Description: Misconfiguration of Shadow, or malicious manipulation of the build process, could lead to the plugin incorrectly relocating classes from essential system libraries (like java.* or javax.*). This breaks the application's fundamental runtime environment as it relies on specific versions or implementations provided by the JVM or operating system.
Impact: Application startup failure, JVM errors, complete application unavailability, rendering the application unusable.
Shadow Component Affected: Shadow plugin configuration, Relocation logic, Include/Exclude rules.
Risk Severity: High
Mitigation Strategies:
- Employ precise and restrictive Shadow configuration, carefully defining what should be shaded.
- Utilize explicit include/exclude rules to target only intended dependencies for shading, explicitly excluding system and core libraries.
- Regularly review and audit Shadow plugin configurations to ensure they are correct and secure.
- Implement automated checks in the build process to detect and prevent shading of core libraries, failing the build if such shading is detected.
Description: The shading process makes it significantly harder to identify vulnerable dependencies within the shaded JAR using standard vulnerability scanning tools. This obfuscation delays the detection and patching of known vulnerabilities in included libraries. Attackers can exploit known vulnerabilities in older, shaded dependencies that are not promptly updated.
Impact: Increased attack surface, exploitation of known vulnerabilities in dependencies, potential data breaches, system compromise, and prolonged exposure to security risks.
Shadow Component Affected: Shading process, Dependency inclusion.
Risk Severity: High
Mitigation Strategies:
- Maintain a detailed and up-to-date Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) for shaded JARs, clearly listing all original dependencies and their versions.
- Use specialized vulnerability scanning tools designed to analyze shaded JARs or develop custom scripts to extract dependency information for scanning.
- Establish a rigorous process for regularly updating dependencies and rebuilding shaded JARs, especially when security vulnerabilities are disclosed for any included library.
- Automate dependency vulnerability scanning as an integral part of the CI/CD pipeline, triggering alerts and build failures upon detection of high-severity vulnerabilities.
Description: If an attacker compromises the build environment, they could replace the legitimate Gradle Shadow plugin with a malicious version. This malicious plugin could inject backdoors, malware, or exfiltrate sensitive data into the shaded JAR during the build process, leading to widespread compromise when the application is deployed and run.
Impact: Complete compromise of the application and potentially the systems it interacts with, distribution of malware to end-users, supply chain attack affecting all users of the application, large-scale data breaches, and severe loss of confidentiality and integrity.
Shadow Component Affected: Gradle plugin resolution, Build process, Shadow plugin code.
Risk Severity: Critical
Mitigation Strategies:
- Strictly utilize Gradle's dependency verification feature to cryptographically verify the integrity of the Shadow plugin and all its dependencies, ensuring they haven't been tampered with.
- Secure the build environment with robust access controls, multi-factor authentication, and regular security audits to prevent unauthorized access and modification.
- Implement code signing and verification for all build artifacts, including shaded JARs, to ensure their integrity and origin.
- Continuously monitor build logs and build processes for any suspicious plugin activity or deviations from expected behavior.
Description: Vulnerabilities within the Shadow plugin's code itself could be exploited by an attacker. If a vulnerability allows arbitrary code execution during the build process, an attacker could manipulate the build output, inject malicious code directly into the shaded JAR, or gain control over the build server infrastructure.
Impact: Compromised application with injected malicious code, potential compromise of the entire build environment and infrastructure, supply chain attack affecting all deployments of the application, and severe damage to trust and reputation.
Shadow Component Affected: Shadow plugin code, Build process.
Risk Severity: High
Mitigation Strategies:
- Maintain the Shadow plugin updated to the latest version at all times to benefit from critical security patches and bug fixes.
- Proactively monitor security advisories and vulnerability databases specifically for Gradle plugins and the Shadow plugin, staying informed about potential risks.
- Conduct regular security audits and code reviews of the build process and all dependencies, including plugins, to identify and mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
- Isolate the build environment and implement the principle of least privilege to limit the potential impact of any exploited plugin vulnerabilities, preventing lateral movement and broader system compromise.