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Insecure service configuration - Roles

Need​

Proper configuration and management of roles to ensure accurate representation of security responsibilities

Context​

  • Usage of Dart for building cross-platform applications
  • Usage of Shelf for managing and organizing data in a Node.js application

Description​

Non compliant code​

import 'package:shelf/shelf.dart' as shelf;

class User {
  String role;
  User(this.role);
}

void handleRequest(shelf.Request request) {
  var user = User('admin');
  
  if (user.role == 'admin') {
    print('Admin privileges granted.');
  } else {
    print('User privileges granted.');
  }
}

In the above code, we have a User class that takes a role as a parameter. This role is then used in the handleRequest function to determine the level of access the user has.

The vulnerability here is in the insecure service configuration of roles. The roles are not correctly representing the different aspects of responsibilities for the security levels of the organization. In this case, there are only two roles: 'admin' and 'user'. This is a simplistic representation and does not cover the various roles that might exist in a real-world organization.

Moreover, the role is directly assigned to the user without any checks or validation. This means that anyone can claim to be an 'admin' and gain admin privileges. This is a major security vulnerability as it can lead to unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

Ideally, the roles should be more granular and accurately represent the different levels of access required by different users. Furthermore, there should be checks and validation in place to ensure that a user can only claim the role that they are authorized for.

Steps​

  • Define a clear role-based access control (RBAC) system. This should include a clear definition of roles and their respective permissions.
  • Avoid hardcoding roles within the code. Instead, roles should be stored in a secure database or configuration file.
  • Implement a mechanism to assign roles to users dynamically. This could be done during user registration or by an admin.
  • Ensure that role checks are performed at every point where privileged operations are performed. This should be done before granting access to any resources or operations.
  • Consider using a middleware for role checks. This can help to centralize the role checking logic and reduce the chances of missing a check.
  • Ensure that the default role for new users is the least privileged role. Admin or other high privileged roles should only be assigned as necessary.
  • Regularly review and update the role definitions as the responsibilities and security levels of the organization change.

Compliant code​

import 'package:shelf/shelf.dart' as shelf;

enum UserRole { admin, user }

class User {
  UserRole role;
  User(this.role);
}

void handleRequest(shelf.Request request, User user) {
  if (user.role == UserRole.admin) {
    print('Admin privileges granted.');
  } else {
    print('User privileges granted.');
  }
}

The code above defines a User class with a role property. The role property is of type UserRole, which is an enumeration of the different user roles in the system. This is a more secure way of handling user roles as it avoids the use of hardcoded strings.

The handleRequest function now takes an additional User parameter. This function checks the role of the user and grants privileges accordingly. This ensures that role checks are performed at every point where privileged operations are performed.

This code is just a basic example and in a real-world application, the user roles and their permissions would likely be stored in a secure database or configuration file. The roles would be assigned to users dynamically, either during user registration or by an admin.

The use of a middleware for role checks could also be considered to centralize the role checking logic and reduce the chances of missing a check.

Finally, it's important to ensure that the default role for new users is the least privileged role. Admin or other high privileged roles should only be assigned as necessary. Regularly review and update the role definitions as the responsibilities and security levels of the organization change.

References​

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