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sec-design.md

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BUSINESS POSTURE

  • Business Priorities and Goals:
    • Simplify configuration management for Go applications.
    • Provide a flexible and easy-to-use configuration library that supports multiple configuration formats and sources.
    • Enable developers to easily manage application settings across different environments (development, staging, production).
    • Reduce configuration errors and improve application reliability.
  • Business Risks:
    • Risk of misconfiguration in applications using viper, leading to application downtime or incorrect behavior.
    • Risk of security vulnerabilities in viper library itself, potentially affecting all applications that depend on it.
    • Risk of supply chain attacks targeting viper's dependencies, which could introduce vulnerabilities.
    • Risk of sensitive configuration data being exposed if not handled properly by applications using viper.

SECURITY POSTURE

  • Existing Security Controls:
    • security control: Code review process for contributions to the viper repository (implicitly assumed for open-source projects).
    • security control: Usage of Go's built-in security features and standard library functions.
    • security control: Dependency management using go modules to track and manage dependencies.
  • Accepted Risks:
    • accepted risk: Potential vulnerabilities in third-party dependencies used by viper. Mitigation relies on dependency updates and security scanning.
    • accepted risk: Misuse of viper library by developers leading to insecure configurations in their applications. This is considered developer's responsibility.
  • Recommended Security Controls:
    • recommended security control: Implement automated static analysis security testing (SAST) in the CI/CD pipeline to identify potential vulnerabilities in the code.
    • recommended security control: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing of the viper library to proactively find and fix security issues.
    • recommended security control: Integrate dependency vulnerability scanning into the CI/CD pipeline to detect and alert on vulnerable dependencies.
    • recommended security control: Provide clear documentation and examples on secure configuration practices when using viper, especially for handling sensitive data.
    • recommended security control: Consider adding fuzzing to the testing process to discover input validation vulnerabilities.
    • recommended security control: Generate and publish Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to enhance supply chain transparency.
  • Security Requirements:
    • Authentication: Not directly applicable to viper library itself. Authentication is the responsibility of the applications using viper.
    • Authorization: Not directly applicable to viper library itself. Authorization is the responsibility of the applications using viper.
    • Input Validation:
      • Requirement: Viper must robustly handle various input formats (JSON, YAML, TOML, etc.) and sources (files, environment variables, remote configurations) without being vulnerable to injection attacks or parsing errors.
      • Requirement: Implement input validation to ensure that configuration values are within expected ranges and formats, preventing unexpected behavior or security issues in applications using viper.
    • Cryptography:
      • Requirement: If viper is used to handle sensitive configuration data (e.g., secrets), applications should use appropriate encryption mechanisms to protect this data at rest and in transit. Viper itself might not need to implement cryptography, but should not hinder its usage by applications.
      • Requirement: Consider providing guidance or examples on how to securely handle sensitive configuration data with viper, potentially integrating with secret management solutions.

DESIGN

  • C4 CONTEXT

    flowchart LR
  subgraph "Configuration Management System"
    A["Viper Library"]
  end
  B["Go Developers"]
  C["Configuration Files (YAML, JSON, TOML)"]
  D["Environment Variables"]
  E["Remote Configuration (e.g., etcd, Consul)"]

  B -->|Uses| A
  A -->|Reads from| C
  A -->|Reads from| D
  A -->|Reads from| E

  style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    Loading
    • Context Diagram Elements:
        • Name: Viper Library
        • Type: Software System
        • Description: Go library for configuration management. It reads configuration from various sources and provides a unified interface to access configuration values.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Reading configuration from different sources (files, environment variables, remote config).
          • Parsing configuration files in various formats (YAML, JSON, TOML).
          • Merging configurations from different sources.
          • Providing an API to access configuration values.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Input validation during configuration parsing.
          • Security control: Secure handling of file system operations when reading configuration files.
        • Name: Go Developers
        • Type: Person
        • Description: Software developers who use the Viper library in their Go applications to manage configuration.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Integrating Viper library into their Go applications.
          • Defining configuration sources and formats for their applications.
          • Using Viper API to access configuration values in their applications.
          • Securely handling sensitive configuration data within their applications.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Secure coding practices when using Viper API.
          • Security control: Implementing appropriate authentication and authorization in their applications.
          • Security control: Securely managing and storing configuration files and environment variables.
        • Name: Configuration Files (YAML, JSON, TOML)
        • Type: External System
        • Description: Files stored in various formats (YAML, JSON, TOML) that contain application configuration settings.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Storing application configuration data in a structured format.
          • Being accessible to applications using Viper library.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Access control mechanisms to protect configuration files from unauthorized access.
          • Security control: Encryption of configuration files if they contain sensitive data.
        • Name: Environment Variables
        • Type: External System
        • Description: Operating system environment variables used to configure applications.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing a way to configure applications without modifying configuration files.
          • Being accessible to applications using Viper library.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Secure management of environment variables, especially in shared environments.
          • Security control: Limiting the scope and visibility of environment variables.
        • Name: Remote Configuration (e.g., etcd, Consul)
        • Type: External System
        • Description: Remote configuration stores like etcd or Consul used to manage application configuration centrally.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing a centralized and dynamic configuration management solution.
          • Being accessible to applications using Viper library.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Authentication and authorization to access remote configuration stores.
          • Security control: Encryption of data in transit and at rest in remote configuration stores.

  • C4 CONTAINER

    flowchart LR
  subgraph "Configuration Management System"
    A["Viper Library"]
  end
  B["Go Developers"]
  C["Configuration Files"]
  D["Environment Variables"]
  E["Remote Configuration Stores"]

  B -->|Uses| A
  A -->|Reads| C
  A -->|Reads| D
  A -->|Reads| E

  style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
    Loading
    • Container Diagram Elements:
        • Name: Viper Library
        • Type: Library
        • Description: A single library that encapsulates all configuration management functionalities. In this simplified view, we are not breaking down Viper into smaller components.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Configuration loading from various sources.
          • Configuration parsing and merging.
          • Providing API for configuration access.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Input validation within parsing logic.
          • Security control: Secure file handling during file configuration loading.
        • Name: Go Developers
        • Type: Person
        • Description: Developers integrating and using the Viper library.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Application development and configuration management using Viper.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Secure coding practices in applications using Viper.
        • Name: Configuration Files
        • Type: Data Store
        • Description: Local or remote files storing configuration data.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Persistent storage of configuration settings.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: File system access controls.
          • Security control: Encryption for sensitive configuration files.
        • Name: Environment Variables
        • Type: Configuration Source
        • Description: System environment variables used for configuration.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing environment-specific configuration.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Environment variable access controls.
        • Name: Remote Configuration Stores
        • Type: External System
        • Description: Systems like etcd, Consul for centralized configuration management.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Centralized and dynamic configuration management.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Authentication and authorization for access.
          • Security control: Encryption for data in transit and at rest.

  • DEPLOYMENT

    flowchart LR
  subgraph "Deployment Environment"
    subgraph "Server Instance"
      A["Go Application"]
      B["Viper Library"]
      C["Configuration Files"]
    end
  end
  D["Operating System"]
  E["Hardware"]

  A -- Uses --> B
  A -- Reads --> C
  A -- Runs on --> D
  D -- Runs on --> E

  style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
  style B fill:#ccf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px,dasharray: 5 5
  style C fill:#eee,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    Loading
    • Deployment Diagram Elements:
        • Name: Go Application
        • Type: Software Component
        • Description: The Go application that utilizes the Viper library for configuration management.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Executing application logic.
          • Reading and using configuration from Viper.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Application-level security controls (authentication, authorization, etc.).
        • Name: Viper Library
        • Type: Library
        • Description: The Viper library embedded within the Go application.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing configuration data to the Go application.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Inherited security from the library itself (input validation, secure parsing).
        • Name: Configuration Files
        • Type: Data Store
        • Description: Configuration files deployed alongside the application or accessible to it.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Storing configuration settings for the application.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: File system permissions to restrict access.
          • Security control: Encryption at rest if containing sensitive data.
        • Name: Operating System
        • Type: Infrastructure
        • Description: The operating system on which the Go application and Viper library are deployed.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing runtime environment for the application.
          • Managing system resources and security.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Operating system security hardening.
          • Security control: Access control mechanisms.
        • Name: Server Instance
        • Type: Infrastructure
        • Description: Represents a server (physical or virtual) where the application is deployed.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Hosting the application and its dependencies.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Physical security of the server.
          • Security control: Network security controls (firewalls, intrusion detection).
        • Name: Hardware
        • Type: Infrastructure
        • Description: Underlying hardware infrastructure.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing physical resources for the server.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Physical security of the hardware.

  • BUILD

    flowchart LR
  A["Developer"] --> B("Code Changes");
  B --> C["Git Repository"];
  C --> D["Build System (e.g., GitHub Actions)"];
  D --> E{Security Checks (SAST, Dependency Scan, Linting)};
  E -- Yes --> F["Build Artifacts (Go Module)"];
  E -- No --> G["Build Failure & Notifications"];
  F --> H["Package Registry (e.g., Go Modules Proxy)"];

  style D fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
  style E fill:#ccf,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px,dasharray: 5 5
    Loading
    • Build Diagram Elements:
        • Name: Developer
        • Type: Person
        • Description: Software developer contributing to the Viper library.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Writing and committing code changes.
          • Ensuring code quality and security.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Secure development practices.
          • Security control: Code review before committing changes.
        • Name: Code Changes
        • Type: Data
        • Description: Modifications to the Viper library codebase.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Representing the changes to be integrated into the project.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Version control system (Git) to track changes and revisions.
        • Name: Git Repository
        • Type: Code Repository
        • Description: Source code repository (e.g., GitHub) hosting the Viper library code.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Storing and managing the codebase.
          • Providing version control and collaboration features.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Access control to the repository.
          • Security control: Branch protection and pull request workflows.
        • Name: Build System (e.g., GitHub Actions)
        • Type: Automation System
        • Description: Automated build system used to compile, test, and package the Viper library.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Automating the build process.
          • Running security checks and tests.
          • Generating build artifacts.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Secure configuration of the build pipeline.
          • Security control: Access control to the build system.
        • Name: Security Checks (SAST, Dependency Scan, Linting)
        • Type: Security Tool
        • Description: Automated security checks integrated into the build pipeline, including Static Application Security Testing (SAST), dependency vulnerability scanning, and code linting.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Identifying potential security vulnerabilities and code quality issues.
          • Enforcing security and coding standards.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Regularly updated security scanning tools and rulesets.
        • Name: Build Artifacts (Go Module)
        • Type: Software Artifact
        • Description: Compiled and packaged Viper library, ready for distribution and use.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Providing a distributable version of the library.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Signing of build artifacts to ensure integrity and authenticity (if applicable).
        • Name: Package Registry (e.g., Go Modules Proxy)
        • Type: Artifact Repository
        • Description: Repository for storing and distributing Go modules, including Viper library.
        • Responsibilities:
          • Hosting and distributing Go modules.
          • Providing access to Viper library for Go developers.
        • Security controls:
          • Security control: Access control to the package registry.
          • Security control: Integrity checks for packages in the registry.

RISK ASSESSMENT

  • Critical Business Processes:
    • Secure configuration of Go applications is a critical process. Misconfiguration can lead to application failures, data breaches, or other security incidents. Viper aims to simplify and improve this process, but vulnerabilities in Viper or its misuse can introduce risks.
  • Data Sensitivity:
    • The data being protected is application configuration data. The sensitivity of this data varies depending on the application. Configuration data can include:
      • Non-sensitive data: Application settings, feature flags.
      • Sensitive data: API keys, database credentials, private keys, and other secrets.
    • If Viper is used to manage sensitive configuration data, it becomes crucial to ensure the security of Viper itself and the applications using it. Exposure of sensitive configuration data can lead to significant security breaches.

QUESTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS

  • Questions:
    • What are the specific security considerations taken into account during the development of Viper?
    • Are there any plans to incorporate more security-focused features into Viper, such as built-in secret management or configuration validation?
    • What is the process for handling security vulnerabilities reported in Viper or its dependencies?
    • Are there guidelines or best practices documented for developers on how to securely use Viper, especially when handling sensitive configuration data?
  • Assumptions:
    • Assumption: Viper is intended to be used in a wide range of Go applications, including those that handle sensitive data.
    • Assumption: Security is a significant concern for users of Viper, and they expect the library to be developed and maintained with security in mind.
    • Assumption: Developers using Viper are responsible for implementing security controls in their applications, but Viper should provide a secure foundation and not introduce unnecessary security risks.
    • Assumption: The build and release process for Viper includes basic security checks like linting and testing, but further security measures might be beneficial.