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Business information leak

Need​

Protection of sensitive business information from unauthorized access or leakage

Context​

  • Usage of Swift for iOS and macOS app development
  • Usage of UIKit for building modern and responsive user interfaces

Description​

Non compliant code​

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    var usernames = ["admin", "user1", "user2"]
    var strategicInfo = ["strategy1", "strategy2", "strategy3"]
    var employeesInfo = ["employee1", "employee2", "employee3"]
    var clientsInfo = ["client1", "client2", "client3"]
    var providersInfo = ["provider1", "provider2", "provider3"]

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
    }
    
    func printBusinessInfo() {
        print(usernames)
        print(strategicInfo)
        print(employeesInfo)
        print(clientsInfo)
        print(providersInfo)
    }
}

The above Swift code represents a ViewController in an iOS app where business information is stored in arrays. These arrays include usernames, strategicInfo, employeesInfo, clientsInfo, and providersInfo.

The function printBusinessInfo() is used to print all this sensitive business information. This represents a vulnerability because if an attacker is able to access the logs of the application, they could potentially see all this sensitive information.

Moreover, storing sensitive information directly in the code is a bad practice. If the application is reverse-engineered, this information can be easily accessed.

This code does not implement any form of data protection such as encryption or obfuscation, which makes the sensitive data easily readable and accessible. This can lead to a business information leak, which is a serious security vulnerability.

Steps​

  • Remove the direct printing of business information in the printBusinessInfo() function.
  • Implement proper access control to restrict access to sensitive business information.
  • Use encryption or obfuscation techniques to protect the stored business information.
  • Implement authentication and authorization mechanisms to control access to the business information.
  • Regularly review and update the access control policies and permissions for the business information.
  • Implement logging and monitoring mechanisms to detect any unauthorized access or leakage of business information.
  • Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and fix any vulnerabilities in the application.
  • Educate developers and users about the importance of protecting business information and following secure coding practices.

Compliant code​

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    private var usernames = ["admin", "user1", "user2"]
    private var strategicInfo = ["strategy1", "strategy2", "strategy3"]
    private var employeesInfo = ["employee1", "employee2", "employee3"]
    private var clientsInfo = ["client1", "client2", "client3"]
    private var providersInfo = ["provider1", "provider2", "provider3"]

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
    }
    
    private func printBusinessInfo() {
        // Implement proper access control and authentication here
    }
}

The updated code includes several changes to address the vulnerability:

  1. Access Modifiers: The usernames, strategicInfo, employeesInfo, clientsInfo, and providersInfo arrays are now marked as private. This restricts their access to the ViewController class only, preventing unauthorized access from other parts of the application.

  2. Removal of Direct Printing: The printBusinessInfo() function no longer directly prints the business information. This prevents the leakage of sensitive information through logs or console outputs.

  3. Access Control: The printBusinessInfo() function is now marked as private, restricting its access to within the ViewController class. This function should implement proper access control and authentication mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the business information.

Please note that this code is a starting point for fixing the vulnerability. Additional steps such as implementing encryption or obfuscation techniques for storing business information, regularly reviewing and updating access control policies, implementing logging and monitoring mechanisms, conducting regular security assessments, and educating developers and users about secure coding practices should also be taken to fully secure the application.

References​

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