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Traceability loss

Need​

Enhancement of traceability and logging capabilities

Context​

  • Usage of TypeScript for static typing and enhanced tooling in Node.js development
  • Usage of Express for building web applications and APIs

Description​

Non compliant code​

import express from 'express';

const app = express();

app.get('/login', (req, res) => {
  // Vulnerable code: traceability loss
  // Do not properly keep track of errors or critical actions
  // Potential security breaches may go undetected
  loginUser(req.query.username, req.query.password);
  res.send('Login successful');
});

function loginUser(username: string, password: string) {
  // Authenticate user
  // ...
  // ...
  // ...
  // ...
}

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server started on port 3000');
});

The vulnerability in the provided code is a traceability loss. This means that the code does not properly keep track of errors, exceptional events, or critical actions on the system, hindering the detection of potential security breaches.

In the vulnerable code snippet, when a GET request is made to the '/login' endpoint, the code calls the loginUser function with the provided username and password from the request query parameters. However, there is no mechanism in place to track or handle any errors or exceptional events that may occur during the authentication process.

This lack of traceability can lead to potential security breaches going undetected. If there are any vulnerabilities or issues with the authentication logic within the loginUser function, they may not be properly logged or alerted, making it difficult to identify and address security threats.

To mitigate this vulnerability, it is recommended to set up alerts for errors, events, and critical actions using the mechanisms available in the technology stack. This could involve implementing proper error handling, logging, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that any security-related events are properly tracked and alerted.

Steps​

  • Implement proper error handling and logging in the loginUser function
  • Use a logging framework or library to log errors and critical actions
  • Set up alerts or notifications for errors and critical actions
  • Consider implementing a centralized logging system to aggregate logs from multiple components
  • Regularly review and analyze the logs to detect potential security breaches

Compliant code​

import express from 'express';

const app = express();

app.get('/login', (req, res) => {
  try {
    loginUser(req.query.username, req.query.password);
    res.send('Login successful');
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error occurred during login:', error);
    res.status(500).send('Internal Server Error');
  }
});

function loginUser(username: string, password: string) {
  // Authenticate user
  // ...
  // ...
  // ...
  // ...

  // Proper error handling and logging
  if (username !== 'admin' || password !== 'password') {
    throw new Error('Invalid credentials');
  }
}

app.listen(3000, () => {
  console.log('Server started on port 3000');
});

The fixed code addresses the vulnerability by implementing proper error handling and logging mechanisms.

In the code, the loginUser function is responsible for authenticating the user. If the provided username and password do not match the expected values, an Error object is thrown with the message 'Invalid credentials'. This ensures that any unauthorized login attempts are properly detected.

Within the /login route handler, the loginUser function is called within a try-catch block. This allows any errors that occur during the login process to be caught and handled appropriately. If an error occurs, the error message is logged to the console using console.error.

Additionally, a 500 Internal Server Error response is sent back to the client if an error occurs during the login process. This provides feedback to the user that something went wrong, without revealing sensitive information about the system.

By implementing these error handling and logging mechanisms, the code ensures that any errors or exceptional events during the login process are properly tracked and logged. This helps in detecting potential security breaches and allows for timely investigation and response.

References​

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