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codeql/docs/codeql/ql-training/java/apache-struts-java.rst
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Exercise: Apache Struts
=======================
.. container:: subheading
Unsafe deserialization leading to an RCE
CVE-2017-9805
.. rst-class:: setup
Setup
=====
For this example you need to set up `CodeQL for Visual Studio Code <https://docs.github.com/en/code-security/codeql-for-vs-code/getting-started-with-codeql-for-vs-code/installing-codeql-for-vs-code>`__ and download the CodeQL database for `Apache Struts <https://github.com/apache/struts>`__ from GitHub.
Unsafe deserialization in Struts
================================
Apache Struts provides a ``ContentTypeHandler`` interface, which can be implemented for specific content types. It defines the following interface method:
.. code-block:: java
void toObject(Reader in, Object target);
which is intended to populate the ``target`` object with data from the reader, usually through deserialization. However, the ``in`` parameter should be considered untrusted, and should not be deserialized without sanitization.
RCE in Apache Struts
====================
- Vulnerable code looked like this:
.. code-block:: java
public void toObject(Reader in, Object target) {
XStream xstream = createXStream();
xstream.fromXML(in, target);
}
- Xstream allows deserialization of **dynamic proxies**, which permit remote code execution.
- Disclosed as `CVE-2017-9805 <http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-9805>`__
- Blog post: https://securitylab.github.com/research/apache-struts-vulnerability-cve-2017-9805
Finding the RCE yourself
========================
#. Create a class to find the interface ``org.apache.struts2.rest.handler.ContentTypeHandler``
**Hint**: Use predicate ``hasQualifiedName(...)``
#. Identify methods called ``toObject``, which are defined on direct subtypes of ``ContentTypeHandler``
**Hint**: Use ``Method.getDeclaringType()`` and ``Type.getASupertype()``
#. Implement a ``DataFlow::ConfigSig``, defining the source as the first parameter of a ``toObject`` method, and the sink as an instance of ``UnsafeDeserializationSink``.
**Hint**: Use ``Node::asParameter()``
#. Construct the query as a path-problem query, and verify you find one result.
Model answer, step 1
====================
.. code-block:: ql
import java
/** The interface `org.apache.struts2.rest.handler.ContentTypeHandler`. */
class ContentTypeHandler extends RefType {
ContentTypeHandler() {
this.hasQualifiedName("org.apache.struts2.rest.handler", "ContentTypeHandler")
}
}
Model answer, step 2
====================
.. code-block:: ql
/** A `toObject` method on a subtype of `org.apache.struts2.rest.handler.ContentTypeHandler`. */
class ContentTypeHandlerDeserialization extends Method {
ContentTypeHandlerDeserialization() {
this.getDeclaringType().getASupertype() instanceof ContentTypeHandler and
this.hasName("toObject")
Model answer, step 3
====================
.. code-block:: ql
import UnsafeDeserialization
import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow::DataFlow
/**
* Configuration that tracks the flow of taint from the first parameter of
* `ContentTypeHandler.toObject` to an instance of unsafe deserialization.
*/
module StrutsUnsafeDeserializationConfig implements ConfigSig {
predicate isSource(Node source) {
source.asParameter() = any(ContentTypeHandlerDeserialization des).getParameter(0)
}
predicate isSink(Node sink) { sink instanceof UnsafeDeserializationSink }
}
module StrutsUnsafeDeserializationFlow = Global<StrutsUnsafeDeserializationConfig>;
Model answer, step 4
====================
.. code-block:: ql
import PathGraph
...
from PathNode source, PathNode sink
where StrutsUnsafeDeserializationFlow::flowPath(source, sink)
select sink.getNode().(UnsafeDeserializationSink).getMethodAccess(), source, sink, "Unsafe deserialization of $@.", source, "user input"
More full-featured version: https://github.com/github/securitylab/tree/main/CodeQL_Queries/java/Apache_Struts_CVE-2017-9805