threat-modeling.md

Threat Model Analysis for jverdi/jvfloatlabeledtextfield

Threat: Visual Label Spoofing

• Description: An attacker, through a compromised dependency within the jvfloatlabeledtextfield library itself, or through runtime manipulation that specifically targets the library's code, modifies the appearance or text of the floating label after the user has begun interacting with the text field. The attacker could change "Password" to "Username," deceiving the user. This is distinct from application-level vulnerabilities; it assumes the attacker has compromised the component's code.
• Impact: Users may enter sensitive information into the wrong field, leading to credential theft or other data breaches. The user's trust in the application is compromised.
• Affected Component: The UILabel used to display the floating label, and the animation/transition logic within the jvfloatlabeledtextfield library that controls its position and appearance (e.g., methods related to layoutSubviews, animation blocks, or custom drawing code).
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Dependency Auditing (for library maintainers): The maintainers of jvfloatlabeledtextfield must rigorously audit their own dependencies for vulnerabilities. This is crucial to prevent supply-chain attacks.
  • Code Review (for library maintainers): Thorough code reviews of any changes to the jvfloatlabeledtextfield library are essential to catch potential vulnerabilities before they are introduced.
  • Runtime Integrity Checks (Limited Applicability): While difficult to implement within a library, consider exploring techniques to detect if the library's code has been tampered with at runtime. This is a defense-in-depth measure.
  • Secure Coding Practices (for library maintainers): Follow secure coding best practices to minimize the risk of introducing vulnerabilities in the first place.

Threat: Runtime Label Text Tampering (Directly within the Library)

• Description: Similar to visual spoofing, but specifically targeting the text content of the label. An attacker with runtime access, and specifically targeting the jvfloatlabeledtextfield code, directly modifies the text property of the UILabel representing the floating label. This assumes the attacker is able to inject code or modify memory within the context of the running library.
• Impact: Users may be misled into entering incorrect or sensitive data, leading to security breaches.
• Affected Component: The UILabel instance used for the floating label within the jvfloatlabeledtextfield library, specifically its text property.
• Risk Severity: High
• Mitigation Strategies:
  • Runtime Integrity Checks (Limited Applicability, for library maintainers): As above, explore techniques to detect tampering with the library's code at runtime. This is challenging but can provide an additional layer of defense.
  • Secure Coding Practices (for library maintainers): Minimize the attack surface by writing robust, well-tested code. Avoid unnecessary complexity or features that could be exploited.
  • Obfuscation (Limited Effectiveness, for library maintainers): Consider code obfuscation to make it slightly harder for an attacker to reverse engineer and modify the library's code. This is not a strong security measure on its own.