Misconfigured Apache Avro
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TLDR: Misconfigured Apache Avro, introduced in 2009, can lead to vulnerabilities such as data tampering, arbitrary code execution, and denial of service attacks. These issues arise from improper schema validation, insecure deserialization, and weak access controls, violating several OWASP Top Ten principles, including Input Validation, Access Controls, and Error Handling.
Improper input validation when processing Apache Avro schemas or data can result in injection attacks. Attackers can exploit weak validation to include malicious payloads in schemas or encoded data, leading to code injection or data leakage, violating the OWASP Top Ten's guidelines on secure Input Validation.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Input_Validation
Allowing deserialization of untrusted Avro data without validating schemas can lead to arbitrary code execution. Attackers can manipulate serialized objects to execute harmful code. Ensuring schema validation and using allowlists for accepted classes aligns with the OWASP Top Ten's recommendations on secure Sanitization Routines.
https://owasp.org/www-community/vulnerabilities/Insecure_Deserialization
Failure to secure Avro schema registry access can lead to unauthorized schema modifications, resulting in data tampering or invalid schema deployments. Proper Access Controls and authentication mechanisms must be in place to protect registry endpoints, as emphasized by the OWASP Top Ten.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Access_Control
Exposing sensitive data within Apache Avro schemas or encoded data without encryption increases the risk of data leakage. Proper Data Encryption practices, such as encrypting sensitive fields, ensure compliance with OWASP Top Ten recommendations for secure data handling.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Data_Encryption
Neglecting resource limitations during Avro schema processing or data encoding can expose systems to denial of service attacks. Limiting resource usage, such as memory and CPU, during schema validation and data processing aligns with OWASP Top Ten's focus on secure resource management.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Denial_of_Service
Improper Error Handling in Avro implementations can reveal sensitive application details, such as schema paths or validation failures, to attackers. Ensuring that error messages are generic and do not disclose internal details complies with OWASP Top Ten recommendations for secure Error Handling.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Error_Handling
Over-reliance on Apache Avro's Framework Defaults may leave systems vulnerable if defaults prioritize performance over security. Developers must review and customize default settings to align with specific security requirements, as per OWASP Top Ten best practices.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Framework_Security_Project
Improper integration of Avro with API Endpoints without enforcing CORS or validating schema sources can lead to unauthorized access or data leakage. Following OWASP Top Ten's Policy Enforcement guidelines ensures secure API interactions.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/CORS
Failing to perform regular dependency checking for Apache Avro libraries can expose applications to vulnerabilities in outdated components. Utilizing alerts for vulnerable components and automated updates aligns with the OWASP Top Ten's dependency management principles.
https://owasp.org/www-project-dependency-check/
Lastly, failing to sandbox Avro data processing environments can lead to remote code execution (RCE) risks. Ensuring that data and schema processing are isolated from critical system components aligns with the OWASP Top Ten's focus on secure template engine and deserialization practices.
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