Description: An attacker exploits a hypothetical vulnerability within the implementation of an encoding or decoding algorithm inside Commons Codec. This could involve crafting specific inputs designed to trigger a flaw in the algorithm's logic. While less likely in a mature library, such vulnerabilities can exist. An attacker could leverage this to bypass encoding, reveal encoded data, cause incorrect decoding, or in extremely unlikely scenarios, potentially achieve code execution if the vulnerability is severe enough.
Impact: Information Disclosure, Data Corruption, potentially (though very unlikely) Code Execution.
Affected Component: Specific algorithm implementations within Commons Codec (e.g., Base64 algorithm implementation in org.apache.commons.codec.binary.Base64).
Risk Severity: Potentially Critical (if a vulnerability is discovered and exploited)
Mitigation Strategies:
- Keep Commons Codec library updated to the latest version to receive security patches.
- Monitor security advisories related to Apache Commons Codec.
- Implement defense-in-depth measures in the application to limit the impact of a potential library vulnerability.
- Consider using static analysis tools to scan dependencies for known vulnerabilities.
Description: Developers incorrectly use or misunderstand the purpose of different encoding/decoding functions provided by Commons Codec. For example, using URL encoding when Base64 is required, or failing to consider character encoding issues. An attacker could exploit this misuse to bypass security checks that rely on correct encoding, inject malicious data by exploiting encoding mismatches, or cause data corruption due to incorrect character set handling.
Impact: Security Bypass, Information Disclosure, Injection Vulnerabilities, Data Corruption.
Affected Component: Application code using Commons Codec functions. Specific encoding/decoding functions chosen and their application context.
Risk Severity: High
Mitigation Strategies:
- Thoroughly understand the purpose and correct usage of each encoding/decoding function.
- Document encoding/decoding choices in the application code and design documents.
- Perform code reviews to ensure correct usage of Commons Codec functions.
- Implement unit tests to verify that encoding and decoding are performed as expected in different scenarios.
- Pay close attention to character encoding considerations and ensure consistency throughout the application.
Description: An attacker compromises the supply chain by replacing the legitimate Apache Commons Codec library with a malicious version in a public or private repository. During the application's dependency resolution process, the malicious library is downloaded and included instead of the genuine one. This allows the attacker to inject arbitrary code into the application, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
Impact: Full Application Compromise, Code Execution, Data Theft, Backdoors, etc.
Affected Component: Application's dependency management system (e.g., Maven, Gradle). The Commons Codec library as a dependency.
Risk Severity: High to Critical
Mitigation Strategies:
- Use dependency management tools with integrity checking and vulnerability scanning.
- Verify the integrity of downloaded dependencies using checksums or signatures.
- Use private or trusted dependency repositories.
- Implement Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to regularly scan dependencies for known vulnerabilities and supply chain risks.
- Employ strong access controls and security practices for development and deployment infrastructure.