I’m working with a CRM application that has a Symfony backend and uses AngularJS for the frontend. The system runs on GraphQL for most API operations in version 8.x.
I want to make API calls to the backend using the same endpoints that the Angular frontend uses. When I check the browser’s network inspector, I can see the authentication flow.
First call goes to: mysite.com/auth
Then subsequent requests use: mysite.com/api/graphql
The authentication request shows:
POST request
200 response
Referrer Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin
The request payload contains username and password in JSON format.
When I try to replicate this in Postman, I get a 401 error saying “Invalid CSRF token”. This suggests I need some kind of token before I can even authenticate.
Looking at the browser request headers, I see various cookies including:
How do I get this initial token? The web app somehow obtains it on first load, but I can’t figure out the process for API tools like Postman or Python requests. Should I be using bearer token authorization in Postman?
There’s no API documentation available, only working AngularJS code. How can I properly authenticate with this GraphQL API?
had the same csrf token issue. just do a GET request to the main page first, grab the token from cookies, then add it to your auth POST header. it worked for me on symfony apps that need the csrf check before login.
You’re experiencing difficulties authenticating with a Symfony/AngularJS/GraphQL CRM application due to a “401 Invalid CSRF token” error when using API tools like Postman or Python requests. The browser successfully authenticates, but programmatic attempts fail because the required CSRF token, implicitly handled by the browser, is missing from your requests.
TL;DR: The Quick Fix:
Automate the entire authentication flow to avoid manual CSRF token and session management. Use a workflow tool that can handle the sequential requests and cookie management automatically.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Symfony applications often employ CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) protection to enhance security. This mechanism requires a unique token to be included in POST requests, ensuring they originate from a trusted source (your browser). The browser automatically handles this token exchange: it first makes a GET request to the main application URL (mysite.com), receives a response that includes a CSRF token in a cookie, and then uses this cookie for subsequent requests including authentication. Programmatic authentication attempts usually skip this initial GET request, resulting in the missing CSRF token and the 401 error. Manually handling cookies and CSRF tokens across multiple tools is tedious, error-prone, and requires continuous maintenance as token formats or endpoints evolve.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Automate the Authentication Sequence: Instead of manually managing cookies and CSRF tokens, employ a workflow automation tool capable of handling multiple requests and cookie management. This tool should be able to perform the following actions in sequence:
Make a GET request to the root domain (mysite.com) to retrieve the initial response, including the CSRF token within a cookie. Ensure that the tool is configured to handle and store cookies.
Extract the CSRF token from the cookie received in the response of Step 1. The specific method depends on the tool, but it usually involves accessing the cookies stored after the GET request.
Make a POST request to /auth with the necessary credentials (username and password) and include the extracted CSRF token, either as a header (e.g., X-CSRF-TOKEN) or within the request cookies, according to your CRM’s specification. This requires knowing the correct header name or cookie name that your Symfony application expects for CSRF validation.
After successful authentication, the tool should automatically manage the session cookies for all subsequent GraphQL API calls to /api/graphql.
Choose the Right Tool: Select a workflow automation platform with built-in capabilities for handling HTTP requests, cookie management, and response parsing. This eliminates the need for manual intervention, reduces error, and improves maintainability. Consider tools specifically designed for workflow automation and API integrations.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Cookie Handling: Verify that your chosen tool correctly handles cookies. Improper cookie management is a common reason for CSRF token failures.
CSRF Token Name: The name of the CSRF token cookie might vary (e.g., XSRF-TOKEN, _csrf_token). Check the response headers of your initial GET request to identify the actual name.
Header vs. Cookie: Confirm whether your application expects the CSRF token to be sent via a header or cookie. Incorrect placement often leads to authentication failures.
Token Expiration: Implement mechanisms to detect and handle CSRF token expiration. Tokens generally have a limited lifespan; your workflow needs to refresh them periodically to maintain session validity.
Error Handling: Incorporate robust error handling into your workflow to catch authentication failures, handle invalid CSRF tokens gracefully, and provide informative error messages for debugging.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
Check the browser’s request headers during authentication - look for the CSRF token, usually labeled X-CSRF-Token. For Python, use requests.Session() to keep your session alive. First, make a GET request to the main page to grab session cookies. Then extract the CSRF token from the response - it’s often in HTML meta tags or Set-Cookie headers. In Symfony apps, you’ll usually find it in a meta tag like . Keep using the same session from start to finish - initial page load, authentication, and your GraphQL calls.
Check if there’s a session endpoint before /auth - some Symfony apps have /session/start or similar that sets up CSRF tokens. Hit that first, then grab the token from response headers instead of parsing HTML.
Symfony’s CSRF protection requires the csrf_token to be included in your request headers or form data. You can find the csrf_token in the cookies using the browser’s inspection tools, so capture it and include it in your authentication request. When using Python requests, initiate a session to retrieve the cookies first, then extract the csrf_token value. Depending on backend requirements, you can include this token in the headers as X-CSRF-TOKEN or within the request body. Make sure to maintain your session between requests by using requests.Session(), which manages cookies automatically. In some Symfony configurations, you might also need to include the X-Requested-With header set to XMLHttpRequest, so consider that if the standard approach doesn’t yield results.
Understanding the “Why” (The Root Cause):
Step-by-Step Guide:
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!