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Use of insecure channel - Source code

Need​

Secure transmission of customer information

Context​

  • Usage of Go 1.16 for building efficient and scalable applications
  • Usage of Gin framework for building web applications in Go

Description​

Non compliant code​

package main

import (
	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
)

type Customer struct {
	Name  string `json:"name"`
	Email string `json:"email"`
}

func main() {
	r := gin.Default()

	r.POST("/customer", func(c *gin.Context) {
		var customer Customer
		c.BindJSON(&customer)

		// Simulate sending customer data over an insecure channel
		// This is where the vulnerability lies
		sendDataOverInsecureChannel(customer)
	})

	r.Run(":8080") // listen and serve on 0.0.0.0:8080
}

func sendDataOverInsecureChannel(data Customer) {
	// Simulate sending data over an insecure channel
}

The above code shows a simple HTTP server using the Gin framework in Go. It defines a route /customer that accepts POST requests. When a POST request is made to this route, the server tries to bind the incoming JSON to a Customer struct.

The Customer struct contains sensitive information such as the customer's name and email. This information is then sent over an insecure channel via the sendDataOverInsecureChannel function.

The vulnerability lies in the sendDataOverInsecureChannel function. This function simulates sending the customer's sensitive data over an insecure channel. In a real-world scenario, this channel could be an HTTP connection, a database connection, etc. The problem is that this channel is not encrypted, meaning that anyone who can intercept the data being sent over this channel can read and misuse the customer's sensitive information.

This is a serious security vulnerability as it exposes sensitive customer information to potential attackers. It's a violation of privacy and can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and other serious consequences.

Steps​

  • Implement secure communication by using encryption protocols such as HTTPS.
  • Configure the server to use TLS/SSL certificates to establish a secure connection.
  • Update the code to send customer data over the secure channel instead of the insecure channel.
  • Use libraries or frameworks that provide built-in support for secure communication, such as the gin framework's HTTPS middleware.
  • Ensure that the client-side application also uses secure communication to receive the customer data.

Compliant code​

package main

import (
	"github.com/gin-gonic/gin"
	"log"
	"net/http"
)

type Customer struct {
	Name  string `json:"name"`
	Email string `json:"email"`
}

func main() {
	r := gin.Default()

	r.POST("/customer", func(c *gin.Context) {
		var customer Customer
		c.BindJSON(&customer)

		// Simulate sending customer data over a secure channel
		sendDataOverSecureChannel(customer)
	})

	// Configure the server to use TLS/SSL certificates to establish a secure connection
	log.Fatal(http.ListenAndServeTLS(":8080", "server.crt", "server.key", r))
}

func sendDataOverSecureChannel(data Customer) {
	// Simulate sending data over a secure channel
}

The above code fixes the vulnerability by implementing secure communication using HTTPS. The server is configured to use TLS/SSL certificates to establish a secure connection. The function http.ListenAndServeTLS is used to start the server with TLS/SSL certificates. The parameters "server.crt" and "server.key" are the paths to the TLS/SSL certificate and key files respectively.

The function sendDataOverSecureChannel is used to simulate sending customer data over a secure channel. This replaces the previous function sendDataOverInsecureChannel which was sending data over an insecure channel.

Please note that you need to replace "server.crt" and "server.key" with the paths to your actual TLS/SSL certificate and key files. If you don't have these files, you can generate them using OpenSSL or any other similar tool.

Also, ensure that the client-side application uses HTTPS to communicate with the server. This ensures that the customer data is securely transmitted from the client to the server and vice versa.

References​

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