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Threat Model Analysis for freshrss/freshrss

Threat: Malicious RSS Feed Injection / Feed Parsing Vulnerabilities

  • Description: An attacker hosts a malicious RSS feed. When FreshRSS fetches and parses this feed, the attacker exploits vulnerabilities in the feed parsing logic or FreshRSS code. This could involve crafting a feed with specific structures or payloads to trigger buffer overflows, code injection, or other parsing errors. The attacker aims to execute arbitrary code on the FreshRSS server, cause a denial of service, or inject malicious content into the application.
    • Impact:
      • Remote Code Execution (RCE) on the FreshRSS server.
      • Denial of Service (DoS) making FreshRSS unavailable.
      • Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks targeting FreshRSS users.
      • Data breach if the server is compromised and sensitive data is accessible.
    • Affected FreshRSS Component:
      • Feed parsing module (likely using a third-party library).
      • Content processing and sanitization functions.
      • Potentially core FreshRSS application logic if vulnerabilities exist in how it handles parsed data.
    • Risk Severity: Critical
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Developers:
        • Use a robust and actively maintained feed parsing library.
        • Implement thorough input validation and sanitization of all data extracted from RSS feeds before storing or displaying it.
        • Consider using a sandboxed environment for feed parsing to isolate potential exploits.
        • Regularly update FreshRSS and all dependencies, including parsing libraries, to patch known vulnerabilities.
        • Implement static and dynamic code analysis to identify potential parsing vulnerabilities.
      • Users:
        • Keep FreshRSS updated to the latest version.
        • Be cautious about adding feeds from untrusted or unknown sources.

Threat: Plugin Vulnerabilities (If Plugins are Enabled/Used)

  • Description: If FreshRSS plugins are used, attackers can exploit vulnerabilities within these plugins. These vulnerabilities could be similar to core application vulnerabilities (RCE, XSS, etc.) or specific to the plugin's functionality. Attackers aim to compromise the FreshRSS server, access sensitive data handled by plugins, or introduce new attack vectors through plugin functionality.
    • Impact:
      • Compromise of the FreshRSS server through plugin vulnerabilities.
      • Data breach if plugins handle sensitive data insecurely.
      • Introduction of new attack vectors not present in the core FreshRSS application.
    • Affected FreshRSS Component:
      • Plugin architecture and loading mechanism.
      • Individual plugins themselves and their code.
    • Risk Severity: High to Critical (depending on the plugin vulnerability and its impact).
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Developers (Plugin Developers):
        • Follow secure coding practices when developing plugins.
        • Thoroughly test plugins for vulnerabilities before release.
        • Provide timely security updates for plugins.
      • Users:
        • Carefully vet and audit plugins before installation.
        • Only install plugins from trusted sources and developers.
        • Keep plugins updated to the latest versions.
        • Disable or remove unnecessary plugins to reduce the attack surface.

Threat: Configuration File Vulnerabilities and Misconfiguration (Sensitive Data Exposure)

  • Description: Attackers exploit insecure configuration of FreshRSS leading to exposure of sensitive information. This primarily focuses on gaining access to configuration files containing sensitive data (database credentials, API keys) due to misconfigured web servers or file permissions. Attackers aim to gain unauthorized access to the database or other systems using exposed credentials, leading to full compromise.
    • Impact:
      • Exposure of sensitive information, leading to database compromise or unauthorized access to other systems.
      • Full compromise of the FreshRSS application and potentially related infrastructure.
    • Affected FreshRSS Component:
      • Configuration file handling and parsing.
      • Web server configuration related to file access.
      • FreshRSS setup and installation scripts.
    • Risk Severity: Critical
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Developers (Installation/Setup Scripts):
        • Ensure secure default configurations.
        • Provide clear and prominent instructions on secure configuration practices, especially regarding sensitive data.
        • Implement checks in setup scripts to detect common misconfigurations related to sensitive data exposure.
      • Users:
        • Securely store configuration files outside the web root and with restrictive file permissions (read access only for the web server user).
        • Review default configurations and harden them immediately after installation, focusing on sensitive data protection.
        • Regularly audit configuration settings for potential security weaknesses, especially related to access control.
        • Avoid storing sensitive information directly in configuration files if possible; use environment variables or secure secrets management.
        • Ensure proper web server configuration to strictly prevent direct access to configuration files from the web.

Threat: Update Mechanism Vulnerabilities

  • Description: Attackers target the FreshRSS update mechanism. They could perform Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks to intercept and replace update packages with malicious ones if updates are not delivered over HTTPS or lack proper signature verification. Vulnerabilities in the update script itself could also be exploited to gain elevated privileges or execute arbitrary code during the update process. The attacker aims to install malicious code during updates, leading to full server compromise.
    • Impact:
      • Installation of malicious code during updates, leading to server compromise (RCE).
      • Full control of the FreshRSS server by the attacker.
    • Affected FreshRSS Component:
      • Update mechanism and scripts.
      • Download and verification process for update packages.
      • Potentially web server configuration if updates are downloaded from a web server.
    • Risk Severity: Critical
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Developers:
        • Deliver updates over HTTPS.
        • Implement robust cryptographic signing and verification of update packages to ensure authenticity and integrity.
        • Securely design and thoroughly test the update script to prevent vulnerabilities.
        • Provide clear instructions and best practices for users to perform updates securely.
      • Users:
        • Always update FreshRSS to the latest version when updates are available.
        • Follow official update instructions carefully.
        • Verify the source and integrity of update packages if possible (e.g., using checksums provided by the developers).