threat-modeling.md

Threat Model Analysis for davatorium/rofi

Threat: Arbitrary Command Execution via -modi run

• Threat: Arbitrary Command Execution via -modi run

  • Description: An attacker crafts malicious input that, when passed to rofi's -modi run functionality (or a custom script mode that uses shell execution), is interpreted as a shell command. The attacker might use command substitution, semicolons, pipes, or other shell metacharacters to inject their commands. This is a direct exploitation of rofi's intended functionality when misused.
  • Impact: Complete system compromise. The attacker gains the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running rofi. This could lead to data theft, data destruction, installation of malware, or use of the system for further attacks.
  • Affected Rofi Component: -modi run, custom script modes that utilize shell execution (e.g., a custom mode defined in the configuration file). The core issue is the interaction between user input and the shell, directly facilitated by rofi.
  • Risk Severity: Critical
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Input Sanitization (Primary): Implement extremely strict input validation and sanitization. Whitelist only the specific characters and patterns expected for valid input. Reject any input containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &, $, (, ), backticks, etc.). Do not attempt to "escape" metacharacters; instead, reject the input entirely.
    • Avoid Shell Execution (Ideal): If possible, redesign the application to avoid using -modi run or shell execution altogether. Use direct API calls or library functions to achieve the desired functionality.
    • Parameterization (If Shell is Unavoidable): If shell execution is absolutely necessary, use a language-specific mechanism to parameterize the command, preventing the input from being interpreted as part of the command itself. For example, in Python, use subprocess.run with a list of arguments, not a single string. Never construct the command string by concatenating user input.
    • Restricted Shell/Environment: If shell execution is unavoidable, consider running the command in a restricted shell environment (e.g., rbash) or a container (e.g., Docker) to limit the potential damage.
    • Least Privilege: Ensure rofi is not running with elevated privileges (e.g., as root).

Threat: Configuration File Tampering (Leading to Command Execution)

• Threat: Configuration File Tampering (Leading to Command Execution)

  • Description: An attacker gains write access to rofi's configuration file (e.g., ~/.config/rofi/config.rasi) or any custom script files used by rofi. They modify the configuration to add malicious commands to be executed by rofi, change the behavior of existing modes, or redirect actions to malicious scripts that rofi will run. This is a direct attack on how rofi is configured to operate.
  • Impact: Arbitrary code execution when rofi is launched or when specific actions are triggered by the user interacting with the now-compromised rofi instance. The attacker gains control over rofi's behavior, potentially leading to the same consequences as direct command injection.
  • Affected Rofi Component: Configuration files (config.rasi), custom script files that are referenced and executed by rofi.
  • Risk Severity: High
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • File Permissions: Set strict file permissions on rofi's configuration files and any associated script files. Ensure that only the user who owns the files has write access. Other users should have read-only access (or no access at all). Use chmod to set appropriate permissions (e.g., chmod 600 config.rasi).
    • File Integrity Monitoring: Implement a mechanism to monitor the integrity of the configuration files. This could involve calculating checksums (e.g., using sha256sum) and periodically verifying them, or using a more sophisticated file integrity monitoring tool (e.g., AIDE, Tripwire).
    • Configuration Validation: If the application dynamically generates or modifies rofi's configuration, implement strict validation to ensure that the generated configuration is safe and does not contain any malicious elements.
    • Avoid Sensitive Data in Config: Do not store sensitive information (passwords, API keys) directly in rofi's configuration files.