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Business information leak - Analytics

Need​

Protection of sensitive business information from unauthorized access

Context​

  • Usage of Java 8 for developing applications with enhanced features and performance
  • Usage of javax.servlet-api for building Java web applications with Servlets

Description​

Non compliant code​

import javax.servlet.ServletException;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
import java.io.IOException;

public class AnalyticsServlet extends HttpServlet {

    private static final String API_KEY = "1234567890"; // This should be securely stored and not exposed.

    @Override
    protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) throws ServletException, IOException {
        String apiKey = req.getParameter("apiKey");
        if (API_KEY.equals(apiKey)) {
            // Return analytics data
            String analyticsData = getAnalyticsData();
            resp.getWriter().write(analyticsData);
        } else {
            resp.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_UNAUTHORIZED, "Invalid API Key");
        }
    }

    private String getAnalyticsData() {
        // Fetch analytics data from database
        return "Analytics Data";
    }
}

In the above code, a doGet method is defined in AnalyticsServlet, which is a subclass of HttpServlet. This method is intended to return analytics data when provided with a valid API key as a parameter.

The API key is hardcoded as a static final variable API_KEY in the class. The doGet method retrieves the API key from the request parameter and compares it with the hardcoded API key. If they match, the analytics data is fetched and returned in the response.

However, this design poses a significant security vulnerability. The API key is exposed in the code, making it susceptible to unauthorized access. An attacker can easily obtain the API key from the Swagger URL and use it to access the analytics data.

Moreover, the analytics data is sensitive business information and should not be exposed without proper authorization and authentication mechanisms. In this case, the API key is the only layer of security, and it is poorly implemented. Therefore, the business information leak vulnerability exists in this code.

Steps​

  • Remove the API key from the code and store it securely.
  • Implement authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect the analytics data.
  • Use a secure method to fetch the analytics data from the database.
  • Consider implementing rate limiting or throttling to prevent abuse of the analytics endpoint.
  • Regularly review and update the code to address any new vulnerabilities or security risks.

Compliant code​

import javax.servlet.ServletException;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.security.Principal;

public class AnalyticsServlet extends HttpServlet {

    @Override
    protected void doGet(HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse resp) throws ServletException, IOException {
        Principal userPrincipal = req.getUserPrincipal();
        if (userPrincipal == null) {
            resp.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_UNAUTHORIZED, "Unauthorized access");
            return;
        }

        // Check if the user has the right role to access the analytics data
        if (req.isUserInRole("analytics")) {
            // Fetch analytics data securely from the database
            String analyticsData = getSecureAnalyticsData();
            resp.getWriter().write(analyticsData);
        } else {
            resp.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_FORBIDDEN, "You don't have permission to access this resource");
        }
    }

    private String getSecureAnalyticsData() {
        // Fetch analytics data securely from the database
        return "Secure Analytics Data";
    }
}

The updated code removes the API key from the code and implements an authentication and authorization mechanism to protect the analytics data.

The doGet method now checks if the user is authenticated by calling req.getUserPrincipal(). If the user is not authenticated, it sends an HTTP 401 Unauthorized error.

Next, it checks if the authenticated user has the "analytics" role by calling req.isUserInRole("analytics"). If the user does not have the required role, it sends an HTTP 403 Forbidden error.

If the user is authenticated and has the required role, it fetches the analytics data securely from the database by calling getSecureAnalyticsData().

This code assumes that you have set up authentication and role-based access control in your web application.

To further enhance the security of your analytics endpoint, consider implementing rate limiting or throttling to prevent abuse. Regularly review and update your code to address any new vulnerabilities or security risks.

References​

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