attack-tree.md

Attack Tree Analysis for apache/commons-codec

Objective: Compromise application utilizing Apache Commons Codec library by exploiting vulnerabilities or misconfigurations related to the library itself, focusing on high-risk attack vectors.

Attack Tree Visualization

Compromise Application via Commons Codec [CRITICAL NODE] └── Exploit Misuse of Commons Codec Library [CRITICAL NODE] ├── Insecure Hashing Practices with DigestUtils [CRITICAL NODE] │ ├── Use Weak Hash Algorithms [CRITICAL NODE] │ └── No or Insufficient Salt [CRITICAL NODE] └── Canonicalization Bypass via Encoding [CRITICAL NODE] ├── URL Encoding to Bypass WAF [CRITICAL NODE] └── Base64 Encoding to Bypass Input Validation [CRITICAL NODE]

Attack Tree Path: 1. Compromise Application via Commons Codec [CRITICAL NODE]

• Description: The attacker's ultimate goal is to successfully compromise the target application. This is achieved by exploiting weaknesses related to the application's use of the Apache Commons Codec library.
• Criticality: High - Successful compromise can lead to data breaches, service disruption, and loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Attack Tree Path: 2. Exploit Misuse of Commons Codec Library [CRITICAL NODE]

• Description: This attack vector focuses on exploiting vulnerabilities arising from how developers incorrectly or insecurely use the commons-codec library in their application code. This is often due to misunderstanding the library's functionalities or neglecting security best practices.
• Criticality: High - Misuse is a common source of vulnerabilities and often easier to exploit than inherent library flaws.
• Sub-Vectors:
  • Insecure Hashing Practices with DigestUtils [CRITICAL NODE]
  • Canonicalization Bypass via Encoding [CRITICAL NODE]

Attack Tree Path: 3. Insecure Hashing Practices with DigestUtils [CRITICAL NODE]

• Description: If the application uses commons-codec's DigestUtils for security-sensitive hashing (like password storage), insecure practices can be exploited to compromise security.
• Criticality: High - Password compromise is a significant security breach.
• Sub-Vectors:
  • Use Weak Hash Algorithms [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Description: The application utilizes deprecated or cryptographically weak hash algorithms (e.g., MD5, SHA1) provided by DigestUtils for password hashing.
    • Criticality: High - Weak hash algorithms are susceptible to collision attacks and brute-force attacks, making password cracking significantly easier and faster.
    • Attack Scenario: Attacker gains access to the password hashes (e.g., database dump). Using readily available tools and rainbow tables or brute-force methods, they can crack a significant portion of passwords due to the weakness of the hashing algorithm.
  • No or Insufficient Salt [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Description: The application fails to use a strong, unique, and randomly generated salt for each password before hashing using DigestUtils. Or, the salt used is weak or predictable.
    • Criticality: High - Without proper salting, rainbow table attacks become highly effective. An attacker can pre-compute hashes for common passwords and quickly match them against the unsalted or weakly salted hashes, drastically reducing password cracking time.
    • Attack Scenario: Similar to weak hash algorithms, if an attacker obtains password hashes, the lack of proper salting allows them to use rainbow tables to efficiently crack passwords.

Attack Tree Path: 4. Canonicalization Bypass via Encoding [CRITICAL NODE]

• Description: Attackers exploit the encoding functionalities of commons-codec to bypass security checks or input validation mechanisms within the application. By encoding malicious payloads, they can evade filters and rely on the application to decode them later, potentially leading to injection attacks or other vulnerabilities.
• Criticality: High - Successful bypass can lead to various high-impact vulnerabilities like Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection, or Command Injection.
• Sub-Vectors:
  • URL Encoding to Bypass WAF [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Description: The attacker uses URL encoding (provided by commons-codec or similar functions) to encode malicious characters within URLs or request parameters. This is done to evade Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or input validation rules that might be looking for specific characters or patterns in their decoded form.
    • Criticality: High - Bypassing WAFs can negate a significant layer of security, allowing attackers to deliver malicious payloads directly to the application.
    • Attack Scenario: An attacker crafts a malicious URL or request parameter containing an XSS payload. They URL-encode the payload to bypass WAF rules that are designed to block unencoded XSS patterns. The application then decodes the URL-encoded payload and processes it, leading to XSS execution in a user's browser.
  • Base64 Encoding to Bypass Input Validation [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Description: The attacker uses Base64 encoding (from commons-codec or similar) to encode malicious payloads (e.g., scripts, commands, or malicious file content) within input fields, file uploads, or other data streams. This is done to bypass input validation rules that might be inspecting the raw, decoded data.
    • Criticality: High - Bypassing input validation can allow attackers to inject malicious code or upload harmful files, leading to various vulnerabilities.
    • Attack Scenario: An attacker wants to upload a malicious file (e.g., a web shell). They Base64 encode the file content and submit it through a file upload form or API endpoint. If the application only validates the encoded data or fails to properly validate after decoding, the malicious Base64 encoded content might bypass the validation. The application then decodes and processes the malicious content, potentially leading to remote code execution or other file-based attacks.