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attack-surface.md

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Attack Surface Analysis for bcit-ci/codeigniter

Attack Surface: Configuration File Exposure (config/config.php, config/database.php)

  • Description: Sensitive configuration files containing database credentials, encryption keys, and other secrets are accessible to unauthorized users.
  • CodeIgniter Contribution: CodeIgniter centralizes configuration in these specific, well-known files within the application/config directory, making them prime targets if web server access is misconfigured.
  • Example: A misconfigured web server allows direct access to https://example.com/application/config/database.php, revealing database username, password, and database name.
  • Impact: Full database compromise, data breaches, application takeover, and potential lateral movement to other systems.
  • Risk Severity: Critical
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Restrict Web Server Access: Configure the web server to deny direct access to the application directory and its subdirectories, including config.
    • Move Configuration Outside Web Root: If possible, move configuration files outside the web root entirely and load them programmatically.
    • File Permissions: Ensure strict file permissions on configuration files (e.g., 600 or 400) to prevent unauthorized read access by the web server user.

Attack Surface: Debug Mode Enabled in Production (ENVIRONMENT = 'development')

  • Description: Debug mode is left enabled in a production environment, exposing detailed error messages and potentially sensitive information.
  • CodeIgniter Contribution: CodeIgniter's ENVIRONMENT constant in index.php directly controls debug output. The framework's default setup and ease of development might lead developers to forget to switch to 'production' before deployment.
  • Example: An application error in production displays a detailed stack trace, revealing file paths, database query details, and potentially variable values to a regular user.
  • Impact: Information disclosure, aiding attackers in understanding application internals, identifying vulnerabilities, and crafting targeted attacks.
  • Risk Severity: High
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Set ENVIRONMENT = 'production': Ensure the ENVIRONMENT constant in index.php is set to 'production' for production deployments.
    • Error Logging: Implement robust error logging to capture errors for debugging purposes without displaying them to users. Review logs regularly.

Attack Surface: Weak Encryption Key (encryption_key)

  • Description: A weak or default encryption key is used in config.php, compromising the security of encrypted data.
  • CodeIgniter Contribution: CodeIgniter's security features, such as session encryption and data encryption, rely on the encryption_key defined in config.php. A weak key directly weakens these security mechanisms provided by the framework.
  • Example: An attacker brute-forces session cookies encrypted with a weak encryption_key, gaining unauthorized access to user accounts.
  • Impact: Session hijacking, data breaches if sensitive data is encrypted, and compromise of security features relying on encryption.
  • Risk Severity: High
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Generate Strong Encryption Key: Use a cryptographically secure random string generator to create a strong, unique encryption_key.
    • Key Rotation: Consider periodically rotating the encryption key, especially if compromise is suspected.

Attack Surface: Insufficient Input Validation and Sanitization

  • Description: User inputs are not properly validated and sanitized, leading to injection vulnerabilities.
  • CodeIgniter Contribution: While CodeIgniter provides input validation libraries and the Input class for sanitization, it relies on developers to actively and correctly implement these features in their controllers and models. Neglecting to use these CodeIgniter tools effectively leads to vulnerabilities.
  • Example: A user input field in a form is not sanitized using CodeIgniter's Input class, allowing an attacker to inject JavaScript code that executes in other users' browsers (XSS). Or, unsanitized input used in a database query (without using CodeIgniter's Query Builder or parameterized queries) leads to SQL Injection.
  • Impact: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), SQL Injection, Command Injection, and other input-based attacks, leading to data breaches, account compromise, and system takeover.
  • Risk Severity: High to Critical (depending on the vulnerability type)
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Use CodeIgniter Input Class: Utilize CodeIgniter's Input class ($this->input) for retrieving and sanitizing user inputs.
    • Input Validation: Implement robust input validation rules using CodeIgniter's Form Validation library to ensure data conforms to expected formats and constraints.
    • Parameterized Queries/ORMs: Use parameterized queries or CodeIgniter's Query Builder/ORM to prevent SQL Injection. Avoid direct string concatenation of user input in SQL queries.

Attack Surface: CSRF Protection Misconfiguration or Disabled

  • Description: CSRF protection is disabled or improperly configured, making the application vulnerable to Cross-Site Request Forgery attacks.
  • CodeIgniter Contribution: CodeIgniter offers built-in CSRF protection that is configured within config/config.php. Developers must explicitly enable and configure this CodeIgniter feature. Disabling or misconfiguring it directly removes a security layer provided by the framework.
  • Example: An attacker crafts a malicious website that tricks a logged-in user into unknowingly submitting a form on the vulnerable CodeIgniter application, performing actions like changing their password or making unauthorized transactions.
  • Impact: Unauthorized actions performed on behalf of authenticated users, leading to account compromise, data manipulation, and financial loss.
  • Risk Severity: High
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Enable CSRF Protection: Ensure CSRF protection is enabled in config/config.php by setting $config['csrf_protection'] = TRUE;.
    • Use CSRF Tokens: Use CodeIgniter's form helper (form_open()) or manually include CSRF tokens in forms and AJAX requests to leverage CodeIgniter's CSRF protection mechanism.

Attack Surface: Outdated CodeIgniter Version

  • Description: Running an outdated version of CodeIgniter with known security vulnerabilities.
  • CodeIgniter Contribution: CodeIgniter, like any software, has vulnerabilities that are discovered and patched over time. Using an outdated version means the application remains vulnerable to known vulnerabilities specific to older CodeIgniter versions.
  • Example: A publicly disclosed Remote Code Execution vulnerability exists in CodeIgniter version 3.x. An attacker exploits this vulnerability to gain control of the server.
  • Impact: Remote Code Execution, data breaches, denial of service, and a wide range of other impacts depending on the specific vulnerabilities.
  • Risk Severity: Critical to High (depending on the vulnerability)
  • Mitigation Strategies:
    • Regularly Update CodeIgniter: Keep CodeIgniter updated to the latest stable version to patch known security vulnerabilities. Follow CodeIgniter's security advisories and release notes.
    • Dependency Management: If using Composer, manage CodeIgniter and its dependencies using Composer and keep them updated.