Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
70 lines (58 loc) · 5.15 KB

attack-tree.md

File metadata and controls

70 lines (58 loc) · 5.15 KB

Attack Tree Analysis for jverkoey/nimbus

Objective: [G] Gain Unauthorized Access to Application Data/Functionality via Nimbus [!]

Attack Tree Visualization

[G] Gain Unauthorized Access to Application Data/Functionality via Nimbus [!] / / ---> [A] Exploit Nimbus Core [!] / / ---> [A1] Memory Corruption in Nimbus Components /
/
---> [A1a] Buffer Overflow [!] [A1b] Use-After-Free [!]

Attack Tree Path: [A] Exploit Nimbus Core [!]

  • Description: This attack vector targets vulnerabilities within the core components of the Nimbus framework itself. These are high-risk because they affect the fundamental building blocks of the application's interaction with Nimbus. Successful exploitation here could grant the attacker significant control.
  • Attack Steps:
    1. Identify a Nimbus component that handles external input (e.g., data from network requests, user input, file parsing).
    2. Analyze the component's code for potential memory management vulnerabilities (buffer overflows, use-after-free).
    3. Craft a malicious input that triggers the identified vulnerability.
    4. Deliver the malicious input to the application (e.g., via a network request, a crafted file, or user input).
    5. Exploit the vulnerability to achieve code execution or other desired effects.
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Thorough code audits of all Nimbus components handling external input.
    • Use of static analysis tools to detect potential memory corruption issues.
    • Fuzzing of Nimbus components with a wide range of inputs.
    • Strict adherence to Objective-C memory management best practices (ARC, proper object ownership, avoiding manual memory management where possible).
    • Use of memory safety tools (e.g., AddressSanitizer in Xcode) during development and testing.

Attack Tree Path: [A1] Memory Corruption in Nimbus Components

This is a high risk path, leading to critical nodes.

Attack Tree Path: [A1a] Buffer Overflow [!]

  • Description: This attack involves providing input data that exceeds the allocated buffer size in a Nimbus component. This overwrites adjacent memory, potentially corrupting data or control flow, leading to crashes or arbitrary code execution.
  • Attack Steps:
    1. Identify a Nimbus component that processes input data (e.g., a component that parses strings, handles images, or processes network data).
    2. Determine the size of the input buffer used by the component.
    3. Craft an input that is larger than the allocated buffer size.
    4. Deliver the oversized input to the vulnerable component.
    5. Observe the application's behavior; a crash or unexpected behavior indicates a potential buffer overflow.
    6. Refine the input to control the overwritten memory and achieve code execution.
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Implement strict bounds checking on all input data. Ensure that the size of the input is validated before it is copied into a buffer.
    • Use safer string handling functions (e.g., strlcpy and strlcat instead of strcpy and strcat in C-based code, or safer Objective-C string handling).
    • Employ fuzzing techniques to test components with various input sizes, including very large inputs.
    • Use static analysis tools that can detect potential buffer overflows.

Attack Tree Path: [A1b] Use-After-Free [!]

  • Description: This attack occurs when a Nimbus component attempts to access memory that has already been deallocated. This can happen due to incorrect object lifetime management, especially in asynchronous operations or complex object relationships.
  • Attack Steps:
    1. Identify Nimbus components that manage object lifetimes, particularly those involved in asynchronous operations or complex data structures.
    2. Analyze the code for potential race conditions or scenarios where an object might be deallocated prematurely.
    3. Craft an input or sequence of actions that triggers the use-after-free condition. This often involves manipulating object references and timing.
    4. Deliver the crafted input or trigger the sequence of actions.
    5. Observe the application's behavior; a crash or unexpected behavior indicates a potential use-after-free.
    6. Refine the attack to control the freed memory and achieve code execution.
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Carefully review the object lifecycle management in Nimbus components. Ensure that objects are properly retained and released.
    • Use strong and weak references appropriately in Objective-C to avoid retain cycles and premature deallocation.
    • Employ memory analysis tools (like Instruments in Xcode) to detect use-after-free errors during testing.
    • Consider using design patterns that simplify object lifetime management (e.g., using autorelease pools effectively).
    • Thoroughly test asynchronous operations and complex object interactions to identify potential race conditions.