CWE-477: Use of Obsolete Function

What is Use of Obsolete Function?

• Overview: The use of obsolete functions refers to code relying on deprecated or outdated functions that are no longer supported or maintained, indicating that the codebase may not be actively updated or reviewed for security and performance improvements.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities inherent in obsolete functions that may have unresolved security issues.
• Common attack patterns include leveraging known weaknesses in outdated functions to execute unauthorized actions or gain access to sensitive data.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences can include unauthorized access, execution of malicious code, or system crashes.
• Potential cascading effects might involve further compromise of connected systems or data breaches.
• Business impact could result in financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties due to data protection failures.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include updating code to use current functions and libraries that have active support and security patches.
• Security best practices involve regular code reviews and refactoring to replace obsolete functions with their modern and secure counterparts.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include static code analysis tools that can identify deprecated functions and automated dependency management tools to ensure libraries are up-to-date.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not specified

Vulnerable Code Example

Certainly! Let's improve the code examples and address the issues mentioned. I'll ensure proper syntax highlighting, correct line number formatting, realistic examples, thorough comments, and adherence to best practices.

const fs = require('fs');
const sys = require('sys');
const exec = require('child_process').exec;  // Obsolete, use child_process.execFile instead

function listDirectoryContents(directory) {
    // Using exec can be insecure if inputs are not properly sanitized
    // This allows for potential shell injection attacks
    exec(`ls \${directory}`, function(error, stdout, stderr) {
        if (error) {
            console.error(`exec error: \${error}`);
            return;
        }
        console.log(`Directory Contents:\n\${stdout}`);
    });
}

How to fix Use of Obsolete Function?

The use of exec can be dangerous due to the potential for shell injection attacks. The execFile function from the child_process module should be used instead because it does not run the command in a shell, which mitigates such risks. Always ensure input is sanitized to avoid injection vulnerabilities.

Fixed Code Example

const fs = require('fs');
const { execFile } = require('child_process');  // Use execFile instead of exec

function listDirectoryContents(directory) {
    // Use execFile to safely execute system commands
    // execFile does not use a shell and thus avoids shell injection vulnerabilities
    execFile('ls', [directory], (error, stdout, stderr) => {
        if (error) {
            console.error(`execFile error: \${error}`);
            return;
        }
        console.log(`Directory Contents:\n\${stdout}`);
    });
}

In these examples, the vulnerable use of exec is replaced with execFile, which is a safer alternative as it does not spawn a shell, thus reducing the risk of shell injection attacks. This change improves both security and compatibility with modern JavaScript standards.