Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
99 lines (74 loc) · 7.16 KB

mitigations.md

File metadata and controls

99 lines (74 loc) · 7.16 KB

Mitigation Strategies Analysis for tsenart/vegeta

Mitigation Strategy: Controlled Load Ramp-up

  • Description:

    1. When initiating a Vegeta attack, start with a low request rate using the -rate flag (e.g., -rate 10/s).
    2. Gradually increase the request rate in small increments over time. This can be done manually by adjusting the -rate flag and restarting Vegeta, or by scripting the rate increase over the test duration.
    3. Monitor the target application's performance metrics (response times, error rates) as the load increases.
    4. Observe how the application responds to each rate increase before proceeding to the next increment.
    5. Stop increasing the rate if the application shows signs of stress or degradation.

  • Threats Mitigated:

    • Denial of Service (DoS) - High Severity: Unintentionally overwhelming the target application with an immediate high volume of requests, causing service disruption.
    • Resource Exhaustion - Medium Severity: Quickly exhausting server resources (CPU, memory, network) due to an abrupt surge in load.

  • Impact:

    • DoS - High Risk Reduction: Significantly reduces the risk of accidental DoS by allowing for a gradual and controlled increase in load.
    • Resource Exhaustion - High Risk Reduction: Minimizes the chance of sudden resource exhaustion by incrementally increasing demand.

  • Currently Implemented:

    • Partially implemented. Developers are aware of the concept but may not consistently use a controlled ramp-up in all Vegeta tests. Manual ramp-up is sometimes used, but not automated.

  • Missing Implementation:

    • Automate ramp-up procedures in Vegeta testing scripts.
    • Create reusable scripts or functions that handle rate incrementing over time for Vegeta attacks.
    • Document ramp-up as a standard practice in Vegeta testing guidelines.

Mitigation Strategy: Rate Limiting within Vegeta Configuration

  • Description:

    1. Before running a Vegeta attack, determine the maximum acceptable request rate for the target application.
    2. Use the -rate flag in the Vegeta command to explicitly set this request rate limit (e.g., vegeta attack -rate 100/s ...).
    3. Ensure the configured rate is appropriate for the test scenario and the application's capacity.
    4. Avoid omitting the -rate flag, which can lead to Vegeta generating requests as fast as possible, potentially overwhelming the target.

  • Threats Mitigated:

    • Denial of Service (DoS) - High Severity: Generating an uncontrolled and excessive number of requests, leading to service unavailability.
    • Resource Exhaustion - High Severity: Overloading server resources (CPU, memory, network) due to an unbounded request rate.

  • Impact:

    • DoS - High Risk Reduction: Directly prevents exceeding a predefined load limit, minimizing DoS risk.
    • Resource Exhaustion - High Risk Reduction: Keeps resource utilization within manageable bounds by controlling the request rate.

  • Currently Implemented:

    • Partially implemented. Developers sometimes use -rate, but it's not always consistently applied or accurately calculated for each test.

  • Missing Implementation:

    • Mandate the use of the -rate flag in all Vegeta testing scripts.
    • Provide guidelines or tools to help developers determine appropriate -rate values for different test scenarios.
    • Include -rate configuration in Vegeta test templates or examples.

Mitigation Strategy: Duration Limits for Tests

  • Description:

    1. Define a reasonable and necessary test duration before starting a Vegeta attack.
    2. Always use the -duration flag to specify a finite test duration when running Vegeta (e.g., vegeta attack -duration 10m ... for a 10-minute test).
    3. Avoid running Vegeta attacks without a -duration limit, which can lead to tests running indefinitely if not manually stopped.
    4. Choose a duration that is sufficient to gather the required performance data but not excessively long, especially in shared environments.

  • Threats Mitigated:

    • Prolonged Resource Stress - Medium Severity: Running tests for unnecessarily long durations, potentially causing prolonged stress on the target application and infrastructure.
    • Unnecessary Load on Infrastructure - Low Severity: Wasting resources by running tests longer than needed, potentially impacting other services.

  • Impact:

    • Prolonged Resource Stress - Medium Risk Reduction: Prevents tests from running indefinitely, limiting the duration of potential stress.
    • Unnecessary Load on Infrastructure - Low Risk Reduction: Optimizes resource usage by ensuring tests run only for the required time.

  • Currently Implemented:

    • Inconsistently implemented. Developers may sometimes forget to use -duration, especially in quick or ad-hoc tests.

  • Missing Implementation:

    • Mandate the use of -duration in all Vegeta testing scripts and documentation.
    • Include -duration settings in test configuration templates.
    • Implement automated checks in testing pipelines to ensure -duration is always specified.

Mitigation Strategy: Targeted Endpoint Testing

  • Description:

    1. Identify the specific endpoints or functionalities of the application that need to be load tested.
    2. Configure Vegeta to target only these specific URLs or routes, rather than attacking the entire application.
    3. Use Vegeta's target specification methods (e.g., providing a list of URLs in a file using -targets) to limit the scope of the attack.
    4. Focus testing efforts on critical paths, performance-sensitive endpoints, or areas suspected of potential vulnerabilities.

  • Threats Mitigated:

    • Unnecessary Load on Non-Critical Components - Low Severity: Applying load to parts of the application not under test, potentially creating noise and obscuring results for target areas.
    • Increased Risk of Unintended Side Effects - Low Severity: Broader attacks increase the chance of triggering unexpected issues in less critical parts of the application.

  • Impact:

    • Unnecessary Load on Non-Critical Components - Low Risk Reduction: Focuses load where it's needed, reducing unnecessary stress elsewhere.
    • Increased Risk of Unintended Side Effects - Low Risk Reduction: Minimizes the scope of the attack, reducing the chance of triggering unrelated issues.

  • Currently Implemented:

    • Partially implemented. Developers often target specific endpoints, but sometimes use broader attacks for initial exploration or simplicity.

  • Missing Implementation:

    • Promote targeted endpoint testing as a best practice in Vegeta testing guidelines.
    • Provide clear examples and documentation on how to configure Vegeta to target specific endpoints effectively using -targets.
    • Encourage developers to define clear test scopes and target endpoints before designing Vegeta attacks.