Security Rules (“rulesets/security.xml”)

Also see GrailsMassAssignment.

FileCreateTempFile Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

The File.createTempFile() method is insecure, and has been deprecated by the ESAPI secure coding library. It has been replaced by the ESAPI Randomizer.getRandomFilename(String) method.

For more information see the ESAPI website: http://code.google.com/p/owasp-esapi-java/ and the Randomizer Javadoc: http://owasp-esapi-java.googlecode.com/svn/trunk_doc/latest/org/owasp/esapi/Randomizer.html

InsecureRandom Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

Reports usages of java.util.Random, which can produce very predictable results. If two instances of Random are created with the same seed and sequence of method calls, they will generate the exact same results. Use java.security.SecureRandom instead, which provides a cryptographically strong random number generator. SecureRandom uses PRNG, which means they are using a deterministic algorithm to produce a pseudo-random number from a true random seed. SecureRandom produces non-deterministic output.

By default, this rule ignores test classes are ignored.

For more information see: http://www.klocwork.com/products/documentation/current/Checkers:SV.RANDOM

Example of violations:

     def r1 = new Random()
     def r2 = new java.util.Random()
     Math.random()
     java.lang.Math.random()

     // this is OK
     new java.security.SecureRandom()
     new SecureRandom()

JavaIoPackageAccess Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

This rule reports violations of the Enterprise JavaBeans specification by using the java.io package to access files or the file system.

The Enterprise JavaBeans specification requires that every bean provider follow a set of programming guidelines designed to ensure that the bean will be portable and behave consistently in any EJB container [1].

In this case, the program violates the following EJB guideline: “An enterprise bean must not use the java.io package to attempt to access files and directories in the file system.”

A requirement that the specification justifies in the following way: “The file system APIs are not well-suited for business components to access data. Business components should use a resource manager API, such as JDBC, to store data.”

REFERENCES

By default, this rule is not applied to tests and test cases.

Example of violations:

    FileSystem.getFileSystem()          // any method on FileSystem
    FileSystem.fileSystem.delete(aFile) // property access of FileSystem

    // shouldn't create files
    new File(name)
    new File(name, parent)

    // don't create file readers
    new FileReader(name)

    // don't create file output streams
    new FileOutputStream(name)
    new FileOutputStream(name, true)

    // don't create random access file
    new RandomAccessFile(name, parent)

NonFinalPublicField Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

Finds code that violates secure coding principles for mobile code by declaring a member variable public but not final.

All public member variables in an Applet and in classes used by an Applet should be declared final to prevent an attacker from manipulating or gaining unauthorized access to the internal state of the Applet.

References:

NonFinalSubclassOfSensitiveInterface Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

The permissions classes such as java.security.Permission and java.security.BasicPermission are designed to be extended. Classes that derive from these permissions classes, however, must prohibit extension. This prohibition ensures that malicious subclasses cannot change the properties of the derived class. Classes that implement sensitive interfaces such as java.security.PrivilegedAction and java.security.PrivilegedActionException must also be declared final for analogous reasons.

For more information see: https://www.securecoding.cert.org/confluence/display/java/SEC07-J.+Classes+that+derive+from+a+sensitive+class+or+implement+a+sensitive+interface+must+be+declared+final

Example of violations:

    class MyPermission extends java.security.Permission {
        MyPermission(String name) { super(name) }
        boolean implies(Permission permission) { true }
        boolean equals(Object obj) { true }
        int hashCode() { 0 }
        String getActions() { "action" }
    }

    class MyBasicPermission extends BasicPermission {
        MyBasicPermission(String name) { super(name) }
    }

    class MyPrivilegedAction implements PrivilegedAction {
        Object run() { 0 }
    }

    class MyPrivilegedActionException extends PrivilegedActionException {
        MyPrivilegedActionException(Exception exception) { super(exception) }
    }

PublicFinalizeMethod Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

Creates a violation when the program violates secure coding principles by declaring a finalize() method public.

A program should never call finalize explicitly, except to call super.finalize() inside an implementation of finalize(). In mobile code situations, the otherwise error prone practice of manual garbage collection can become a security threat if an attacker can maliciously invoke one of your finalize() methods because it is declared with public access. If you are using finalize() as it was designed, there is no reason to declare finalize() with anything other than protected access.

References:

ObjectFinalize Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

The finalize() method should only be called by the JVM after the object has been garbage collected.

While the Java Language Specification allows an object’s finalize() method to be called from outside the finalizer, doing so is usually a bad idea. For example, calling finalize() explicitly means that finalize() will be called more than once: the first time will be the explicit call and the last time will be the call that is made after the object is garbage collected.

References: Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration - (CWE) CWE ID 586

SystemExit Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

Web applications should never call System.exit(). A call to System.exit() is probably part of leftover debug code or code imported from a non-J2EE application.

UnsafeArrayDeclaration Rule

Since CodeNarc 0.14

Triggers a violation when an array is declared public, final, and static.

In most cases an array declared public, final and static is a bug. Because arrays are mutable objects, the final constraint requires that the array object itself be assigned only once, but makes no guarantees about the values of the array elements. Since the array is public, a malicious program can change the values stored in the array. In most situations the array should be made private.

Example of violations:

    class MyClass {
        public static final String[] myArray = init()
        public static final def myArray = [] as String[]
    }