{'pagination': {'count': 3,
                'cursor_hash': '8f629dd49f910b9202eb0da5d51fdb6e',
                'cursors': [None],
                'sort': None},
 'targets': [{'continuous_mode': False,
              'last_scan_date': datetime.date(2020, 7, 10),
              'last_scan_id': 'ec27a320-2351-4b27-b6dd-34313dff9c1f',
              'last_scan_session_id': 'bb3ad61a-2615-47ac-bcfb-4cb269521746',
              'last_scan_session_status': 'completed',
              'links': None,
              'manual_intervention': False,
              'scan_authorization': None,
              'severity_counts': None,
              'target_id': 'e7260534-cfb7-4d30-bc18-a2ed0b0eead8',
              'threat': None,
              'verification': None},
             {'continuous_mode': False,
              'last_scan_date': None,
              'last_scan_id': None,
              'last_scan_session_id': None,
              'last_scan_session_status': None,
              'links': None,
              'manual_intervention': None,
              'scan_authorization': None,
              'severity_counts': None,
              'target_id': '94c1fa22-8f0c-471e-9737-c199e57ad1fa',
              'threat': None,
              'verification': 'demo'},
             {'continuous_mode': False,
              'last_scan_date': None,
              'last_scan_id': None,
              'last_scan_session_id': None,
              'last_scan_session_status': None,
              'links': None,
              'manual_intervention': None,
              'scan_authorization': None,
              'severity_counts': None,
              'target_id': 'a67df446-dda1-4715-91f5-471add517fea',
              'threat': None,
              'verification': None}]}

c:\swagger-codegen\acunetix>

Option 2: Using Basic HTTP for API Calls

Installing Python

Follow the instructions to install Python as described for Option 1 above.

Use a Python Script to Make API Calls

Install Python Prerequisite Packages

Install the Python requests package:

python -m pip install requests

Create Your Python Script

Create your new script file:

md c:\acunetixapi
notepad c:\acunetixapi\apitest.py

Insert the following commands into your apitest.py file:

# importing libraries
import json, requests, urllib3

# api-endpoint 
URL = "https://localhost:3443/api/v1/targets"

# defining a params dict for the parameters to be sent to the API 
#PARAMS = {'c':'', 'l':'', 's':''}
PARAMS = {}

#defining the headers to send
headers = {'content-type': 'application/json', 'X-Auth':'1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd1986abcd'}

#create connection pool
pool = urllib3.PoolManager(cert_reqs='REQUIRED', assert_hostname='localhost',)

#send request
resp = pool.request('GET', URL, '', headers)

#decode response
data = json.loads(resp.data.decode('utf-8'))

#dump decoded response
print(data)

Remember that you need to replace the API Key with the one from your own Acunetix installation.

Run your API test script:
```
c:\acunetixapi\apitest.py
```

View Results

Once successfully executed, the results of your script will resemble the following:

c:\>acunetixapi\apitest.py
{'targets': [{'address': 'https://mytesting.net', 'continuous_mode': False, 'criticality': 10, 'deleted_at': None, 'description': 'Test OAuth2 Site', 'last_scan_date': '2020-07-10T12:02:58.153112+00:00', 'last_scan_id': 'ec27a320-2351-4b27-b6dd-34313dff9c1f', 'last_scan_session_id': 'bb3ad61a-2615-47ac-bcfb-4cb269521746', 'last_scan_session_status': 'completed', 'manual_intervention': False, 'severity_counts': None, 'target_id': 'e7260534-cfb7-4d30-bc18-a2ed0b0eead8', 'threat': None, 'type': None, 'verification': None}, {'address': 'http://testphp.vulnweb.com', 'continuous_mode': False, 'criticality': 10, 'deleted_at': None, 'description': 'test2', 'last_scan_date': None, 'last_scan_id': None, 'last_scan_session_id': None, 'last_scan_session_status': None, 'manual_intervention': None, 'severity_counts': None, 'target_id': '94c1fa22-8f0c-471e-9737-c199e57ad1fa', 'threat': None, 'type': 'demo', 'verification': 'demo'}, {'address': 'https://mytesting.net', 'continuous_mode': False, 'criticality': 10, 'deleted_at': None, 'description': 'Testing LSR only', 'last_scan_date': None, 'last_scan_id': None, 'last_scan_session_id': None, 'last_scan_session_status': None, 'manual_intervention': None, 'severity_counts': None, 'target_id': 'a67df446-dda1-4715-91f5-471add517fea', 'threat': None, 'type': None, 'verification': None}], 'pagination': {'count': 3, 'cursor_hash': '8f629dd49f910b9202eb0da5d51fdb6e', 'cursors': [None], 'sort': None}}

c:\>

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THE AUTHOR

Kevin Attard Compagno
Technical Writer

Kevin Attard Compagno is a Technical Writer working for Acunetix. A technical writer, translator, and general IT buff for over 30 years, Kevin used to run Technical Support teams and create training documents and other material for in-house technical staff.

Using Python to Make API Calls to Your Acunetix Installation

Option 1: Using the Swagger Client for API Calls

Install Python

Install JAVA JDK

Install Git

Install Swagger Codegen

Generate the Acunetix API Library for Python

Create a Python Script to Make API Calls

Create Your Python Script

View Results

Option 2: Using Basic HTTP for API Calls

Installing Python

Use a Python Script to Make API Calls

Install Python Prerequisite Packages

Create Your Python Script

View Results

THE AUTHOR

Related Posts:

Most Popular Articles:

Take action and discover your vulnerabilities

Using Python to Make API Calls to Your Acunetix Installation

Option 1: Using the Swagger Client for API Calls

Install Python

Install JAVA JDK

Install Git

Install Swagger Codegen

Generate the Acunetix API Library for Python

Create a Python Script to Make API Calls

Create Your Python Script

View Results

Option 2: Using Basic HTTP for API Calls

Installing Python

Use a Python Script to Make API Calls

Install Python Prerequisite Packages

Create Your Python Script

View Results

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THE AUTHOR

Related Posts:

Most Popular Articles:

Take action and discover your vulnerabilities