Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
311 lines (246 loc) · 15.2 KB

sec-design.md

File metadata and controls

311 lines (246 loc) · 15.2 KB

BUSINESS POSTURE

NewPipe is an open-source, lightweight YouTube client for Android. It aims to provide a privacy-respecting, ad-free experience without requiring Google Play Services or a YouTube account. The project prioritizes user privacy and minimizing data collection.

Business Priorities:

  • Provide a free and open-source alternative to the official YouTube app.
  • Ensure user privacy by minimizing data collection and avoiding tracking.
  • Offer an ad-free viewing experience.
  • Maintain a lightweight application with low resource consumption.
  • Provide features not available in the official app, such as background playback and downloads.
  • Maintain a positive user experience and good performance.

Business Goals:

  • Increase user adoption and maintain a positive reputation.
  • Attract and retain contributors to the project.
  • Ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.

Most Important Business Risks:

  • Legal challenges from Google/YouTube due to copyright or terms of service violations.
  • Dependency on the continued availability and structure of YouTube's public-facing data. Changes to YouTube's API or website structure could break NewPipe's functionality.
  • Maintaining user trust and privacy in the face of potential security vulnerabilities.
  • Reliance on a community-driven development model, which can lead to inconsistent development speed and potential burnout of contributors.
  • Malicious forks or clones of NewPipe that could harm users or damage the project's reputation.

SECURITY POSTURE

Existing Security Controls:

  • security control: No user accounts or persistent user-specific data storage within the app itself.
  • security control: Limited data collection: NewPipe does not collect personally identifiable information (PII) by design. It fetches data directly from YouTube without routing it through intermediary servers controlled by NewPipe.
  • security control: Open-source codebase: The entire codebase is publicly available on GitHub, allowing for community scrutiny and auditing.
  • security control: Use of HTTPS: Communication with YouTube is done via HTTPS, encrypting the data in transit.
  • security control: No reliance on Google Play Services: This reduces the attack surface and potential privacy concerns associated with Google's proprietary libraries.
  • security control: Regular updates: The development team actively releases updates to address bugs and security vulnerabilities.
  • security control: Content Security Policy (CSP) is not applicable as it is not a web application.
  • security control: Dependency analysis: Dependencies are reviewed, although the process isn't explicitly documented as highly formalized.
  • security control: Code reviews: Pull requests are reviewed by other developers before merging.
  • security control: Static analysis: Basic static analysis is likely performed by Android Studio's built-in lint checks.

Accepted Risks:

  • accepted risk: Reliance on YouTube's unofficial API: NewPipe relies on reverse-engineering YouTube's website and internal APIs, which are subject to change without notice. This is an accepted risk due to the project's core functionality.
  • accepted risk: Limited formal security audits: While the code is open source, there's no indication of regular, professional security audits.
  • accepted risk: Potential for vulnerabilities in third-party libraries: Like any software project, NewPipe depends on external libraries that may contain vulnerabilities.

Recommended Security Controls:

  • Implement a more formalized vulnerability disclosure program.
  • Perform regular penetration testing, either by engaging external security researchers or through a bug bounty program.
  • Integrate more advanced static analysis tools (e.g., FindBugs, SpotBugs, PMD) into the build process.
  • Implement dynamic analysis/fuzzing to identify potential runtime vulnerabilities.
  • Consider using a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to track and manage dependencies more effectively.
  • Explore options for reproducible builds to ensure that the published APKs correspond exactly to the source code.

Security Requirements:

  • Authentication: Not applicable, as NewPipe does not have user accounts.
  • Authorization: Not applicable, as there are no user-specific roles or permissions.
  • Input Validation:
    • Validate all input from external sources, including YouTube's API responses and user-provided search queries. Sanitize data to prevent potential injection vulnerabilities (e.g., cross-site scripting, although less relevant in a native Android app).
    • Handle malformed data gracefully to prevent crashes or unexpected behavior.
  • Cryptography:
    • Ensure continued use of HTTPS for all communication with YouTube.
    • If any local data storage is implemented (e.g., for settings or downloaded content), use appropriate encryption to protect the data at rest.
    • Use strong, well-vetted cryptographic libraries provided by the Android platform.
  • Data Protection:
    • Minimize data retention. Do not store any user data unnecessarily.
    • If storing downloaded content, provide options for users to manage and delete their data.

DESIGN

C4 CONTEXT

graph LR
    User["User"]
    NewPipe["NewPipe"]
    YouTube["YouTube (Google)"]
    OtherServices["Other Services (Peertube, SoundCloud, etc.)"]

    User -- "Uses" --> NewPipe
    NewPipe -- "Retrieves video data" --> YouTube
    NewPipe -- "Retrieves video data" --> OtherServices
Loading

Element Descriptions:

  • Element:

    • Name: User
    • Type: Person
    • Description: A person who wants to watch videos from YouTube and other services without ads and with enhanced privacy.
    • Responsibilities: Interacts with the NewPipe application to search for, browse, and play videos.
    • Security controls: None (client-side). Relies on the security controls implemented in NewPipe.

  • Element:

    • Name: NewPipe
    • Type: Software System
    • Description: An Android application that acts as a client for YouTube and other video services.
    • Responsibilities: Fetches video data, displays it to the user, handles playback, and provides additional features like background playback and downloads.
    • Security controls: HTTPS communication, input validation, no user accounts, limited data collection, open-source codebase.

  • Element:

    • Name: YouTube (Google)
    • Type: External System
    • Description: Google's video-sharing platform.
    • Responsibilities: Provides video content and metadata.
    • Security controls: Google's internal security controls (not directly relevant to NewPipe's threat model, but assumed to be robust).

  • Element:

    • Name: Other Services (Peertube, SoundCloud, etc.)
    • Type: External System
    • Description: Other video and audio platforms that NewPipe supports.
    • Responsibilities: Provides video/audio content and metadata.
    • Security controls: Varies depending on the specific service.

C4 CONTAINER

graph LR
    User["User"]
    NewPipeApp["NewPipe App (Android)"]
    YouTubeAPI["YouTube API (Unofficial)"]
    OtherServicesAPI["Other Services API"]
    Extractor["Extractor Library"]

    User -- "Uses" --> NewPipeApp
    NewPipeApp -- "Uses" --> Extractor
    Extractor -- "Retrieves data from" --> YouTubeAPI
    Extractor -- "Retrieves data from" --> OtherServicesAPI
Loading

Element Descriptions:

  • Element:

    • Name: User
    • Type: Person
    • Description: A person who wants to watch videos.
    • Responsibilities: Interacts with the NewPipe application.
    • Security controls: None (client-side).

  • Element:

    • Name: NewPipe App (Android)
    • Type: Mobile App
    • Description: The main Android application.
    • Responsibilities: Handles user interface, playback, downloads, and overall application logic.
    • Security controls: Input validation, HTTPS communication (via the Extractor library).

  • Element:

    • Name: YouTube API (Unofficial)
    • Type: External System
    • Description: The reverse-engineered YouTube API used by NewPipe.
    • Responsibilities: Provides video data and metadata.
    • Security controls: Relies on YouTube's security measures.

  • Element:

    • Name: Other Services API
    • Type: External System
    • Description: APIs of other supported platforms.
    • Responsibilities: Provides video/audio data and metadata.
    • Security controls: Varies depending on the service.

  • Element:

    • Name: Extractor Library
    • Type: Library
    • Description: A library used by NewPipe to extract data from YouTube and other services.
    • Responsibilities: Handles the complexities of interacting with different video platforms and parsing their data formats.
    • Security controls: Input validation, HTTPS communication.

DEPLOYMENT

Possible deployment solutions:

  1. F-Droid: NewPipe is primarily distributed through F-Droid, a repository of free and open-source Android apps.
  2. GitHub Releases: NewPipe also publishes APKs on its GitHub releases page.
  3. User-side loading: Users can download the APK and manually install it on their devices.

Chosen solution (F-Droid):

graph LR
    Developer["Developer"]
    GitHub["GitHub Repository"]
    FDroidBuildServer["F-Droid Build Server"]
    FDroidRepo["F-Droid Repository"]
    UserDevice["User Device"]

    Developer -- "Pushes code" --> GitHub
    FDroidBuildServer -- "Fetches code" --> GitHub
    FDroidBuildServer -- "Builds APK" --> FDroidBuildServer
    FDroidBuildServer -- "Signs APK" --> FDroidBuildServer
    FDroidBuildServer -- "Publishes APK" --> FDroidRepo
    UserDevice -- "Installs APK" --> FDroidRepo
Loading

Element Descriptions:

  • Element:

    • Name: Developer
    • Type: Person
    • Description: A contributor to the NewPipe project.
    • Responsibilities: Writes code, submits pull requests.
    • Security controls: Code review process, developer authentication to GitHub.

  • Element:

    • Name: GitHub Repository
    • Type: Code Repository
    • Description: The main source code repository for NewPipe.
    • Responsibilities: Stores the source code, manages versions, and facilitates collaboration.
    • Security controls: GitHub's access controls and security features.

  • Element:

    • Name: F-Droid Build Server
    • Type: Server
    • Description: F-Droid's infrastructure for building and signing applications.
    • Responsibilities: Builds NewPipe from source, signs the APK with F-Droid's key.
    • Security controls: F-Droid's build environment security, reproducible builds (ideally).

  • Element:

    • Name: F-Droid Repository
    • Type: App Repository
    • Description: F-Droid's repository of applications.
    • Responsibilities: Hosts the signed NewPipe APK and makes it available for download.
    • Security controls: F-Droid's repository security.

  • Element:

    • Name: User Device
    • Type: Mobile Device
    • Description: An Android device on which NewPipe is installed.
    • Responsibilities: Runs the NewPipe application.
    • Security controls: Android's application sandboxing, user permissions.

BUILD

graph LR
    Developer["Developer"] --> GitHub["GitHub Repository"]
    GitHubActions["GitHub Actions (CI)"] --> GitHub
    GitHubActions -- "Builds APK" --> GitHubActions
    GitHubActions -- "Runs Tests" --> GitHubActions
    GitHubActions -- "Performs Static Analysis" --> GitHubActions
    GitHubActions -- "Publishes to GitHub Releases" --> Artifacts["GitHub Releases (APKs)"]
    FDroid["F-Droid Build System"] --> GitHub
    FDroid -- "Builds APK" --> FDroid
    FDroid -- "Signs APK" --> FDroid
    FDroid -- "Publishes to F-Droid Repo" --> FDroidRepo["F-Droid Repository"]
Loading

Build Process Description:

  1. Developers push code changes to the GitHub repository.
  2. GitHub Actions, the CI/CD system used by NewPipe, triggers a build.
  3. The build process includes:
    • Compiling the code.
    • Running unit and integration tests.
    • Performing static analysis (using tools like lint).
    • Potentially, running additional security checks (e.g., dependency analysis).
  4. If all checks pass, the build process generates an APK.
  5. The APK is published as a GitHub Release.
  6. F-Droid's build system independently fetches the source code from GitHub.
  7. F-Droid builds the APK from source in its own controlled environment.
  8. F-Droid signs the APK with its own private key.
  9. The signed APK is published to the F-Droid repository.

Security Controls in Build Process:

  • Code review: All code changes are reviewed by other developers before being merged.
  • Automated testing: Unit and integration tests help ensure code quality and prevent regressions.
  • Static analysis: Lint checks identify potential code style issues and some security vulnerabilities.
  • F-Droid build process: Building from source in a controlled environment and signing with F-Droid's key enhances trust and reduces the risk of tampering.
  • GitHub Actions: Provides a consistent and automated build environment.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Critical Business Processes:

  • Providing a functional and reliable YouTube client.
  • Maintaining user privacy and trust.
  • Ensuring the application is free of malware and security vulnerabilities.
  • Responding to changes in YouTube's API and website structure.

Data to Protect:

  • User search queries (sensitivity: low, as they are not stored persistently by NewPipe).
  • Video metadata (sensitivity: low, as it is publicly available information).
  • Downloaded video content (sensitivity: medium, as it may be copyrighted material, but is stored locally on the user's device).
  • Application settings (sensitivity: low, as they typically don't contain sensitive information).

NewPipe itself does not handle highly sensitive data by design. The primary risk is to the availability of the service and the reputation of the project, rather than to the confidentiality or integrity of user data.

QUESTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS

Questions:

  • What is the exact process for reviewing and updating dependencies?
  • Are there any plans to implement a formal vulnerability disclosure program or bug bounty program?
  • What specific static analysis tools are used beyond the basic Android lint checks?
  • Are there any plans to implement more robust security testing, such as penetration testing or fuzzing?
  • What is the process for responding to security vulnerabilities reported by external researchers?
  • What is the long-term strategy for dealing with potential legal challenges from Google/YouTube?
  • How are changes to YouTube's API and website structure monitored and addressed?

Assumptions:

  • BUSINESS POSTURE: The primary goal of NewPipe is to provide a privacy-focused, ad-free YouTube experience, even if it means operating in a legal gray area.
  • SECURITY POSTURE: The development team is committed to security best practices, but resources for dedicated security efforts may be limited.
  • DESIGN: NewPipe will continue to rely on reverse-engineering YouTube's API and website structure, as there is no official API available for its intended use case. The project will prioritize maintaining compatibility with YouTube. The F-Droid build process is considered the primary and most trusted distribution method.