attack-tree.md

Attack Tree Analysis for knative/community

Objective: Gain Unauthorized Access/Control over Knative Deployments/Resources

Attack Tree Visualization

Goal: Gain Unauthorized Access/Control over Knative Deployments/Resources
├── 1. Exploit Vulnerabilities in Community-Contributed Documentation/Examples [HIGH-RISK]
│   ├── 1.1  Insecure Configuration Examples {CRITICAL}
│   │   ├── 1.1.1  Weak Authentication/Authorization Settings (e.g., exposed secrets in examples) [HIGH-RISK]
│   │   │   └── ACTION: Review all documentation and examples for hardcoded credentials, weak default passwords, or insufficient access controls.  Provide clear warnings and best practices.
│   │   ├── 1.1.2  Misconfigured Network Policies (e.g., overly permissive ingress/egress) [HIGH-RISK]
│   │   │   └── ACTION:  Audit example network policies for least privilege.  Include documentation on secure network configuration.
│   │   └── 1.1.4  Outdated or Vulnerable Dependencies in Example Projects [HIGH-RISK] {CRITICAL}
│   │       └── ACTION: Regularly update dependencies in example projects.  Use dependency scanning tools to identify and remediate vulnerabilities.  Clearly state the supported versions of Knative and dependencies.
├── 3. Exploit Vulnerabilities in Community-Managed Infrastructure (if applicable)
│    ├── 3.1 Compromise of CI/CD Pipelines used for community resources {CRITICAL}
│        └── ACTION: Implement strong access controls and monitoring for CI/CD pipelines. Regularly audit pipeline configurations for security vulnerabilities. Use signed artifacts.
└── 4. Social Engineering Attacks Targeting Community Members
    ├── 4.1 Phishing Attacks to Steal Credentials [HIGH-RISK]
        └── ACTION: Educate community members about phishing attacks and how to identify them. Implement multi-factor authentication for all community accounts.

Attack Tree Path: 1. Exploit Vulnerabilities in Community-Contributed Documentation/Examples [HIGH-RISK]

• Overall Description: This is a high-risk area because community-provided documentation and examples are often used as starting points for real-world deployments. If these resources contain security vulnerabilities, they can be easily exploited by attackers. The focus is on unintentional vulnerabilities introduced through oversight or lack of security awareness.

Attack Tree Path: 1.1 Insecure Configuration Examples {CRITICAL}

• Description: This is a critical node because it's the most direct way for attackers to exploit community resources. Users often copy and paste example configurations without fully understanding the security implications.
  • Sub-Vectors:
    • 1.1.1 Weak Authentication/Authorization Settings [HIGH-RISK]
      • Description: Examples might include hardcoded credentials, weak default passwords, or overly permissive access control settings (e.g., using cluster-admin role unnecessarily).
      • Attack Scenario: An attacker finds an example with a hardcoded secret. They use this secret to access a user's Knative deployment that was based on the example.
      • Mitigation: Rigorous review of examples, avoiding hardcoded credentials, using strong password policies, and enforcing least privilege.
    • 1.1.2 Misconfigured Network Policies [HIGH-RISK]
      • Description: Example network policies might be too permissive, allowing unauthorized access between services or from external sources.
      • Attack Scenario: An attacker exploits an overly permissive ingress policy in an example to gain access to a sensitive service within a user's Knative deployment.
      • Mitigation: Audit example network policies for least privilege, provide clear documentation on secure network configuration, and use network visualization tools.
    • 1.1.4 Outdated or Vulnerable Dependencies [HIGH-RISK] {CRITICAL}
      • Description: Example projects might include outdated dependencies with known vulnerabilities. Users who copy these projects inherit the vulnerabilities.
      • Attack Scenario: An attacker uses a publicly known exploit for a vulnerable dependency included in an example project to gain code execution within a user's Knative deployment.
      • Mitigation: Regularly update dependencies, use dependency scanning tools (e.g., Snyk, Dependabot), and clearly state supported dependency versions.

Attack Tree Path: 3. Exploit Vulnerabilities in Community-Managed Infrastructure (if applicable)

• 3.1 Compromise of CI/CD Pipelines used for community resources {CRITICAL}
  • Description: This is a critical node because a compromised CI/CD pipeline could allow attackers to inject malicious code into official Knative releases or community-managed resources (e.g., documentation website, container images). This has a very high impact, as it affects all users.
  • Attack Scenario: An attacker gains access to the CI/CD pipeline and modifies the build process to include a backdoor in a Knative component. This backdoor is then distributed to all users who update their Knative installation.
  • Mitigation: Implement strong access controls (least privilege, MFA), monitor pipeline activity for anomalies, regularly audit pipeline configurations, use signed artifacts, and employ infrastructure-as-code with security reviews.

Attack Tree Path: 4. Social Engineering Attacks Targeting Community Members

• 4.1 Phishing Attacks to Steal Credentials [HIGH-RISK]
  • Description: Phishing attacks are a common and effective way to steal credentials. Attackers could target Knative community members to gain access to accounts with privileges to modify code, documentation, or infrastructure.
  • Attack Scenario: An attacker sends a phishing email impersonating a Knative maintainer, requesting community members to log in to a fake website to update their account information. The attacker then uses the stolen credentials to access the official Knative repository.
  • Mitigation: Educate community members about phishing attacks, implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all community accounts, use email filtering and security tools, and encourage reporting of suspicious emails.