Pros of DVWA

• More comprehensive set of vulnerabilities, including SQL injection, XSS, and CSRF
• Better documentation and user guide for setting up and using the application
• Larger community and more frequent updates

Cons of DVWA

• Less focus on modern web application vulnerabilities
• Limited customization options for difficulty levels

Code Comparison

DVWA (PHP):

<?php
if( isset( $_GET[ 'Submit' ] ) ) {
    // Get input
    $id = $_GET[ 'id' ];

    // Check database
    $query  = "SELECT first_name, last_name FROM users WHERE user_id = '$id';";
    $result = mysqli_query($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"],  $query ) or die( '<pre>' . ((is_object($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"])) ? mysqli_error($GLOBALS["___mysqli_ston"]) : (($___mysqli_res = mysqli_connect_error()) ? $___mysqli_res : false)) . '</pre>' );

    // Get results
    while( $row = mysqli_fetch_assoc( $result ) ) {
        // Get values
        $first = $row["first_name"];
        $last  = $row["last_name"];

        // Feedback for end user
        echo "<pre>ID: {$id}<br />First name: {$first}<br />Surname: {$last}</pre>";
    }
}
?>

XVWA (PHP):

<?php
include('config.php');
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
    $username = $_POST['username'];
    $password = $_POST['password'];
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username='$username' and password='$password'";
    $result = mysqli_query($link,$sql);
    $count = mysqli_num_rows($result);
    if($count == 1){
        $_SESSION['login_user'] = $username;
        header("location: welcome.php");
    }else{
        $error = "Username or Password is invalid";
    }
}
?>

Both examples demonstrate vulnerable SQL injection points, but DVWA's code is more detailed and includes error handling.

Pros of WebGoat

• More comprehensive, covering a wider range of web application security vulnerabilities
• Better documentation and learning resources, including detailed explanations and solutions
• Actively maintained with regular updates and a larger community

Cons of WebGoat

• Larger and more complex, potentially overwhelming for beginners
• Requires more setup and resources to run compared to XVWA

Code Comparison

XVWA (PHP):

<?php
$id = $_GET['id'];
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id='$id'";
$result = mysqli_query($conn, $query);
?>

WebGoat (Java):

String query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE userid = "
             + request.getParameter("userid");
try {
    Statement statement = connection.createStatement();
    ResultSet results = statement.executeQuery(query);
}

Both examples demonstrate vulnerable SQL injection code, but WebGoat's implementation is in Java, while XVWA uses PHP. WebGoat generally provides more context and educational content around such vulnerabilities.

Summary

WebGoat offers a more comprehensive and well-maintained platform for learning web application security, with better documentation and a larger community. However, it may be more complex for beginners. XVWA, while simpler, provides a more lightweight alternative for those looking to quickly explore common vulnerabilities in PHP applications.

Pros of Hackazon

• More comprehensive and realistic e-commerce application, providing a broader range of vulnerabilities to explore
• Actively maintained with regular updates and contributions from the security community
• Includes detailed documentation and setup instructions for various deployment options

Cons of Hackazon

• More complex setup and configuration due to its larger scope and dependencies
• Requires more system resources to run effectively
• May be overwhelming for beginners due to its extensive feature set

Code Comparison

XVWA (PHP):

<?php
$id = $_GET['id'];
$query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id='$id'";
$result = mysql_query($query);
?>

Hackazon (PHP):

<?php
$id = $this->request->param('id');
$user = ORM::factory('User', $id);
$userData = $user->as_array();
?>

The Hackazon example demonstrates better security practices by using a framework's ORM for database queries, reducing the risk of SQL injection vulnerabilities compared to XVWA's direct query construction.

Pros of NodeGoat

• Built with Node.js, a popular and widely-used JavaScript runtime
• Actively maintained with regular updates and contributions
• Comprehensive documentation and tutorials for learning secure coding practices

Cons of NodeGoat

• Focuses solely on Node.js, limiting its applicability to other languages/frameworks
• May require more setup time due to its Node.js and MongoDB dependencies

Code Comparison

NodeGoat (JavaScript):

app.get('/login', function(req, res, next) {
    res.render('login', {
        userName: "",
        password: "",
        loginError: ""
    });
});

XVWA (PHP):

<?php
include('config.php');
if(isset($_POST['login'])){
    $username = $_POST['username'];
    $password = $_POST['password'];
    $query = "SELECT * FROM users WHERE username='$username' AND password='$password'";
    $result = mysqli_query($conn, $query);
    if(mysqli_num_rows($result) == 1){
        $_SESSION['username'] = $username;
        header('location: dashboard.php');
    }
    else{
        $error = "Username or Password is invalid";
    }
}
?>

The code snippets demonstrate different approaches to handling login functionality, with NodeGoat using a more modern, Express-based routing system, while XVWA uses traditional PHP with direct database queries.