Examining Access Control Vulnerabilities in GraphQL - A Feeld Case Study (18)

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Presented at STEELCON 2025 by

Bogdan Tiron

This talk explores the importance of implementing robust access controls in GraphQL and REST APIs and the severe consequences when these controls are not properly enforced. GraphQL, a flexible data query language, allows clients to request exactly the data they need, but without proper access control mechanisms, sensitive data can be easily exposed. Using the Feeld dating app as a case study, we will dive into a critical security review of how the lack of access controls in GraphQL and REST endpoints led to the exposure of users’ personal data, including sensitive photos, videos and private messages. This session will highlight common access control vulnerabilities in GraphQL and REST implementations , real-world examples of security lapses, their impact and remediation.