attack-tree.md

Attack Tree Analysis for pallets/flask

Objective: Compromise Flask Application by Exploiting Flask Weaknesses

Attack Tree Visualization

Compromise Flask Application ├───[AND] [HIGH RISK PATH] Exploit Flask Configuration Weaknesses [CRITICAL NODE] │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Debug Mode Enabled in Production [CRITICAL NODE] │ │ └───[AND] Information Disclosure via Debugger │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Insecure Secret Key [CRITICAL NODE] │ │ └───[AND] Session Hijacking │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Insecure Cookie Settings [CRITICAL NODE] │ │ └───[AND] Session Hijacking via Insecure Cookies ├───[AND] Exploit Flask Core Vulnerabilities (Less Common, but Possible) │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Request Handling Vulnerabilities (Limited in Core Flask, more in extensions/application logic) │ │ └───[AND] Denial of Service via Request Flooding (Werkzeug level, but impacts Flask) [CRITICAL NODE] │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Vulnerabilities in Jinja2 (Templating Engine) [CRITICAL NODE] │ │ └───[AND] [HIGH RISK PATH] Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) [CRITICAL NODE] ├───[AND] [HIGH RISK PATH] Exploit Flask Extension Vulnerabilities (If Extensions are Used) [CRITICAL NODE] │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Vulnerable Flask Extension [CRITICAL NODE] │ │ └───[AND] Identify and Exploit Vulnerability in a specific Flask Extension │ ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Dependency Vulnerabilities in Extension Dependencies [CRITICAL NODE] │ │ └───[AND] Exploit Vulnerabilities in Libraries Used by Flask Extensions └───[AND] [HIGH RISK PATH] Social Engineering or Physical Access (General Threats, but worth mentioning for completeness - less Flask specific) [CRITICAL NODE] ├───[OR] [HIGH RISK PATH] Phishing Attacks Targeting Developers/Operators [CRITICAL NODE] │ └───[AND] Gain Credentials or Access

Attack Tree Path: Exploit Flask Configuration Weaknesses [CRITICAL NODE]

Description: This is a broad category encompassing vulnerabilities arising from insecure Flask application configuration. It's a critical node because misconfigurations are common and can lead to various severe attacks.

• High-Risk Paths within:
  • Debug Mode Enabled in Production [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Attack Vector: Information Disclosure via Debugger
    • Likelihood: Medium
    • Impact: Significant
    • Effort: Minimal
    • Skill Level: Novice
    • Detection Difficulty: Easy
    • Mitigation: Disable debug mode in production. Use environment variables for configuration.
  • Insecure Secret Key [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Attack Vector: Session Hijacking
    • Likelihood: Medium
    • Impact: Critical
    • Effort: Moderate
    • Skill Level: Intermediate
    • Detection Difficulty: Difficult
    • Mitigation: Use a strong, randomly generated secret key. Store it securely (environment variables, secrets management).
  • Insecure Cookie Settings [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Attack Vector: Session Hijacking via Insecure Cookies
    • Likelihood: Medium
    • Impact: Critical
    • Effort: Minimal
    • Skill Level: Beginner
    • Detection Difficulty: Moderate
    • Mitigation: Configure cookies with HttpOnly=True, Secure=True, and SameSite attributes.

Attack Tree Path: Request Handling Vulnerabilities (Limited in Core Flask, more in extensions/application logic)

• High-Risk Path: Denial of Service via Request Flooding (Werkzeug level, but impacts Flask) [CRITICAL NODE]
  • Attack Vector: Denial of Service via Request Flooding
  • Likelihood: Medium
  • Impact: Significant
  • Effort: Low
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Detection Difficulty: Moderate
  • Mitigation: Implement rate limiting, use a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and consider load balancing.

Attack Tree Path: Vulnerabilities in Jinja2 (Templating Engine) [CRITICAL NODE]

• High-Risk Path: Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI) [CRITICAL NODE]
  • Attack Vector: Server-Side Template Injection (SSTI)
  • Likelihood: Low to Medium
  • Impact: Critical
  • Effort: Moderate to High
  • Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
  • Detection Difficulty: Difficult to Very Difficult
  • Mitigation: Avoid using user-controlled input directly in templates. Sanitize and escape user input if unavoidable. Use autoescaping features of Jinja2.

Attack Tree Path: Exploit Flask Extension Vulnerabilities (If Extensions are Used) [CRITICAL NODE]

Description: Flask extensions, and their dependencies, can introduce vulnerabilities. This is a critical node because applications often rely on extensions.

• High-Risk Paths within:
  • Vulnerable Flask Extension [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Attack Vector: Exploiting Vulnerability in a specific Flask Extension
    • Likelihood: Medium
    • Impact: Varies
    • Effort: Moderate to High
    • Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
    • Detection Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
    • Mitigation: Audit and select extensions carefully. Keep extensions updated. Monitor for security advisories.
  • Dependency Vulnerabilities in Extension Dependencies [CRITICAL NODE]
    • Attack Vector: Exploiting Vulnerabilities in Libraries Used by Flask Extensions
    • Likelihood: Medium
    • Impact: Varies
    • Effort: Low to Moderate
    • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
    • Detection Difficulty: Moderate
    • Mitigation: Use dependency scanning tools. Keep dependencies updated. Implement Software Composition Analysis (SCA).

Attack Tree Path: Social Engineering or Physical Access (General Threats, but worth mentioning for completeness - less Flask specific) [CRITICAL NODE]

• High-Risk Path: Phishing Attacks Targeting Developers/Operators [CRITICAL NODE]
  • Attack Vector: Phishing Attacks Targeting Developers/Operators
  • Likelihood: High
  • Impact: Critical
  • Effort: Moderate
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
  • Detection Difficulty: Moderate
  • Mitigation: Security awareness training for developers and operators. Implement email security measures. Use multi-factor authentication.