Skip to main content

Regulation infringement

Need​

Compliance with regulatory requirements

Context​

  • Usage of Python 3.0+ for developing Python applications
  • Usage of Django for building web applications

Description​

Non compliant code​

# vulnerable_code.py

from django.http import HttpResponse
from django.views import View
from some_app.models import User

class UserDataView(View):
    def get(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
        user_id = request.GET.get('user_id')
        user = User.objects.get(id=user_id)
        user_data = {
            'id': user.id,
            'username': user.username,
            'email': user.email,
            'address': user.address,
            'phone_number': user.phone_number,
            'ssn': user.ssn,
        }
        return HttpResponse(user_data)

The above code represents a Django view that fetches a user's data based on a user id provided in the GET request. The user's data is then returned in the HTTP response.

The vulnerability here is that this view is exposing sensitive user information, such as the user's email, address, phone number, and social security number (ssn). This is a clear violation of various data protection regulations like GDPR, CCPA, etc. that mandate the protection of sensitive user data.

In this case, the violation occurs because the system is not checking whether the user making the request has the necessary permissions to access the data. It's also not applying any form of data masking or anonymization to protect the sensitive data.

Moreover, the system is not logging these data access events, which is another requirement under many data protection regulations for accountability and traceability purposes.

This code is vulnerable to data breaches and regulatory non-compliance, which can result in heavy fines and damage to the organization's reputation.

Steps​

  • Identify the regulations that the system is violating. This could be data privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, etc.
  • Remove sensitive data from the response. The system should not expose sensitive user data like address, phone number, and especially social security numbers (ssn).
  • Implement proper access control. Only authorized users should be able to access user data. This could be the user themselves or an admin.
  • Encrypt sensitive data. If it is necessary to store sensitive data like ssn, it should be encrypted in the database.
  • Implement data anonymization techniques. If the system needs to use the data for some processing, it should be anonymized so that it cannot be traced back to the user.
  • Ensure that the system is compliant with the regulations of the jurisdiction it operates in. This could involve hiring a legal expert or consulting with a compliance officer.

Compliant code​

# fixed_code.py

from django.http import HttpResponse
from django.views import View
from some_app.models import User
from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied

class UserDataView(View):
    def get(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
        user_id = request.GET.get('user_id')
        user = User.objects.get(id=user_id)

        # Check if the user is authorized to access the data
        if request.user != user and not request.user.is_staff:
            raise PermissionDenied

        user_data = {
            'id': user.id,
            'username': user.username,
            'email': user.email,
            # 'address': user.address,  # Removed sensitive data
            # 'phone_number': user.phone_number,  # Removed sensitive data
            # 'ssn': user.ssn,  # Removed sensitive data
        }
        return HttpResponse(user_data)

The fixed code now ensures that only the user themselves or an admin can access the user data. This is done by checking if the user making the request is the same as the user whose data is being requested or if the user making the request is an admin (request.user.is_staff). If not, a PermissionDenied exception is raised.

Sensitive data like the user's address, phone number, and social security number (ssn) have been removed from the response. This is to comply with data privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA which require that sensitive user data should not be exposed.

Note that if it is necessary to store sensitive data like ssn, it should be encrypted in the database. This is not shown in the code as it is a database operation and not directly related to the code.

Also, if the system needs to use the data for some processing, it should be anonymized so that it cannot be traced back to the user. This is also not shown in the code as it is a data processing operation and not directly related to the code.

Finally, it is important to ensure that the system is compliant with the regulations of the jurisdiction it operates in. This could involve hiring a legal expert or consulting with a compliance officer.

References​

Last updated on