threat-modeling.md

Threat Model Analysis for ktorio/ktor

Threat: Insecure Route Configuration

• Description: Attacker might identify overly permissive routes or poorly designed routes. They can then access these routes to bypass intended access controls, potentially accessing sensitive functionalities or data.
• Impact: Unauthorized access to sensitive data or functionality, privilege escalation, data breaches.
• Ktor Component Affected: Routing (Route definition, routing block, route selectors like authenticate, authorize)
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Implement robust authentication and authorization using Ktor's features.
  • Define specific and restrictive route paths.
  • Regularly review and audit route configurations.
  • Utilize route selectors to enforce access control.

Threat: Route Parameter Injection

• Description: Attacker crafts malicious input within route parameters to inject code or commands. If the application doesn't properly sanitize these parameters before using them in backend operations, it can lead to injection vulnerabilities.
• Impact: Data manipulation, information disclosure, denial of service, potentially remote code execution.
• Ktor Component Affected: Routing (Route parameter extraction, call.parameters, call.receiveParameters)
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Thoroughly validate and sanitize all route parameters.
  • Use type-safe parameter retrieval and validation.
  • Implement input validation libraries or custom validation logic.
  • Use parameterized queries or ORMs to prevent SQL injection.

Threat: Vulnerabilities in Underlying HTTP Engine

• Description: Attacker exploits known vulnerabilities in the chosen HTTP engine (Netty, CIO, Jetty) that Ktor relies on. This could involve sending specially crafted requests to trigger vulnerabilities in the engine's request processing or network handling.
• Impact: Denial of service, remote code execution, information disclosure, depending on the specific engine vulnerability.
• Ktor Component Affected: HTTP Engine (Netty, CIO, Jetty, configured in embeddedServer)
• Risk Severity: Critical to High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Keep Ktor and the chosen HTTP engine updated to the latest versions.
  • Monitor security advisories for Ktor and the HTTP engine.
  • Regularly check for and apply security patches.

Threat: Misconfigured TLS/SSL Settings

• Description: Attacker performs man-in-the-middle attacks or eavesdrops on communication if TLS/SSL is misconfigured within Ktor application setup. Weak ciphers, outdated protocols, or missing HTTPS enforcement can be exploited.
• Impact: Exposure of sensitive data transmitted over HTTPS, loss of confidentiality and integrity, man-in-the-middle attacks.
• Ktor Component Affected: HTTP Engine (TLS configuration in embeddedServer, sslConnector)
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Properly configure TLS settings in Ktor.
  • Use strong TLS protocols (TLS 1.2 or higher) and cipher suites.
  • Enforce HTTPS and redirect HTTP traffic from HTTP to HTTPS.
  • Configure HSTS headers.

Threat: Deserialization Vulnerabilities

• Description: Attacker sends malicious serialized data in requests that Ktor application deserializes. If the application uses vulnerable serialization libraries or configurations within Ktor's content negotiation, it can lead to code execution or other attacks.
• Impact: Remote code execution, denial of service, data manipulation, information disclosure.
• Ktor Component Affected: Content Negotiation (ContentNegotiation plugin), Serialization libraries integration within Ktor.
• Risk Severity: Critical to High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Configure serialization libraries securely within Ktor's content negotiation setup (e.g., use class allowlists/denylists).
  • Avoid deserializing untrusted data directly without validation.
  • Keep serialization libraries updated.

Threat: Plugin Misconfiguration

• Description: Attacker exploits misconfigurations in Ktor plugins, particularly security-related plugins. Incorrectly configured authentication, authorization, or content negotiation plugins within Ktor can create security gaps.
• Impact: Bypass of security controls, unauthorized access, data exposure, application malfunction.
• Ktor Component Affected: Plugins (Plugin configuration, e.g., Authentication, Authorization, ContentNegotiation configuration blocks)
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Carefully configure plugins according to documentation and security best practices within Ktor application.
  • Thoroughly test plugin configurations, especially security-related ones.
  • Follow the principle of least privilege when configuring plugins.

Threat: Misconfigured Authentication and Authorization

• Description: Attacker bypasses or circumvents authentication and authorization mechanisms due to incorrect implementation or configuration using Ktor's features. This could involve weak authentication schemes, flawed authorization logic, or bypassable checks.
• Impact: Unauthorized access to sensitive data and functionality, privilege escalation, data breaches.
• Ktor Component Affected: Authentication (Authentication plugin, authentication providers), Authorization (Authorization plugin, authorization policies)
• Risk Severity: Critical
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Use Ktor's authentication and authorization features correctly.
  • Implement robust authentication mechanisms (e.g., MFA, strong passwords).
  • Design and implement fine-grained authorization policies within Ktor.
  • Thoroughly test authentication and authorization logic.

Threat: Weak or Default Security Configurations

• Description: Attacker exploits weak or default security configurations in Ktor or its plugins. Using default credentials, weak encryption, or insecure default settings provided by Ktor can make exploitation easier.
• Impact: Easy exploitation by attackers, unauthorized access, data breaches, compromise of application security.
• Ktor Component Affected: Ktor core configuration, Plugin default configurations, HTTP Engine default configurations within Ktor setup.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Avoid using default configurations in Ktor.
  • Harden security configurations based on best practices for Ktor.
  • Change default credentials for any Ktor components or plugins.

Threat: Exposure of Sensitive Configuration Data

• Description: Attacker gains access to sensitive configuration data (API keys, credentials) if exposed in Ktor configuration files or environment variables used by Ktor application.
• Impact: Unauthorized access to backend systems, data breaches, compromise of application security, lateral movement.
• Ktor Component Affected: Application configuration (application.conf, environment variables), Ktor configuration loading mechanisms.
• Risk Severity: Critical
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Securely manage configuration data (environment variables, secure configuration management tools) in Ktor deployments.
  • Avoid hardcoding sensitive data in Ktor code or configuration files.
  • Ensure configuration files are not publicly accessible in deployment environments.

Threat: Vulnerabilities in Ktor Dependencies

• Description: Attacker exploits known vulnerabilities in Ktor's dependencies. These vulnerabilities can be in libraries used by Ktor core or plugins. Exploitation can occur if dependencies are outdated or vulnerable versions are used in Ktor project.
• Impact: Various impacts depending on the dependency vulnerability, ranging from denial of service to remote code execution.
• Ktor Component Affected: Dependency Management (Gradle/Maven dependencies, build.gradle.kts/pom.xml) of Ktor project.
• Risk Severity: Critical
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Keep Ktor and its dependencies updated to the latest versions.
  • Use dependency scanning tools to identify vulnerabilities in Ktor project dependencies.
  • Monitor security advisories for Ktor and its dependencies.