BUSINESS POSTURE

This project, Ktor Framework, aims to provide a modern, lightweight, and flexible framework for building asynchronous web applications, HTTP services, mobile backends, and more. It is designed to be Kotlin-native, taking advantage of coroutines for concurrency and offering a modular architecture.

Business Priorities and Goals:

Provide a high-performance and scalable framework for building networked applications.
Offer a developer-friendly experience with Kotlin DSLs and a modular design.
Foster a strong and active community around the framework.
Enable rapid development and deployment of web applications and services.
Support diverse deployment environments, from traditional servers to cloud platforms.

Most Important Business Risks:

Security vulnerabilities in the framework itself could lead to widespread application security issues.
Lack of adoption by developers compared to competing frameworks.
Performance bottlenecks or scalability limitations could hinder adoption for large-scale applications.
Community fragmentation or lack of maintenance could lead to the project becoming outdated or insecure.
Incompatibility with evolving Kotlin language features or ecosystem changes.

SECURITY POSTURE

Existing Security Controls:

security control: Open source project with public code review on GitHub. Implemented in: GitHub repository and community contribution process.
security control: Dependency management using Gradle and Maven. Implemented in: build.gradle.kts and pom.xml files.
security control: Unit and integration tests. Implemented in: test source code directories.
security control: Code linters and formatters. Implemented in: project configuration and development guidelines.

Accepted Risks:

accepted risk: Reliance on community contributions for identifying and fixing security vulnerabilities.
accepted risk: Potential vulnerabilities in third-party dependencies.
accepted risk: Security misconfigurations by users of the framework in their applications.

Recommended Security Controls:

recommended security control: Implement automated security scanning (SAST/DAST) in the CI/CD pipeline for the framework itself.
recommended security control: Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing of the framework.
recommended security control: Establish a clear vulnerability disclosure and response process.
recommended security control: Provide security guidelines and best practices documentation for developers using Ktor.
recommended security control: Implement dependency vulnerability scanning and management.

Security Requirements:

Authentication:
- Requirement: The framework should provide flexible and extensible mechanisms for implementing various authentication methods (e.g., Basic Auth, OAuth 2.0, JWT).
- Requirement: Support for secure storage of credentials or tokens should be considered (though primarily the responsibility of the application developer).
Authorization:
- Requirement: The framework should offer robust authorization mechanisms to control access to resources and functionalities based on user roles or permissions.
- Requirement: Support for attribute-based access control (ABAC) and role-based access control (RBAC) should be considered.
Input Validation:
- Requirement: The framework must provide tools and guidance to developers for performing thorough input validation to prevent injection attacks (e.g., SQL injection, cross-site scripting).
- Requirement: Default configurations should encourage secure input handling practices.
Cryptography:
- Requirement: The framework should provide secure and easy-to-use cryptographic libraries for tasks such as data encryption, hashing, and digital signatures.
- Requirement: Support for TLS/SSL for secure communication is essential and should be well-integrated.

DESIGN

C4 CONTEXT

flowchart LR
    subgraph "Organization"
    A["Developer"]:::person
    end
    B["Ktor Framework"]:::software_system
    C["Web Browser"]:::external_system
    D["Mobile Application"]:::external_system
    E["Database System"]:::external_system
    F["External API"]:::external_system

    A --> B: Uses to build applications
    B --> C: Serves web applications
    B --> D: Serves mobile application backends
    B --> E: Interacts with databases
    B --> F: Integrates with external APIs

    classDef person fill:#8dd3c7,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px
    classDef software_system fill:#ffffb3,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px
    classDef external_system fill:#bebada,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px

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Context Diagram Elements:

Element:
- Name: Developer
- Type: Person
- Description: Software developers who use the Ktor Framework to build applications.
- Responsibilities: Develop web applications, mobile backends, and other networked services using Ktor. Configure and deploy Ktor applications.
- Security controls: security control: Secure development practices, code review, vulnerability scanning of applications built with Ktor (application level security).
Element:
- Name: Ktor Framework
- Type: Software System
- Description: A Kotlin framework for building asynchronous servers and clients. Provides the core functionalities and libraries for creating networked applications.
- Responsibilities: Handle HTTP requests and responses, routing, serialization, client-side requests, websocket communication, and other networking functionalities. Provide extension points for developers to customize and extend the framework.
- Security controls: security control: Secure coding practices in framework development, automated security scanning of framework code, vulnerability management process for framework, security control: Input validation libraries, security control: Cryptographic libraries, security control: TLS/SSL support.
Element:
- Name: Web Browser
- Type: External System
- Description: Web browsers used by end-users to access web applications built with Ktor.
- Responsibilities: Render web pages, execute JavaScript, interact with web applications through HTTP requests.
- Security controls: security control: Browser security features (e.g., Content Security Policy, Same-Origin Policy), security control: HTTPS communication with Ktor applications.
Element:
- Name: Mobile Application
- Type: External System
- Description: Mobile applications (iOS, Android, etc.) that interact with backend services built with Ktor.
- Responsibilities: Make API requests to backend services, display data to users, handle user interactions.
- Security controls: security control: Application transport security (HTTPS), security control: Secure storage of API keys or tokens, security control: Input validation on the client side.
Element:
- Name: Database System
- Type: External System
- Description: Databases (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB) used by Ktor applications to store and retrieve data.
- Responsibilities: Persist application data, provide data access and querying capabilities.
- Security controls: security control: Database access control, security control: Encryption at rest and in transit, security control: Input validation to prevent SQL injection (handled by Ktor application).
Element:
- Name: External API
- Type: External System
- Description: Third-party APIs that Ktor applications may integrate with (e.g., payment gateways, social media APIs).
- Responsibilities: Provide external services and data to Ktor applications.
- Security controls: security control: API authentication and authorization (handled by Ktor application), security control: Secure communication over HTTPS, security control: Input validation of data received from external APIs (handled by Ktor application).

C4 CONTAINER

flowchart LR
    subgraph "Ktor Framework"
        A["Ktor Core"]:::container
        B["HTTP Server Engine"]:::container
        C["Routing"]:::container
        D["Serialization"]:::container
        E["Client"]:::container
        F["Security"]:::container
        G["WebSockets"]:::container
        H["Plugins"]:::container
    end
    I["Web Browser"]:::external_container
    J["Mobile Application"]:::external_container
    K["Database System"]:::external_container
    L["External API"]:::external_container

    A --> B: Uses
    A --> C: Uses
    A --> D: Uses
    A --> E: Uses
    A --> F: Uses
    A --> G: Uses
    A --> H: Uses

    B -- HTTP --> I: Serves requests
    B -- HTTP --> J: Serves requests
    C --> A: Uses
    D --> A: Uses
    E --> L: Makes requests
    F --> A: Provides security features
    G --> B: Uses for WebSocket support
    H --> A: Extends functionality
    A --> K: Interacts with

    classDef container fill:#ccebc5,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px
    classDef external_container fill:#fbb4ae,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px

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Container Diagram Elements:

Element:
- Name: Ktor Core
- Type: Container
- Description: The foundational module of Ktor, providing core functionalities like coroutine-based asynchronous processing, configuration management, and plugin system.
- Responsibilities: Core framework logic, manages request processing pipeline, plugin management, configuration loading.
- Security controls: security control: Secure coding practices, security control: Input validation utilities, security control: Cryptographic utilities, security control: Secure default configurations.
Element:
- Name: HTTP Server Engine
- Type: Container
- Description: Handles low-level HTTP server functionalities. Ktor supports different server engines like Netty, Jetty, CIO (Kotlin native).
- Responsibilities: Accepts incoming HTTP connections, parses requests, sends responses, manages connection lifecycle.
- Security controls: security control: TLS/SSL termination, security control: HTTP protocol handling security, security control: Protection against DDoS attacks (engine-specific).
Element:
- Name: Routing
- Type: Container
- Description: Provides mechanisms for defining application endpoints and mapping them to handlers.
- Responsibilities: URL path matching, parameter extraction, route handling, middleware support (interceptors).
- Security controls: security control: Protection against route injection vulnerabilities, security control: Authorization checks within route handlers, security control: Input validation within route handlers.
Element:
- Name: Serialization
- Type: Container
- Description: Handles serialization and deserialization of data formats (JSON, XML, etc.) for request and response bodies.
- Responsibilities: Data conversion between objects and formats like JSON, XML, CBOR. Content negotiation.
- Security controls: security control: Protection against deserialization vulnerabilities, security control: Input validation of deserialized data.
Element:
- Name: Client
- Type: Container
- Description: Provides an HTTP client for making requests to external services.
- Responsibilities: Building and sending HTTP requests, handling responses, interceptors for request/response modification.
- Security controls: security control: TLS/SSL for client connections, security control: Secure credential management for client authentication, security control: Input validation of data received from external services.
Element:
- Name: Security
- Type: Container
- Description: Provides modules and features related to security, such as authentication, authorization, and data protection. Includes plugins for various authentication schemes (OAuth, JWT, Basic Auth).
- Responsibilities: Authentication and authorization mechanisms, session management, cryptographic utilities, security headers.
- Security controls: security control: Authentication mechanisms (e.g., OAuth, JWT), security control: Authorization frameworks, security control: Session management security, security control: Cryptographic libraries, security control: Security header management.
Element:
- Name: WebSockets
- Type: Container
- Description: Provides support for WebSocket communication for real-time bidirectional communication.
- Responsibilities: WebSocket handshake handling, message routing, managing WebSocket connections.
- Security controls: security control: WebSocket security (e.g., WSS), security control: Input validation of WebSocket messages, security control: Authorization for WebSocket connections.
Element:
- Name: Plugins
- Type: Container
- Description: Extensible modules that add functionalities to Ktor applications (e.g., logging, metrics, CORS, compression).
- Responsibilities: Extend Ktor's core functionality, provide reusable components, enable customization.
- Security controls: security control: Plugin security review, security control: Secure plugin configuration, security control: Plugin isolation to prevent interference with core framework security.
Element:
- Name: Web Browser
- Type: External Container
- Description: Web browsers accessing Ktor applications.
- Responsibilities: Rendering web pages, executing JavaScript, interacting with web applications.
- Security controls: security control: Browser security features, security control: HTTPS communication.
Element:
- Name: Mobile Application
- Type: External Container
- Description: Mobile applications accessing Ktor backend services.
- Responsibilities: Making API requests, displaying data, user interaction.
- Security controls: security control: Application transport security, security control: Secure storage of API keys.
Element:
- Name: Database System
- Type: External Container
- Description: Databases used by Ktor applications.
- Responsibilities: Data persistence, data access.
- Security controls: security control: Database access control, security control: Encryption at rest and in transit.
Element:
- Name: External API
- Type: External Container
- Description: Third-party APIs integrated with Ktor applications.
- Responsibilities: Providing external services and data.
- Security controls: security control: API authentication, security control: Secure communication.

DEPLOYMENT

Deployment Architecture: Cloud-based Containerized Deployment (Example)

flowchart LR
    subgraph "Cloud Provider (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure)"
        subgraph "Kubernetes Cluster"
            A["Load Balancer"]:::deployment_node
            subgraph "Worker Node 1"
                B["Ktor Application Container"]:::deployment_node
            end
            subgraph "Worker Node 2"
                C["Ktor Application Container"]:::deployment_node
            end
        end
        D["Database Service (e.g., RDS, Cloud SQL)"]:::deployment_node
        E["External API Gateway"]:::deployment_node
    end
    F["Internet"]:::external_deployment_node

    F -- HTTPS --> A: Access application
    A -- HTTP --> B: Routes requests
    A -- HTTP --> C: Routes requests
    B -- Database Protocol --> D: Data persistence
    C -- Database Protocol --> D: Data persistence
    B -- HTTPS --> E: External API access
    C -- HTTPS --> E: External API access

    classDef deployment_node fill:#fef2c0,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px
    classDef external_deployment_node fill:#bae6ff,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px

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Deployment Diagram Elements (Cloud-based Containerized Deployment):

Element:
- Name: Internet
- Type: External Deployment Node
- Description: The public internet through which users access the Ktor application.
- Responsibilities: Public network connectivity.
- Security controls: N/A (External network).
Element:
- Name: Load Balancer
- Type: Deployment Node
- Description: A cloud load balancer distributing incoming traffic across multiple instances of the Ktor application.
- Responsibilities: Traffic distribution, high availability, SSL termination.
- Security controls: security control: SSL/TLS termination, security control: DDoS protection, security control: Access control lists (ACLs).
Element:
- Name: Ktor Application Container (Worker Node 1 & 2)
- Type: Deployment Node
- Description: Docker containers running instances of the Ktor application deployed on Kubernetes worker nodes.
- Responsibilities: Running the Ktor application, handling HTTP requests, application logic execution.
- Security controls: security control: Container image security scanning, security control: Resource limits and isolation, security control: Network policies within Kubernetes, security control: Application-level security controls (authentication, authorization, input validation).
Element:
- Name: Database Service (e.g., RDS, Cloud SQL)
- Type: Deployment Node
- Description: A managed database service provided by the cloud provider, used for data persistence.
- Responsibilities: Data storage, data retrieval, database management.
- Security controls: security control: Database access control, security control: Encryption at rest and in transit, security control: Database backups and recovery, security control: Vulnerability management for database service.
Element:
- Name: External API Gateway
- Type: Deployment Node
- Description: A gateway for accessing external APIs, potentially providing rate limiting, authentication, and other functionalities.
- Responsibilities: Proxying requests to external APIs, API management, security policies for external API access.
- Security controls: security control: API authentication and authorization, security control: Rate limiting, security control: Request/response validation, security control: Logging and monitoring of API access.

BUILD

flowchart LR
    A["Developer"]:::build_actor --> B["Code Repository (GitHub)"]:::build_system: Code Commit
    B --> C["CI/CD System (GitHub Actions)"]:::build_system: Trigger Build
    C --> D["Build Environment"]:::build_system: Build & Test
    D --> E["Security Scanners (SAST, Dependency Check)"]:::build_system: Security Checks
    E --> F["Artifact Repository (Maven Central)"]:::build_system: Publish Artifacts

    classDef build_actor fill:#8dd3c7,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px
    classDef build_system fill:#ffffb3,stroke:#818181,stroke-width:2px

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Build Process Diagram Elements:

Element:
- Name: Developer
- Type: Build Actor
- Description: Software developers who write and commit code to the Ktor project.
- Responsibilities: Writing code, running local tests, committing code changes.
- Security controls: security control: Secure coding practices, security control: Code review before commit.
Element:
- Name: Code Repository (GitHub)
- Type: Build System
- Description: GitHub repository hosting the Ktor project source code.
- Responsibilities: Version control, code storage, collaboration, trigger CI/CD pipelines.
- Security controls: security control: Access control to repository, security control: Branch protection, security control: Audit logging of code changes.
Element:
- Name: CI/CD System (GitHub Actions)
- Type: Build System
- Description: GitHub Actions used for automated building, testing, and publishing of Ktor artifacts.
- Responsibilities: Automating build process, running tests, executing security scans, publishing artifacts.
- Security controls: security control: Secure CI/CD pipeline configuration, security control: Access control to CI/CD workflows, security control: Secrets management for build credentials, security control: Audit logging of CI/CD activities.
Element:
- Name: Build Environment
- Type: Build System
- Description: The environment where the Ktor project is built (e.g., Docker containers, virtual machines).
- Responsibilities: Compiling code, running unit and integration tests, packaging artifacts.
- Security controls: security control: Secure build environment configuration, security control: Isolation of build environment, security control: Dependency management and vulnerability scanning during build.
Element:
- Name: Security Scanners (SAST, Dependency Check)
- Type: Build System
- Description: Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools and dependency vulnerability scanners integrated into the CI/CD pipeline.
- Responsibilities: Identifying potential security vulnerabilities in the code and dependencies.
- Security controls: security control: SAST scanning for code vulnerabilities, security control: Dependency vulnerability scanning, security control: Reporting and remediation of identified vulnerabilities.
Element:
- Name: Artifact Repository (Maven Central)
- Type: Build System
- Description: Maven Central repository where Ktor artifacts (libraries) are published.
- Responsibilities: Storing and distributing Ktor libraries to developers.
- Security controls: security control: Secure artifact publishing process, security control: Artifact signing and verification, security control: Access control to artifact repository management.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Critical Business Processes:

Providing a secure and reliable framework for building networked applications.
Maintaining the integrity and availability of the Ktor framework and its ecosystem.
Ensuring developer trust and adoption of the framework.

Data Sensitivity:

Ktor framework code itself: High sensitivity. Vulnerabilities can impact many applications. Integrity and confidentiality are important.
Framework build artifacts (libraries): High sensitivity. Tampered artifacts can compromise applications using them. Integrity is critical.
User application data processed by Ktor applications: Sensitivity depends on the application. Ktor framework needs to provide tools to protect sensitive data, but the framework itself does not store user data.
Framework configuration data: Medium sensitivity. Misconfiguration can lead to security issues. Confidentiality and integrity are important.

QUESTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS

Questions:

What are the specific target deployment environments for Ktor applications (e.g., cloud platforms, on-premise, serverless)?
What is the risk appetite of organizations using Ktor? (Startup vs. Fortune 500)
Are there any specific compliance requirements (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA) that Ktor or applications built with Ktor need to adhere to?
What are the most common use cases for Ktor framework? (Web APIs, microservices, full-stack web applications, etc.)

Assumptions:

Ktor is intended to be used in internet-facing applications, making security a high priority.
Developers using Ktor are expected to implement application-level security controls on top of the framework's features.
The Ktor project aims to follow secure software development lifecycle best practices.
The primary deployment model is assumed to be containerized environments in the cloud, but Ktor is flexible and can be deployed in various ways.
The build process is assumed to be automated using CI/CD pipelines and includes basic security checks.

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sec-design.md

sec-design.md

BUSINESS POSTURE

SECURITY POSTURE

DESIGN

C4 CONTEXT

C4 CONTAINER

DEPLOYMENT

BUILD

RISK ASSESSMENT

QUESTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS

Files

sec-design.md

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History

sec-design.md

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BUSINESS POSTURE

SECURITY POSTURE

DESIGN

C4 CONTEXT

C4 CONTAINER

DEPLOYMENT

BUILD

RISK ASSESSMENT

QUESTIONS & ASSUMPTIONS