attack-surface.md

Attack Surface Analysis for abpframework/abp

Attack Surface: Overly Permissive Default Permissions

• Description: Default permission configurations in ABP might be too broad, granting unnecessary access by default.
• ABP Contribution: ABP's permission system's initial configuration can be overly permissive if not reviewed and tightened.
• Example: A newly created role automatically inherits permissions to access administrative functions without explicit review, leading to unintended admin access.
• Impact: Unauthorized access to sensitive data, privilege escalation, data breaches.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Implement the Principle of Least Privilege: Grant only necessary permissions.
  • Regularly review and audit default and custom permission configurations.
  • Adopt a Deny-by-Default approach for permissions.
  • Use automated tests to verify permission enforcement.

Attack Surface: Authorization Bypass in Custom Application Services

• Description: Developers incorrectly implement or omit authorization checks in custom application services, bypassing ABP's permission system.
• ABP Contribution: ABP provides the authorization framework, but incorrect developer usage within ABP services leads to bypasses.
• Example: A developer forgets [Authorize] or IPermissionChecker in a service method, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive operations.
• Impact: Unauthorized data modification, data breaches, privilege escalation, business logic compromise.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Mandatory use of [Authorize] or explicit permission checks in service methods.
  • Conduct thorough code reviews for authorization logic.
  • Write unit and integration tests to verify authorization enforcement.
  • Utilize static code analysis for authorization vulnerabilities.

Attack Surface: Over-exposure of API Endpoints via AbpApiController

• Description: AbpApiController can unintentionally expose sensitive business logic through automatically generated endpoints without proper access control.
• ABP Contribution: ABP's automatic API generation can expose more than intended if developers are not careful with service exposure and security.
• Example: An internal service is unintentionally exposed as a public API endpoint via AbpApiController without authorization, allowing external access to internal functions.
• Impact: Data breaches, exposure of internal logic, abuse of internal functionalities.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Explicitly define and review API endpoints; avoid automatic exposure of all services.
  • Apply authorization policies to all API endpoints.
  • Regularly review API documentation (Swagger/OpenAPI) for unintended exposure.
  • Use network segmentation to limit exposure of internal APIs.

Attack Surface: ORM Injection Vulnerabilities in Custom Queries within ABP Services

• Description: Improper use of raw SQL or dynamic query building within ABP services can introduce ORM injection vulnerabilities.
• ABP Contribution: While ABP uses EF Core and promotes safe practices, developers can still introduce vulnerabilities within ABP service layer.
• Example: An ABP service constructs a database query by concatenating user input into raw SQL, allowing SQL injection.
• Impact: Data breaches, data manipulation, unauthorized database access, potential database compromise.
• Risk Severity: Critical
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Always use parameterized queries or LINQ; avoid raw SQL.
  • Validate and sanitize user inputs even with ORM.
  • Thoroughly review code for raw SQL or dynamic query building.
  • Follow EF Core and ORM security best practices.

Attack Surface: Insecure File Handling in AbpBlobStoring

• Description: Improper configuration of AbpBlobStoring can lead to vulnerabilities in file uploads, storage, and retrieval.
• ABP Contribution: ABP provides AbpBlobStoring, but security depends on developer configuration and usage.
• Example: AbpBlobStoring allows uploading files without file type validation, enabling malicious file uploads and potential execution.
• Impact: Remote code execution, data breaches, denial of service, data integrity compromise.
• Risk Severity: Critical
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Implement strict file type validation.
  • Enforce file size limits.
  • Sanitize file names and metadata.
  • Securely configure blob storage access controls.
  • Integrate anti-virus scanning for uploads.
  • Implement Content Security Policy (CSP).

Attack Surface: Multi-Tenancy Isolation Issues

• Description: In multi-tenant ABP applications, improper tenant isolation can lead to cross-tenant data access.
• ABP Contribution: ABP provides multi-tenancy features, but correct implementation and enforcement are developer responsibility.
• Example: An application fails to filter data queries by tenant ID, allowing users from one tenant to access another tenant's data.
• Impact: Data breaches, cross-tenant data access, tenant-specific functionality compromise.
• Risk Severity: Critical
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Ensure tenant ID filtering in all data queries and operations.
  • Use tenant-specific data contexts or schemas for physical isolation.
  • Conduct rigorous testing, including penetration testing, for tenant isolation.
  • Perform code reviews focused on multi-tenancy implementation.
  • Regular security audits for multi-tenancy mechanisms.

Attack Surface: Vulnerabilities in ABP Framework Libraries and Dependencies

• Description: ABP framework libraries and dependencies may contain vulnerabilities exploitable in applications.
• ABP Contribution: ABP applications directly depend on ABP libraries and third-party packages, inheriting their vulnerabilities.
• Example: A vulnerability in a specific ABP package version or a dependency like Newtonsoft.Json affects applications using it.
• Impact: Varies, including denial of service, data breaches, remote code execution.
• Risk Severity: Critical/High (depending on the specific vulnerability)
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Regularly update ABP framework packages and dependencies.
  • Use dependency scanning tools (OWASP Dependency-Check, Snyk).
  • Monitor security advisories for ABP and dependencies.
  • Establish a patch management process for security updates.

Attack Surface: Role and Claim Management Vulnerabilities

• Description: Incorrect implementation of custom role or claim management within ABP's authorization framework can introduce vulnerabilities.
• ABP Contribution: ABP provides the framework, but custom logic flaws can lead to vulnerabilities.
• Example: Improper validation or encoding of claims allows injection attacks or authorization bypasses.
• Impact: Privilege escalation, authorization bypass, data breaches.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Thoroughly validate and sanitize claim data.
  • Use secure encoding for claims.
  • Conduct security reviews of custom role and claim management logic.
  • Implement robust input validation for role and claim operations.

Attack Surface: Authentication Flow Weaknesses

• Description: Improper implementation or customization of ABP authentication flows can introduce weaknesses.
• ABP Contribution: ABP provides authentication modules, but vulnerabilities can arise from incorrect customization.
• Example: Insecure token handling, session fixation vulnerabilities, or weaknesses in social login integrations within ABP authentication flows.
• Impact: Unauthorized access, session hijacking, account compromise.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Follow secure authentication best practices.
  • Securely handle tokens and sessions.
  • Thoroughly review and test custom authentication logic.
  • Use secure and updated authentication libraries and protocols.

Attack Surface: GraphQL and OData Endpoints Security

• Description: If ABP's GraphQL or OData modules are used, vulnerabilities specific to these technologies become relevant.
• ABP Contribution: ABP's GraphQL and OData modules introduce these specific attack surfaces into ABP applications.
• Example: Overly complex GraphQL queries leading to denial-of-service, injection attacks within queries, or information disclosure through unsecured schema introspection.
• Impact: Denial of service, data breaches, information disclosure, injection attacks.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Implement query complexity limits and rate limiting for GraphQL/OData.
  • Sanitize and validate inputs in GraphQL/OData queries.
  • Disable or secure schema introspection in production.
  • Apply authorization policies to GraphQL/OData endpoints and operations.

Attack Surface: Data Leakage through Auditing and Logging

• Description: ABP's auditing and logging features, if misconfigured, can inadvertently log and expose sensitive data.
• ABP Contribution: ABP's built-in auditing and logging can become a vulnerability if not configured securely.
• Example: Auditing logs inadvertently record sensitive user data like passwords or credit card numbers, which are then exposed through insecure log access.
• Impact: Data breaches, exposure of sensitive information.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Carefully configure auditing and logging to exclude sensitive data.
  • Securely store and access audit logs.
  • Implement log rotation and retention policies.
  • Regularly review audit logs for sensitive data leakage.