Security Testing - Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities



This kind of threat occurs when the Components such as libraries, frameworks used within the app almost always executes with full privileges. If a vulnerable component is exploited it makes hackers job easier to cause a serious data loss or server takeover.

Let us understand Threat Agents, Attack Vectors, Security Weakness, Technical Impact and Business Impacts of this flaw with the help of simple diagram.

using_components_with_known_vulnerabilities

Example

Below are the examples of Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities :

  • Attackers could invoke any web service with full permission By failing to provide an identity token.

  • Remote-code execution with Expression Language injection vulnerability was introduced through the Spring Framework for Java based apps.

Preventing Mechanisms

Identify all components and the versions that are being used in the webapps not just restricted to database/frameworks.

Keeping all the components such as public databases, project mailing lists upto date.

It is important to add security wrappers around components that are vulnerable in nature.

Dev can use the following resources as a guide to prevent this flaw during development process

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