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threat-modeling.md

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Threat Model Analysis for spf13/viper

Threat: Unsecured Configuration File Access

  • Description: An attacker gains unauthorized access to configuration files used by Viper. This could be through exploiting system vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. Once accessed, the attacker can read sensitive information or modify the configuration to inject malicious settings, directly impacting how Viper loads and provides configuration to the application.
    • Impact: Confidentiality breach (sensitive data exposure), integrity compromise (application behavior modification), potential for privilege escalation.
    • Viper Component Affected: File reading functionality (viper.ReadConfig, viper.ReadInConfig).
    • Risk Severity: Critical.
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Store configuration files outside of publicly accessible directories.
      • Implement strict file system permissions, limiting access to the application user.
      • Encrypt sensitive configuration files at rest.

Threat: Compromised Remote Configuration Source

  • Description: An attacker compromises a remote configuration source (e.g., etcd, Consul, AWS Secrets Manager) that Viper is configured to use. By compromising the source, the attacker can inject malicious configuration data that Viper will fetch and apply to the application, directly influencing the application's behavior based on Viper's configuration loading.
    • Impact: Integrity compromise (application behavior modification), potential for complete application takeover.
    • Viper Component Affected: Remote configuration fetching modules (viper.AddRemoteProvider).
    • Risk Severity: Critical.
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Secure remote configuration sources with strong authentication and authorization.
      • Use encrypted communication channels (HTTPS, TLS) for all communication with remote sources.
      • Implement access control lists (ACLs) within the remote configuration source.
      • Regularly audit and monitor access to remote configuration sources.

Threat: Environment Variable Manipulation

  • Description: An attacker gains access to the application's environment and manipulates environment variables that Viper uses for configuration. This allows the attacker to override intended settings and inject malicious values that Viper will prioritize, directly altering the application's configuration as read by Viper.
    • Impact: Integrity compromise (application behavior modification), potential for privilege escalation or denial of service.
    • Viper Component Affected: Environment variable reading functionality (viper.AutomaticEnv, viper.SetEnvPrefix).
    • Risk Severity: High.
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Minimize reliance on environment variables for sensitive or critical configuration.
      • Implement secure environment management practices, limiting access to the application's environment.
      • Use more secure configuration sources for critical settings.

Threat: Configuration Injection via Unvalidated Input

  • Description: An attacker provides malicious input that is used to dynamically construct configuration values or paths within the application's code that interacts with Viper. If this input is not properly validated, the attacker can inject arbitrary configuration settings through Viper's setting mechanisms, directly manipulating the application's configuration.
    • Impact: Integrity compromise (application behavior modification), potential for code execution or other attacks.
    • Viper Component Affected: Dynamic configuration setting mechanisms (viper.Set, viper.SetDefault when used with external input).
    • Risk Severity: High.
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Thoroughly validate and sanitize all external input before using it to construct configuration values or paths used with Viper.
      • Avoid directly incorporating user input into sensitive configuration settings managed by Viper.
      • Use parameterized configuration loading where possible.

Threat: Plaintext Secrets in Configuration Files

  • Description: Developers store sensitive secrets (API keys, passwords, encryption keys) in plaintext within configuration files that Viper reads. If these files are accessed by an attacker, the secrets are immediately exposed because Viper will load and make these plaintext secrets available to the application.
    • Impact: Confidentiality breach (sensitive data exposure), potential for complete compromise of related systems or accounts.
    • Viper Component Affected: File reading functionality (viper.ReadConfig, viper.ReadInConfig), all modules accessing configuration values through Viper.
    • Risk Severity: Critical.
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Never store secrets in plaintext configuration files.
      • Utilize secure secret management solutions and integrate Viper to fetch secrets from these sources at runtime.
      • If secret management solutions are not feasible, encrypt sensitive configuration values and manage encryption keys securely.

Threat: Unintended Configuration Overrides

  • Description: Due to Viper's configuration precedence rules, attackers might manipulate higher-precedence sources (e.g., command-line flags or environment variables) to override critical settings defined in configuration files or defaults that Viper manages. This can lead to unexpected and potentially malicious application behavior as Viper prioritizes these attacker-controlled sources.
    • Impact: Integrity compromise (application behavior modification), potential for security bypass or privilege escalation.
    • Viper Component Affected: Configuration precedence logic within Viper (viper.BindPFlag, viper.AutomaticEnv, viper.SetDefault, viper.ReadInConfig).
    • Risk Severity: High.
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Clearly document and understand Viper's configuration precedence rules.
      • Carefully design the configuration loading order and precedence to minimize unintended overrides.
      • Minimize the use of higher-precedence configuration sources for critical settings.
      • Implement monitoring or alerting for unexpected configuration changes.