Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
56 lines (49 loc) · 6.31 KB

threat-modeling.md

File metadata and controls

56 lines (49 loc) · 6.31 KB

Threat Model Analysis for feross/safe-buffer

Threat: Incorrect Size Calculation leading to Buffer Overflows/Underflows

  • Threat: Incorrect Size Calculation leading to Buffer Overflows/Underflows
  • Description:
    • Attacker Action: An attacker might manipulate input data or exploit vulnerabilities in application logic to cause the application to calculate an incorrect buffer size (too small or too large) when using safe-buffer.alloc(), safe-buffer.from(), etc. This incorrect size is then passed to safe-buffer functions.
    • How: This could be achieved by providing unexpectedly large or small values for length parameters, exploiting integer overflows in size calculations before calling safe-buffer, or bypassing input validation mechanisms that precede safe-buffer usage.
  • Impact:
    • Consequences: Buffer overflows can lead to memory corruption, crashes, arbitrary code execution, or denial of service. Buffer underflows can lead to information disclosure or unexpected program behavior.
  • Affected Component:
    • Component: safe-buffer.alloc(), safe-buffer.from(), and the application code responsible for calculating and providing size arguments to these functions before they are passed to safe-buffer.
  • Risk Severity: High
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Mitigation:
      • Robust Input Validation: Implement thorough input validation and sanitization for all data used to determine buffer sizes before using safe-buffer.
      • Safe Integer Arithmetic: Employ safe integer arithmetic libraries or techniques to prevent integer overflows during size calculations that precede safe-buffer calls.
      • Boundary Checks: Implement strict boundary checks to ensure calculated buffer sizes are within acceptable and safe limits before passing them to safe-buffer.
      • Code Review: Conduct rigorous code reviews to identify potential flaws in buffer size calculation logic that occurs before safe-buffer is used.

Threat: Bugs or Logic Errors in safe-buffer Implementation

  • Threat: Bugs or Logic Errors in safe-buffer Implementation
  • Description:
    • Attacker Action: If a critical bug or logic error exists within the safe-buffer library itself, attackers could potentially exploit it to bypass intended security mechanisms or trigger severe vulnerabilities in applications using the library.
    • How: Attackers would need to discover and understand the specific bug in safe-buffer's code (e.g., in allocation, copying, or other core functionalities) and then craft inputs or conditions that trigger the vulnerability in applications using the affected safe-buffer version.
  • Impact:
    • Consequences: Depending on the nature of the bug, impacts could be critical, potentially leading to memory corruption, arbitrary code execution within the application process, significant information disclosure, or complete denial of service.
  • Affected Component:
    • Component: The safe-buffer library module itself, including its core logic for buffer allocation, manipulation, and related functions.
  • Risk Severity: Critical (if a severe bug is discovered)
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Mitigation:
      • Immediate Updates: Apply updates to safe-buffer immediately upon release, especially security patches addressing known vulnerabilities.
      • Security Monitoring: Actively monitor security advisories and release notes for safe-buffer and related Node.js security information to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities.
      • Community Vigilance: Engage with the open-source community and report any suspected bugs or unexpected behavior in safe-buffer to contribute to early detection and resolution of potential issues.
      • Fallback Plan (in extreme cases): In the unlikely event of a critical, unpatched vulnerability in safe-buffer with no immediate fix, consider temporary mitigation strategies or alternative buffer handling approaches if feasible and after careful risk assessment.

Threat: Known Vulnerabilities in Older safe-buffer Versions

  • Threat: Known Vulnerabilities in Older safe-buffer Versions
  • Description:
    • Attacker Action: Attackers can exploit publicly known vulnerabilities that have been identified and patched in newer versions of safe-buffer if an application is running an outdated, vulnerable version of the library.
    • How: Attackers will target applications using older safe-buffer versions, leveraging publicly available exploit code, vulnerability databases, or documented attack techniques for the known vulnerabilities. Automated vulnerability scanners can also easily identify outdated safe-buffer versions.
  • Impact:
    • Consequences: The impact depends on the specific vulnerability, but known vulnerabilities in buffer handling libraries can often be severe, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution, significant information disclosure, memory corruption, or denial of service.
  • Affected Component:
    • Component: The outdated safe-buffer library module itself.
  • Risk Severity: High to Critical (depending on the severity of the known vulnerability)
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Mitigation:
      • Mandatory Updates: Implement a strict policy of regularly and promptly updating safe-buffer to the latest stable version.
      • Automated Dependency Management: Utilize automated dependency management tools and processes to ensure timely updates of all dependencies, including safe-buffer.
      • Vulnerability Scanning and Alerts: Integrate vulnerability scanning tools into the development and deployment pipeline to automatically detect outdated and vulnerable dependencies like safe-buffer. Set up alerts for newly discovered vulnerabilities in dependencies.
      • Security Audits: Conduct periodic security audits that include checking for outdated and vulnerable dependencies, specifically verifying the safe-buffer version in use.