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attack-surface.md

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Attack Surface Analysis for simplecov-ruby/simplecov

Attack Surface: Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in HTML Reports

  • Description: Vulnerability where malicious JavaScript code can be injected into the generated HTML reports. When a user views the report in a browser, the injected script executes.

  • SimpleCov Contribution: SimpleCov generates HTML reports and includes data from the codebase and test environment. If SimpleCov doesn't properly sanitize this data, especially user-controlled or dynamically generated content (like file paths, class names, test descriptions, or code comments), it becomes vulnerable to XSS.

  • Example: A developer unknowingly includes a malicious string in a test description or a code comment. SimpleCov includes this unsanitized string in the generated HTML report. When another developer opens the report in their browser, the malicious JavaScript within the description/comment executes, potentially stealing their session cookies for internal development tools or redirecting them to a fake login page to capture credentials.

  • Impact:

    • Session hijacking: Stealing developer session cookies for internal tools or applications.
    • Credential theft: Phishing attacks targeting developer credentials.
    • Redirection to malicious websites: Leading developers to sites hosting malware or further exploits.
    • Information disclosure from the developer's machine: Accessing sensitive data stored in the developer's browser or local machine.
    • Potential for supply chain attacks: Injected scripts could potentially modify build processes or commit malicious code if the developer environment is compromised.

  • Risk Severity: High

  • Mitigation Strategies:

    • Regularly update SimpleCov: Ensure you are using the latest version of SimpleCov, as security patches for XSS vulnerabilities are crucial and likely to be addressed in updates.
    • Input Sanitization (SimpleCov Development - Critical): SimpleCov developers must rigorously sanitize all data included in HTML reports. This is paramount. Use robust and well-tested HTML escaping and sanitization libraries when generating reports. Pay special attention to user-controlled input and data derived from the codebase itself (file paths, names, comments, etc.).
    • Content Security Policy (CSP) - Recommended: SimpleCov should implement or strongly recommend Content Security Policy headers for its generated HTML reports. This provides an additional layer of defense against XSS by controlling the sources from which the browser is allowed to load resources, significantly limiting the impact of any potential XSS vulnerability.
    • Secure Report Viewing Practices: Educate developers about the potential risks of viewing HTML reports from untrusted sources. While mitigation should primarily be in SimpleCov itself, secure viewing practices add a layer of defense in depth.

Attack Surface: Path Traversal in Report Output Directory

  • Description: Vulnerability where an attacker can manipulate the output directory configuration to write reports to arbitrary locations on the file system, potentially overwriting or creating sensitive files.

  • SimpleCov Contribution: SimpleCov allows users to configure the directory where coverage reports are generated. Insufficient validation of this configuration directly leads to the path traversal risk.

  • Example: An attacker gains control over a configuration setting (e.g., via a compromised CI/CD pipeline configuration or a shared development environment). They modify the SimpleCov output directory to point to a sensitive system directory like /etc/. When tests are executed and SimpleCov generates reports, it attempts to write files into /etc/, potentially overwriting critical configuration files or system binaries if permissions allow.

  • Impact:

    • File overwrite: Overwriting critical system or application files.
    • Arbitrary file creation: Creating malicious files in sensitive locations (e.g., cron jobs, startup scripts).
    • System compromise: In severe cases, overwriting critical system files can lead to system instability or complete compromise.
    • Privilege escalation: Potentially creating files with elevated privileges in vulnerable locations.

  • Risk Severity: High (can escalate to Critical depending on the system and permissions context)

  • Mitigation Strategies:

    • Strict Input Validation and Sanitization (Critical): SimpleCov must implement extremely strict validation and sanitization of the configured output directory path. This is a critical security control.
    • Path Normalization and Canonicalization (Critical): Use robust path normalization and canonicalization techniques to eliminate path traversal sequences (e.g., .., symbolic links) and ensure the resolved path is within an expected and safe location.
    • Restrict Output Directory to Whitelisted Paths (Highly Recommended): Ideally, SimpleCov should restrict the output directory to a predefined, safe, and whitelisted location within the project directory or a designated temporary directory. Avoid allowing users to specify arbitrary paths, especially absolute paths.
    • Principle of Least Privilege (Recommended): Run tests and SimpleCov processes with the minimum necessary privileges. This limits the potential damage if a path traversal vulnerability is exploited, as the process will have restricted write access.
    • Configuration Security: Secure the configuration mechanisms for SimpleCov. Avoid reading configuration from untrusted sources or allowing easily manipulated configuration files in shared environments.