Burpsuite Extension Skill

Burp Suite Extension Development Skill

Develop Burp Suite extensions in Java (Montoya API) or Python (Jython).

Quick Start

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Create a new Burp Suite extension from scratch
• Implement HTTP traffic interception or modification
• Build custom vulnerability scanner checks
• Generate custom intruder payloads
• Add UI tabs or context menus to Burp Suite

What This Skill Provides

• Project Templates: Ready-to-use Java and Python templates
• Multi-Platform Setup: macOS, Windows, and Linux guides
• Best Practices: Error handling, performance, and security
• Official Resources: Links to PortSwigger documentation

Choose Your Language

Recommendation: Use Java for production extensions. Use Python for rapid prototyping.

Environment Setup

macOS

# Install Java 21
brew install openjdk@21
echo 'export PATH="/opt/homebrew/opt/openjdk@21/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# Verify installation
java -version

# Install IntelliJ IDEA (optional)
brew install --cask intellij-idea-ce

Windows

# Install Java 21
winget install EclipseAdoptium.Temurin.21.JDK

# Set environment variables
$env:JAVA_HOME = "C:\Program Files\Eclipse Adoptium\jdk-21"
$env:Path += ";$env:JAVA_HOME\bin"

# Verify installation
java -version

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Install Java 21
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install temurin-21-jdk

# Verify installation
java -version

# Install IntelliJ IDEA (optional)
sudo snap install intellij-idea-community --classic

Path A: Java Development (Recommended)

Prerequisites

1. Burp Suite - Download Community Edition
2. Java JDK 21+ - Download from Adoptium
3. IntelliJ IDEA (Optional) - Download

Quick Start with Starter Project

# Clone the official starter project
git clone https://github.com/PortSwigger/burp-extensions-montoya-api-starter.git my-extension
cd my-extension

# Build
./gradlew build  # macOS/Linux
gradlew.bat build  # Windows

# Output: build/libs/my-extension.jar

Load Extension in Burp Suite

1. Open Burp Suite
2. Go to Extensions → Installed
3. Click Add
4. Select Java as extension type
5. Browse to build/libs/my-extension.jar
6. Click Next

Key Interfaces

Extension Entry Point

package burp.extension;

import burp.api.montoya.BurpExtension;
import burp.api.montoya.MontoyaApi;

public class MyExtension implements BurpExtension {
    @Override
    public void initialize(MontoyaApi api) {
        api.extension().setName("My Extension");
        api.logging().logToOutput("Extension loaded successfully!");
    }
}

HTTP Proxy Handler

import burp.api.montoya.proxy.http.InterceptedRequest;
import burp.api.montoya.proxy.http.ProxyRequestHandler;
import burp.api.montoya.proxy.http.ProxyRequestReceivedAction;
import burp.api.montoya.proxy.http.ProxyRequestToBeSentAction;

public class MyProxyHandler implements ProxyRequestHandler {
    private final MontoyaApi api;
    
    public MyProxyHandler(MontoyaApi api) {
        this.api = api;
    }
    
    @Override
    public ProxyRequestReceivedAction handleRequestReceived(InterceptedRequest interceptedRequest) {
        api.logging().logToOutput("Request: " + interceptedRequest.url());
        return ProxyRequestReceivedAction.continueWith(interceptedRequest);
    }
    
    @Override
    public ProxyRequestToBeSentAction handleRequestToBeSent(InterceptedRequest interceptedRequest) {
        return ProxyRequestToBeSentAction.continueWith(interceptedRequest);
    }
}

Scanner Check

import burp.api.montoya.scanner.AuditResult;
import burp.api.montoya.scanner.ScanCheck;
import burp.api.montoya.http.message.HttpRequestResponse;

public class MyScanCheck implements ScanCheck {
    private final MontoyaApi api;
    
    public MyScanCheck(MontoyaApi api) {
        this.api = api;
    }
    
    @Override
    public AuditResult passiveAudit(HttpRequestResponse baseRequestResponse) {
        // Implement passive scan logic
        return null;
    }
    
    @Override
    public AuditResult activeAudit(HttpRequestResponse baseRequestResponse, 
                                    AuditResult auditResult) {
        // Implement active scan logic
        return null;
    }
}

Registering Components

public class MyExtension implements BurpExtension {
    @Override
    public void initialize(MontoyaApi api) {
        api.extension().setName("My Extension");
        
        // Register components
        api.proxy().registerRequestHandler(new MyProxyHandler(api));
        api.scanner().registerScanCheck(new MyScanCheck(api));
        api.userInterface().registerSuiteTab("My Extension", new MyTab());
    }
}

Project Structure

my-extension/
├── src/main/java/
│   └── burp/extension/
│       ├── MyExtension.java
│       ├── MyProxyHandler.java
│       └── MyScanCheck.java
├── build.gradle
├── settings.gradle
└── README.md

build.gradle

plugins {
    id 'java'
}

java {
    toolchain {
        languageVersion = JavaLanguageVersion.of(21)
    }
}

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}

dependencies {
    implementation 'net.portswigger.burp.extensions:montoya-api:2.3.+'
}

tasks.named('jar') {
    manifest {
        attributes 'Extension-ClassName': 'burp.extension.MyExtension'
    }
}

Path B: Python Development (Jython)

Prerequisites

1. Burp Suite - Download Community Edition
2. Jython - Download Standalone JAR

Setup Jython in Burp Suite

1. Open Burp Suite
2. Go to Settings → Extensions → Python Environment
3. Set path to Jython JAR file

Python Extension Template

# burp_extender.py
from burp import IBurpExtender
from burp import IHttpListener
from java.io import PrintWriter

class BurpExtender(IBurpExtender):
    def registerExtenderCallbacks(self, callbacks):
        self._callbacks = callbacks
        self._helpers = callbacks.getHelpers()
        
        callbacks.setExtensionName("My Python Extension")
        
        # Setup output streams
        self._stdout = PrintWriter(callbacks.getStdout(), True)
        self._stderr = PrintWriter(callbacks.getStderr(), True)
        
        self._stdout.println("Extension loaded!")
        
        # Register listeners
        callbacks.registerHttpListener(HttpListener(self))

class HttpListener(IHttpListener):
    def __init__(self, extender):
        self._extender = extender
        self._callbacks = extender._callbacks
        self._helpers = extender._helpers
    
    def processHttpMessage(self, toolFlag, messageIsRequest, messageInfo):
        try:
            if messageIsRequest:
                requestInfo = self._helpers.analyzeRequest(messageInfo)
                url = str(requestInfo.getUrl())
                self._extender._stdout.println("Request: " + url)
        except Exception as e:
            self._extender._stderr.println("Error: " + str(e))

Load Python Extension

1. Open Burp Suite
2. Go to Extensions → Installed → Add
3. Select Python as extension type
4. Browse to burp_extender.py
5. Click Next

Best Practices

1. Error Handling

Always wrap your code in try-catch blocks to prevent extension crashes:

Java:

@Override
public ProxyRequestReceivedAction handleRequestReceived(InterceptedRequest interceptedRequest) {
    try {
        // Your logic here
        return ProxyRequestReceivedAction.continueWith(interceptedRequest);
    } catch (Exception e) {
        api.logging().logToError("Error: " + e.getMessage());
        return ProxyRequestReceivedAction.continueWith(interceptedRequest);
    }
}

Python:

def processHttpMessage(self, toolFlag, messageIsRequest, messageInfo):
    try:
        # Your logic here
    except Exception as e:
        self._extender._stderr.println("Error: " + str(e))

2. Performance

• Never block in HTTP listeners - use async processing
• Cache results for repeated operations
• Limit scope - check isInScope() before heavy processing

3. Logging

Use Burp's logging API instead of System.out:

Java:

api.logging().logToOutput("Info message");
api.logging().logToError("Error message");

Python:

self._stdout.println("Info message")
self._stderr.println("Error message")

4. Scope Checking

Only process in-scope requests to improve performance:

Java:

if (api.scope().isInScope(request.url())) {
    // Process request
}

Python:

if self._callbacks.isInScope(requestInfo.getUrl()):
    # Process request

5. Resource Cleanup

Register unload handlers to clean up resources:

api.extension().registerUnloadHandler(() -> {
    api.logging().logToOutput("Extension unloading...");
    // Cleanup resources
});

Debugging

Java (IntelliJ)

1. Add JVM argument to Burp Suite:

   -agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=*:5005
   

2. In IntelliJ: Run → Edit Configurations → Remote JVM Debug
3. Set port to 5005
4. Start Burp Suite with JVM argument
5. Attach debugger in IntelliJ

Python

• Use self._stdout.println() for logging
• Check Extensions → Output tab in Burp Suite

Common Issues

Limitations

• Java Extensions: Require JDK 21+ for Montoya API
• Python Extensions: Use Jython (Python 2.7 compatible), not Python 3
• Network: Some features require Burp Suite Professional
• Platform: Extensions run inside Burp Suite JVM

Official Resources

Documentation

• Creating Extensions
• Starter Project
• First Extension Guide

API References

• Montoya API JavaDoc
• Montoya API GitHub
• Example Extensions
• Legacy Extender API

Community

• BApp Store
• Burp Suite Documentation

Examples

Example 1: Simple Request Logger

Log all HTTP requests passing through Burp Proxy:

public class RequestLogger implements ProxyRequestHandler {
    private final MontoyaApi api;
    
    public RequestLogger(MontoyaApi api) {
        this.api = api;
    }
    
    @Override
    public ProxyRequestReceivedAction handleRequestReceived(InterceptedRequest interceptedRequest) {
        api.logging().logToOutput("[" + interceptedRequest.httpService().host() + "] " + 
                                   interceptedRequest.method() + " " + interceptedRequest.url());
        return ProxyRequestReceivedAction.continueWith(interceptedRequest);
    }
    
    @Override
    public ProxyRequestToBeSentAction handleRequestToBeSent(InterceptedRequest interceptedRequest) {
        return ProxyRequestToBeSentAction.continueWith(interceptedRequest);
    }
}

Example 2: Custom Header Check

Detect missing security headers:

public class SecurityHeaderCheck implements ScanCheck {
    private final MontoyaApi api;
    
    public SecurityHeaderCheck(MontoyaApi api) {
        this.api = api;
    }
    
    @Override
    public AuditResult passiveAudit(HttpRequestResponse baseRequestResponse) {
        HttpResponse response = baseRequestResponse.response();
        
        if (response != null) {
            List<String> headers = response.headers();
            boolean hasXFrameOptions = headers.stream()
                .anyMatch(h -> h.toLowerCase().contains("x-frame-options"));
            
            if (!hasXFrameOptions) {
                // Report issue
            }
        }
        
        return null;
    }
    
    @Override
    public AuditResult activeAudit(HttpRequestResponse baseRequestResponse, 
                                    AuditResult auditResult) {
        return null;
    }
}

FAQ

Q: Which language should I choose? A: Use Java for production extensions (better performance, newer API). Use Python for quick scripts and prototyping.

Q: Can I use Python 3? A: No, Burp Suite uses Jython which supports Python 2.7 syntax only.

Q: Do I need Burp Suite Professional? A: Community Edition works for most extensions. Some features (like scanner) require Professional.

Q: How do I debug my extension? A: Use IntelliJ remote debugging for Java. Use print statements and Burp's Output tab for Python.