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Use of software with known vulnerabilities in environments

Need​

Regular software updates and patch management

Context​

  • Usage of Scala 2.13 for building scalable and high-performance applications
  • Usage of play.api.mvc for handling HTTP requests and responses in Play Framework
  • Usage of play.api.libs.json for JSON parsing and manipulation in Play Framework

Description​

Non compliant code​

import play.api.mvc._
import play.api.libs.json._

class HomeController @Inject()(val controllerComponents: ControllerComponents) extends BaseController {

  def index(): Action[AnyContent] = Action {
    Ok("Your application is ready.")
  }
  
  def parseJson(): Action[AnyContent] = Action { request =>
    val jsonBody: Option[JsValue] = request.body.asJson
    // do something with jsonBody
    Ok("Received json data.")
  }
}

In the above Scala code, the application is using the Play framework to handle HTTP requests and responses. The HomeController class is a controller that handles two routes, index and parseJson.

The index method simply returns a string response "Your application is ready." The parseJson method, on the other hand, attempts to parse the request body as JSON.

The vulnerability here is not located in the code itself but in the Play framework version that is being used. If the application is using a version of Play that has known vulnerabilities, the entire application could be compromised. For example, if there is a known vulnerability in Play's JSON parsing code, the parseJson method could be exploited by an attacker.

The exact nature of the vulnerability would depend on the specific version of Play being used and the known vulnerabilities in that version. For example, it could allow for remote code execution, denial of service, or information disclosure.

To fix this vulnerability, the application should be updated to use a version of Play that does not have any known vulnerabilities. This may involve updating the version number in the application's build.sbt file and making any necessary changes to the application code to ensure it is compatible with the new version of Play.

Steps​

  • Identify the software or dependency with known vulnerabilities
  • Update the software or dependency to the latest version that does not have the known vulnerabilities
  • Ensure that the updated software or dependency is compatible with the Play framework and the rest of the application
  • Test the application thoroughly to ensure that the update does not introduce any new issues or break existing functionality

Compliant code​

import play.api.mvc._
import play.api.libs.json._

class HomeController @Inject()(val controllerComponents: ControllerComponents) extends BaseController {

  def index(): Action[AnyContent] = Action {
    Ok("Your application is ready.")
  }
  
  def parseJson(): Action[AnyContent] = Action { request =>
    val jsonBody: Option[JsValue] = request.body.asJson
    // do something with jsonBody
    Ok("Received json data.")
  }
}

The above Scala code is a simple controller in a Play framework application. It has two actions: index and parseJson. The index action simply returns a success message, while the parseJson action parses JSON data from the request body.

The vulnerability in this code is not directly visible as it is related to the use of software or dependencies with known vulnerabilities. This means that the Play framework version or any other library used in this application might have known security issues that can be exploited by attackers.

To fix this vulnerability, you need to:

  1. Identify the software or dependency with known vulnerabilities. This can be done by using tools like OWASP Dependency-Check or Snyk which can scan your project dependencies and identify any known vulnerabilities.

  2. Update the software or dependency to the latest version that does not have the known vulnerabilities. This can be done by updating the version number in your build.sbt file for Scala and Play framework projects.

  3. Ensure that the updated software or dependency is compatible with the Play framework and the rest of the application. This can be done by reviewing the release notes or documentation of the updated software or dependency and testing the application thoroughly.

  4. Test the application thoroughly to ensure that the update does not introduce any new issues or break existing functionality. This can be done by running your existing test suite and performing manual testing or exploratory testing.

Remember, keeping your software and dependencies up-to-date is a key part of maintaining a secure application.

References​

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