> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://newrouge.gitbook.io/roguebook1/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://newrouge.gitbook.io/roguebook1/group/thick-client/lab-setup.md).

# Lab Setup

Thick clients applications aren't web applications and they require a little bit of setup for practising in a safe environment.

DVTA( Damnn vulnerable Thick client Application) is developed in C# .NET <https://github.com/srini0x00/dvta>

We are gonna be using DVTA appplication for our testing.

I recommend following this article patiently for step by step guide to setup windows vm, sql server, ftp server and dvta application.

Part 1: <https://www.hackingarticles.in/thick-client-pentest-lab-setup-dvta-2/>

Part 2: <https://www.hackingarticles.in/thick-client-pentest-lab-setup-dvta-part-2/>

Also i personally used modified DVTA application from article.

You will have to configure *dvta.exe.config* file to specify where your sql server is located. Here are different solutions that worked for different people while setting up dvta

* Specify sqlexpress path without hostname i.e. `<add key="DBSERVER" value=".\SQLEXPRESS"`
* You can also use hostname of your machine if above solution doesn't work `<add key="DBSERVER" value="hostname\SQLEXPRESS"`
* In ftp server virtual path should be `/` and native path should be `/path_to_folder_you_want_dvta_to_put_files_in/` .