CWE-106: Struts: Plug-in Framework not in Use

What is Struts: Plug-in Framework not in Use?

• Overview: Struts Plug-in Framework not in Use (CWE-106) refers to the situation where an application does not utilize an input validation framework, increasing the risk of vulnerabilities due to insufficient input validation.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious input that bypasses the application's defenses.
• Common attack patterns include cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and process control vulnerabilities.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include unauthorized data access, data corruption, or application compromise.
• Potential cascading effects involve further system exploitation or network penetration.
• Business impact can range from data breaches to loss of customer trust and financial penalties.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization routines.
• Security best practices involve adopting a security-first approach during development and regularly updating security measures.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include using the Struts Validator or similar frameworks designed for robust input validation.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Java

Affected Technologies: Not specified

Vulnerable Code Example

Java Example

import org.apache.struts.action.Action;
import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm;
import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForward;
import org.apache.struts.action.ActionMapping;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

public class LoginAction extends Action {
    public ActionForward execute(ActionMapping mapping, ActionForm form,
                                 HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws Exception {
        // Directly use request parameters without validation
        String username = request.getParameter("username");
        String password = request.getParameter("password");
        
        // Authentication logic here (not shown for brevity)
        
        return mapping.findForward("success");
    }
}

Explanation

• Lines {7-13}: The code directly retrieves user input from HTTP request parameters without any input validation. This exposes the application to potential injection attacks and other vulnerabilities. Without validation, malicious input could be processed, leading to security issues such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting (XSS).

How to fix Struts: Plug-in Framework not in Use?

Fixed Code Example

Java Example

import org.apache.struts.action.Action;
import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForm;
import org.apache.struts.action.ActionForward;
import org.apache.struts.action.ActionMapping;
import org.apache.struts.validator.ValidatorForm;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;

public class LoginAction extends Action {
    public ActionForward execute(ActionMapping mapping, ActionForm form,
                                 HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response) throws Exception {
        // Use ValidatorForm to ensure input is validated
        ValidatorForm loginForm = (ValidatorForm) form;
        String username = (String) loginForm.get("username");
        String password = (String) loginForm.get("password");
        
        // Authentication logic here (not shown for brevity)
        
        return mapping.findForward("success");
    }
}

XML Configuration

<!DOCTYPE form-validation PUBLIC
    "-//Apache Software Foundation//DTD Commons Validator Rules Configuration 1.2.0//EN"
    "http://jakarta.apache.org/commons/dtds/validator_1_2_0.dtd">

<validation>
    <formset>
        <form name="loginForm">
            <field property="username" depends="required">
                <arg0 key="username"/>
            </field>
            <field property="password" depends="required">
                <arg0 key="password"/>
            </field>
        </form>
    </formset>
</validation>

Explanation

• Lines {7-15}: Import the necessary classes for Struts Validator and use ValidatorForm to ensure the input is validated according to the rules defined in validation.xml.
• validation.xml: Defines rules to ensure that username and password are required fields. This ensures that input is validated before any processing, improving security by reducing the risk of injection attacks.

This implementation ensures that input validation is enforced, leveraging Struts' built-in capabilities to enhance security and reduce the risk of common vulnerabilities associated with unvalidated input.