Objective: Gain unauthorized access to sensitive application data or functionality by exploiting vulnerabilities or misconfigurations in the MongoDB database or its interaction with the application.
Root: Compromise Application via MongoDB Exploitation [CRITICAL NODE] - Entry Point, High Impact Goal ├───(OR)─ Exploit Authentication and Authorization Weaknesses [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Common Entry Point │ ├───(OR)─ Default or Weak Credentials [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Very Common, Easy to Exploit │ │ └───(AND)─ Guess Default Credentials (e.g., default admin/password if enabled) [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Extremely Easy, High Impact │ └───(OR)─ No Authentication Enabled (Misconfiguration) [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Extremely Dangerous Misconfiguration │ └───(AND)─ Connect to MongoDB Instance Directly (if exposed) [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Direct Access, Trivial Exploit ├───(OR)─ Exploit NoSQL Injection Vulnerabilities [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Common Web App Vulnerability │ ├───(OR)─ Query Injection [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Direct Data Access, Logic Bypass │ │ └───(AND)─ Manipulate User Input to Alter MongoDB Queries [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Core Injection Technique ├───(OR)─ Exploit MongoDB Configuration and Deployment Issues [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Fundamental Security Flaws │ ├───(OR)─ Unsecured Network Exposure [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Basic Security Mistake, Easy to Exploit │ │ └───(AND)─ MongoDB Instance Directly Accessible from the Internet [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE] - Most Critical Configuration Issue └───(OR)─ Exploit Server Vulnerabilities └───(OR)─ Target Outdated or Unpatched MongoDB Versions [CRITICAL NODE] - Common Vulnerability Target └───(OR)─ Supply Chain Vulnerabilities └───(OR)─ Compromised MongoDB Driver or Dependencies └───(AND)─ Use Vulnerable Versions of MongoDB Drivers [CRITICAL NODE] - Common Dependency Issue
Attack Tree Path: Root: Compromise Application via MongoDB Exploitation [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: This is the overall attacker goal. It represents the starting point of all attack paths. Likelihood: N/A (Goal, not an attack step) Impact: High (Complete application compromise) Effort: Varies (Depends on chosen attack path) Skill Level: Varies (Depends on chosen attack path) Detection Difficulty: Varies (Depends on chosen attack path) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Implement comprehensive security measures across all areas outlined in the full attack tree to prevent achieving this goal.
Attack Tree Path: Exploit Authentication and Authorization Weaknesses [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Targeting weaknesses in how the application and MongoDB handle authentication and authorization. This is a common and often successful entry point for attackers. Likelihood: High (Authentication and authorization are complex and often misconfigured) Impact: High (Bypass security controls, gain unauthorized access) Effort: Low to Medium (Depending on the specific weakness) Skill Level: Low to Medium (Basic security knowledge to medium web application security skills) Detection Difficulty: Low to Medium (Depending on logging and monitoring) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Enforce strong authentication, robust RBAC, regularly audit permissions, secure application authentication logic.
Attack Tree Path: Default or Weak Credentials [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Exploiting default or easily guessable credentials for MongoDB users, especially administrative accounts. Likelihood: Medium (Common misconfiguration, especially in development, testing, or quick deployments) Impact: High (Full database access, potential application compromise) Effort: Low (Trying common default usernames and passwords) Skill Level: Low (Basic knowledge) Detection Difficulty: Low (Failed login attempts are often logged) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Change all default credentials immediately, enforce strong password policies.
Attack Tree Path: Guess Default Credentials (e.g., default admin/password if enabled) [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Actively attempting to guess default credentials, often using lists of common defaults. Likelihood: Medium (If default credentials are not changed) Impact: High (Full database access) Effort: Low (Using automated tools or manual attempts) Skill Level: Low (Basic knowledge) Detection Difficulty: Low (Failed login attempts are logged, but successful login with default credentials might be harder to immediately detect as malicious without further analysis) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Change default credentials, monitor for login attempts from unusual locations or patterns.
Attack Vector Description: Exploiting a misconfiguration where MongoDB authentication is completely disabled. Likelihood: Low-Medium (Becoming less common in production, but still occurs in development/testing or poorly secured environments) Impact: High (Full database access, complete compromise) Effort: Low (Requires network access and a MongoDB client) Skill Level: Low (Basic networking and MongoDB client usage) Detection Difficulty: Low (Network monitoring and connection logs will show unauthorized access) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Always enable authentication in production and any environment accessible outside of a secure, isolated development network. Regularly audit MongoDB configurations.
Attack Tree Path: Connect to MongoDB Instance Directly (if exposed) [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Directly connecting to an exposed MongoDB instance when authentication is disabled. Likelihood: Low-Medium (If authentication is disabled and network exposure exists) Impact: High (Full database access) Effort: Low (Using a MongoDB client) Skill Level: Low (Basic MongoDB client usage) Detection Difficulty: Low (Network monitoring and connection logs) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Enable authentication, firewall MongoDB, restrict network access.
Attack Tree Path: Exploit NoSQL Injection Vulnerabilities [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Exploiting vulnerabilities in the application's handling of user input when constructing MongoDB queries, leading to NoSQL injection. Likelihood: Medium (Common web application vulnerability, especially with dynamic queries) Impact: Medium-High (Data exfiltration, modification, bypass application logic) Effort: Medium (Requires understanding query structure and injection techniques) Skill Level: Medium (Web application security knowledge, NoSQL injection concepts) Detection Difficulty: Medium (WAFs, input validation logging, anomaly detection can help) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Sanitize user input, use parameterized queries (or driver equivalents), avoid dynamic query construction, implement input validation.
Attack Tree Path: Query Injection [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: A specific type of NoSQL injection where attackers manipulate user input to alter the intended MongoDB query logic. Likelihood: Medium (If application constructs queries dynamically from user input without proper sanitization) Impact: Medium-High (Data exfiltration, modification, bypass application logic) Effort: Medium (Crafting injection payloads) Skill Level: Medium (NoSQL injection techniques, MongoDB query language) Detection Difficulty: Medium (WAFs, input validation logging, query analysis) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Sanitize user input, use parameterized queries, avoid string concatenation for query building.
Attack Vector Description: The core technique of query injection – directly manipulating user-provided data that is incorporated into MongoDB queries. Likelihood: Medium (If application is vulnerable to query injection) Impact: Medium-High (Data access, modification, logic bypass) Effort: Medium (Crafting injection payloads) Skill Level: Medium (NoSQL injection techniques) Detection Difficulty: Medium (Input validation logging, WAFs, query analysis) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Input sanitization, parameterized queries, secure query construction practices.
Attack Tree Path: Exploit MongoDB Configuration and Deployment Issues [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Exploiting fundamental security flaws arising from misconfigurations and insecure deployment practices of the MongoDB instance. Likelihood: Medium (Configuration errors are common, especially in complex deployments) Impact: High (Wide range of impacts, from data breaches to full compromise) Effort: Low to Medium (Depending on the specific misconfiguration) Skill Level: Low to Medium (Basic system administration to medium security knowledge) Detection Difficulty: Low to Medium (Configuration audits, security scans can detect many issues) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Follow security best practices for MongoDB deployment, regularly audit configurations, implement network segmentation, secure backups.
Attack Tree Path: Unsecured Network Exposure [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Exposing the MongoDB instance to untrusted networks, especially the public internet, without proper access controls. Likelihood: Low-Medium (Becoming less common, but still happens due to oversight or misconfiguration) Impact: High (Direct access to database, full compromise) Effort: Low (Port scanning, direct connection) Skill Level: Low (Basic networking) Detection Difficulty: Low (Network scanning, firewall logs) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Firewall MongoDB, restrict network access to trusted sources only, implement network segmentation.
Attack Tree Path: MongoDB Instance Directly Accessible from the Internet [HIGH RISK PATH] [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: The most critical configuration issue within "Unsecured Network Exposure" - making the MongoDB port directly accessible from the public internet. Likelihood: Low-Medium (But extremely dangerous when it occurs) Impact: High (Direct and easy access to the database from anywhere) Effort: Low (Port scanning, direct connection) Skill Level: Low (Basic networking) Detection Difficulty: Low (External vulnerability scans, network monitoring) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Ensure MongoDB is behind a firewall and not directly exposed to the internet. Regularly check network configurations.
Attack Tree Path: Target Outdated or Unpatched MongoDB Versions [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Targeting MongoDB servers running outdated and unpatched versions that are vulnerable to known CVEs. Likelihood: Medium (Outdated systems are common due to delayed patching or lack of updates) Impact: High (Exploiting known CVEs can lead to RCE, DoS, data breaches) Effort: Low (Scanning for version information, using readily available exploits for known CVEs) Skill Level: Low-Medium (Basic scanning and exploit usage) Detection Difficulty: Low (Vulnerability scanners, version detection tools) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Implement a robust patching and update process for MongoDB servers. Regularly scan for vulnerabilities.
Attack Tree Path: Use Vulnerable Versions of MongoDB Drivers [CRITICAL NODE]
Attack Vector Description: Using outdated or vulnerable versions of MongoDB drivers in the application, which can introduce vulnerabilities in the application's interaction with MongoDB. Likelihood: Medium (Developers might not always update drivers promptly, dependency management issues) Impact: Medium-High (Driver vulnerabilities can impact application security and potentially MongoDB interaction) Effort: Low (Exploiting known driver vulnerabilities, public exploits might be available) Skill Level: Medium (Exploit usage, understanding driver vulnerabilities) Detection Difficulty: Medium (Vulnerability scanners, dependency analysis tools) Actionable Insights/Mitigations: Implement dependency management practices, regularly update MongoDB drivers, use vulnerability scanning tools for dependencies.