Misconfigured Stack Traces
TLDR: Misconfigured stack traces can expose sensitive internal details, including application logic, database connection strings, and server configurations. This information leakage can lead to vulnerabilities such as data leakage, code injection, and reconnaissance for larger attacks. These risks arise from improper error handling and logging configurations, violating several OWASP Top Ten principles, including secure Error Handling, Logging, and Access Controls.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Error_Handling
Exposing verbose stack traces directly to users allows attackers to gather sensitive information about the application, such as Java classes, API Endpoints, and system dependencies. Suppressing or sanitizing stack traces in production environments complies with OWASP Top Ten guidelines on secure Error Handling.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Error_Handling
Improper handling of stack traces can inadvertently reveal database credentials, API keys, or file paths embedded within error messages. Encrypting sensitive data and ensuring it is not logged in plaintext aligns with OWASP Top Ten's Data Encryption best practices.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Data_Encryption
Lack of proper Access Controls on log files containing stack traces can expose sensitive application details to unauthorized personnel. Ensuring that only authenticated and authorized users can access logs reduces the risk of unauthorized access, as outlined by the OWASP Top Ten.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Access_Control
Excessive reliance on default error-handling configurations often results in detailed stack traces being displayed in all environments, including production. Reviewing and customizing these Framework Defaults ensures compliance with OWASP Top Ten's security-hardening principles.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Framework_Security_Project
Logging raw stack traces without redaction or sanitization increases the risk of data leakage if the logs are exposed or accessed by unauthorized users. Implementing secure Logging practices, such as masking sensitive data, ensures adherence to OWASP Top Ten's monitoring and auditing standards.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Logging_and_Monitoring_Cheat_Sheet
Improper handling of CORS settings for APIs that return error responses with stack traces can lead to unauthorized access by untrusted origins. Implementing strict Policy Enforcement for cross-domain permissions mitigates this risk, following OWASP Top Ten's guidance.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/CORS
Failure to sanitize error messages in development environments that are later deployed to production increases the risk of exposing sensitive information. Adopting environment-specific error-handling practices complies with OWASP Top Ten's recommendations for secure deployment practices.
https://owasp.org/www-community/OWASP_Proactive_Controls
Neglecting to update libraries or frameworks used for error handling can leave the application vulnerable to known exploits. Conducting dependency checking and applying alerts for vulnerable components ensures that error-handling mechanisms are secure and up to date.
https://owasp.org/www-project-dependency-check/
Logging detailed stack traces without rate-limiting can enable denial of service attacks by allowing attackers to flood the application with requests designed to generate excessive logs. Implementing logging quotas aligns with OWASP Top Ten's resource management principles.
https://owasp.org/www-community/Denial_of_Service
Finally, failing to segregate error handling and logging environments allows sensitive stack traces to be accessed by unintended parties. Isolating logging and error-handling mechanisms ensures compliance with OWASP Top Ten's focus on secure operational practices.