Threat Model Analysis for betamaxteam/betamax

Threat: T1: Sensitive Data Leakage via Cassette Exposure

Threat: T1: Sensitive Data Leakage via Cassette Exposure
- Description: An attacker gains access to Betamax cassette files that were accidentally committed to a public or improperly secured code repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket), shared via insecure channels (e.g., email, unencrypted file sharing), or left accessible on a compromised test server. The attacker can then open these cassette files and extract sensitive information contained within the recorded HTTP requests and responses. This includes authentication tokens, API keys, PII, and other confidential data. This is a direct threat because Betamax creates the cassettes containing the sensitive data.
- Impact:
  - Compromise of user accounts.
  - Unauthorized access to sensitive data and systems.
  - Financial loss.
  - Reputational damage.
  - Legal and regulatory penalties (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA violations).
- Betamax Component Affected: Cassette files (.yaml or .json files) generated by the betamax.recorder.Recorder class and stored by default in a cassettes directory. The core issue is the storage and handling of the output of Betamax.
- Risk Severity: Critical
- Mitigation Strategies:
  - Never commit cassettes to version control: Use .gitignore (or equivalent) to explicitly exclude the cassettes directory.
  - Sanitize Cassettes: Implement a robust sanitization process before cassettes are saved. Use Betamax's placeholder replacement features. Create custom redaction scripts.
  - Environment Variables: Store sensitive data in environment variables and configure Betamax to replace them.
  - Secure Storage: If cassettes must be stored, use a secure, access-controlled location, separate from the codebase. Consider encryption.
  - Regular Deletion: Delete old or unnecessary cassettes promptly.
  - Developer Training: Educate developers on risks and proper handling.

Threat: T2: Accidental Production Interaction Recording

Threat: T2: Accidental Production Interaction Recording
- Description: Due to misconfiguration, Betamax records interactions with the production environment instead of the intended test/staging environment. A developer might forget to change a configuration setting, use an incorrect base URL, or have a flawed environment detection mechanism. This results in sensitive production data being captured in cassettes. This is a direct threat because it's Betamax's recording functionality that is misconfigured.
- Impact:
  - Exposure of live production data.
  - Potential disruption of production services.
  - All impacts listed in T1 apply, but with live data.
- Betamax Component Affected: The betamax.Betamax class and its configuration, specifically how the Betamax instance is initialized and how the target host/URL is determined. The betamax.recorder.Recorder uses this configuration.
- Risk Severity: Critical
- Mitigation Strategies:
  - Strict Environment Separation: Use distinct configuration files or environment variables for each environment.
  - Explicit URL Configuration: Hardcode the test/staging environment URLs in the Betamax configuration.
  - Verification Checks: Implement assertions within the test suite to verify the expected environment.
  - Fail-Safe Mechanisms: Add code to prevent Betamax from recording if it detects a connection to a production URL.

Threat: T3: Excessive Data Capture via Broad Matching

Threat: T3: Excessive Data Capture via Broad Matching
- Description: Betamax's request matchers are configured too broadly, causing it to record more HTTP data than necessary. For example, a matcher that only checks the URL could capture sensitive data irrelevant to the test. An attacker accessing these cassettes has a larger pool of potentially sensitive data. This is a direct threat because it relates to how Betamax's matching features are used.
- Impact: Increased likelihood of sensitive data exposure if cassettes are leaked. Larger cassette files.
- Betamax Component Affected: The betamax.matchers module and the match_on parameter used when configuring cassettes. The specific matchers used (or not used) are key.
- Risk Severity: High
- Mitigation Strategies:
  - Precise Matchers: Use the most specific request matchers possible. Match on headers, query parameters, and request bodies.
  - Custom Matchers: Create custom matchers for highly specific matching logic.
  - Review Recorded Interactions: Regularly inspect cassette contents to ensure only necessary data is captured.
  - ignore_localhost and Filters: Utilize Betamax's built-in filtering options.