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'''How to write an application security finding'''
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__TOC__
  
 
An application security "finding" is how an application security team communicates information to a software development organization. Findings may be vulnerabilities, architectural problems, organization problems, failure to follow best practices or standards, or "good" practices that deserve recognition.
 
An application security "finding" is how an application security team communicates information to a software development organization. Findings may be vulnerabilities, architectural problems, organization problems, failure to follow best practices or standards, or "good" practices that deserve recognition.
  
−
==Choose a great title==
+
==Choose a Great Title==
 +
When writing an application security finding, you should choose a title that captures the issue clearly, succinctly, and convincingly for the intended audience. In general, it's best to phrase the title in a positive way, such as “Add access control to business logic” or “Encode output to prevent  [[Cross-site Scripting (XSS)]]."
  
−
When writing an application security finding, you should choose a title that captures the issue clearly, succinctly, and convincingly for the intended audience. In general, it's best to phrase the title in a positive way, such as "Add access control to business logic" or "Encode output to prevent [[XSS]].
+
==Identify the Location of the Vulnerability==
−
 
+
The finding should be as specific as possible about the location in both the code and as a URL. If the finding represents a pervasive problem, then the location should provide many examples of actual instances of the problem.  
−
==Identify the location of the vulnerability==
 
−
 
 
−
The finding should be as specific as possible about the location in both the code and as a URL. If the finding represents a pervasive problem, then the location should provide many examples of actual instances of the problem.
 
  
 
==Detail the vulnerability==
 
==Detail the vulnerability==
−
 
+
The finding should provide enough detail about the problem that anyone can:  
−
The finding should provide enough detail about the problem that anyone can:
 
 
* understand the vulnerability
 
* understand the vulnerability
 
* understand possible attack scenarios
 
* understand possible attack scenarios
 
* know the key factors driving likelihood and impact
 
* know the key factors driving likelihood and impact
  
−
==Discuss the risk==
+
==Discuss the Risk==
−
 
+
There is value in both assigning a qualitative value to each finding and further discussing why this value was assigned. Some possible risk ratings are:  
−
There is value in both assigning a qualitative value to each finding and further discussing why this value was assigned. Some possible risk ratings are:
 
 
* Critical
 
* Critical
 
* High
 
* High
Line 26: Line 27:
 
* Low
 
* Low
  
−
Justifying the assigned risk ratings is very important. This will allow stakeholders (especially non-technical ones) to gain more of an understanding of the issue at hand. Two key points to identify are:
+
Justifying the assigned risk ratings is very important. This will allow stakeholders (especially non-technical ones) to gain more of an understanding of the issue at hand. Two key points to identify are:  
 
* Likelihood (ease of discovery and execution)
 
* Likelihood (ease of discovery and execution)
 
* Business/Technical impact
 
* Business/Technical impact
  
−
You should establish a system for evaluating likelihood and impact. Microsoft has published their STRIDE/DREAD model and it makes a good starting point. However, most organizations find that they need to add/delete factors, tailor factors, and perhaps weight factors for their organization.
+
You should have a standard methodology for rating risks in your organization. The  [[How to value the real risk|OWASP Risk Rating Methodology]] is a comprehensive method that you can tailor for your organization's priorities.  
  
−
==Suggest remediations==
+
==Suggest Remediations==
 
* alternatives
 
* alternatives
 
* include effort required
 
* include effort required
 
* discuss residual risk
 
* discuss residual risk
  
−
==Include references==
+
==Include References==
 
* Important note: if you use OWASP materials for any reason, you must follow the terms of our license
 
* Important note: if you use OWASP materials for any reason, you must follow the terms of our license
  
−
==Use a positive tone==
+
==Sample Report==
 +
 
 +
Below is a sample format for a finding report resulting from a secure code review.
 +
 
 +
<!--
 +
/* Font Definitions */
 +
@font-face
 +
{font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif";
 +
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
 +
/* Style Definitions */
 +
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
 +
{margin:0cm;
 +
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
 +
font-size:12.0pt;
 +
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
 +
@page Section1
 +
{size:595.3pt 841.9pt;
 +
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;}
 +
div.Section1
 +
{page:Section1;}
 +
-->
 +
 
  
−
Personally, I find all of these lists (the SANS Top 20, the old Top  10, the old Guide, etc) very negative - which is the way they were  designed. Even the chapter headings in the new book from Howard and LeBlanc are negative.
 
  
−
A few years ago, that's how I thought, too. However, I've moved on. Sure we need to tell people, don't do X when it is necessary, but I think human nature works better when ideas are framed in a positive way. Certainly with business types who don't (yet) understand risk properly. Read this:
 
  
−
http://www.asktog.com/columns/047HowToWriteAReport.html
 
  
−
I write many reports which occasionally detail pretty bad news for  the recipients. Typically, they are not technical people (nor necessarily should they be - well-written reports should be understandable by lay people). Tog's essay was an eye opener for me and I wish I'd read it sooner. With my more positive approach, I'm  getting greater traction and things are getting fixed. Before, they'd often go "it's all too hard, we accept this risk, next!"
+
<div class=Section1>
  
−
I strongly believe we are here to enable secure business, not get in the way. Too many security folks* forget that we exist to make sure that ordinary folks don't lose money, don't see their details lost to identity thieves, and don't lose privacy. "Thou Shalt Not ..." lists don't really work in this "enable secure business" ideology.
+
<table class=MsoTableGrid border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=631
 +
style='width:473.4pt;border-collapse:collapse;border:none'>
 +
<tr>
 +
  <td width=631 colspan=4 valign=top style='width:473.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Review /Engagement
 +
  reference:</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
  <td width=631 colspan=4 valign=top style='width:473.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Package/Component/Class
 +
  Name</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
  <td width=631 colspan=4 valign=top style='width:473.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
  <td width=227 valign=top style='width:169.95pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Finding
 +
  description</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
  <td width=131 valign=top style='width:98.45pt;border-top:none;border-left:
 +
  none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Location(S)</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
  <td width=117 valign=top style='width:88.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:
 +
  none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Severity</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
  <td width=156 valign=top style='width:117.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:
 +
  none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Recommendation</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
</tr>
 +
<tr>
 +
  <td width=227 valign=top style='width:169.95pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>No input
 +
  validation of the <b>HTTPRequest object.getID()</b> function. </span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Lack of
 +
  input validation may make the application vulnerable to many types of
 +
  injection</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
  <td width=131 valign=top style='width:98.45pt;border-top:none;border-left:
 +
  none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>com.inc.dostuff.java</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Lines 20,
 +
  55,106</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>com.inc.main.java</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Lines 34,
 +
  99</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
  <td width=117 valign=top style='width:88.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:
 +
  none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Critical
 +
  </span><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&#9642;</span></b></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Required
 +
  &#9633;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Recommended
 +
  &#9633;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>Informational
 +
  &#9633;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
  <td width=156 valign=top style='width:117.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:
 +
  none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
 +
  padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Microsoft Sans Serif"'>&nbsp;</span></p>
 +
  <p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial'>It is critical
 +
  that this be addressed prior to deployment to production</span></p>
 +
  </td>
 +
</tr>
 +
</table>
  
−
That's why the Guide has moved from negative titles to positive or neutral titles. I've tried as hard as I can do phrase the issue in terms of "This is the business reason why we check for this issue. 
+
<p class=MsoNormal>&nbsp;</p>
  
−
Check X. Do Y", rather than say "Faulty authorization. Don't do X. It's bad. M'kay?".
+
</div>
−
 
−
Only a few times I resorted to "don't do X" when it was truly unavoidable and that's a few times too many. Hopefully, by Guide 2.1 I can make it even more positive.
 
  
  
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{{LinkBar
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  | useprev=PrevLink | prev=Reviewing Web Services | lblprev=
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  | usemain=MainLink | main=OWASP Code Review Guide Table of Contents | lblmain=Table of Contents
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  | usenext=NextLink | next=Automated Code Review | lblnext=
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}}
  
 
[[Category:How To]]
 
[[Category:How To]]
 
[[Category:OWASP Code Review Project]]
 
[[Category:OWASP Code Review Project]]

Latest revision as of 16:55, 9 September 2010

«««« Main
(Table of Contents) 		»»»»

An application security "finding" is how an application security team communicates information to a software development organization. Findings may be vulnerabilities, architectural problems, organization problems, failure to follow best practices or standards, or "good" practices that deserve recognition.

Choose a Great Title

When writing an application security finding, you should choose a title that captures the issue clearly, succinctly, and convincingly for the intended audience. In general, it's best to phrase the title in a positive way, such as “Add access control to business logic” or “Encode output to prevent Cross-site Scripting (XSS)."

Identify the Location of the Vulnerability

The finding should be as specific as possible about the location in both the code and as a URL. If the finding represents a pervasive problem, then the location should provide many examples of actual instances of the problem.

Detail the vulnerability

The finding should provide enough detail about the problem that anyone can:

  • understand the vulnerability
  • understand possible attack scenarios
  • know the key factors driving likelihood and impact

Discuss the Risk

There is value in both assigning a qualitative value to each finding and further discussing why this value was assigned. Some possible risk ratings are:

  • Critical
  • High
  • Moderate
  • Low

Justifying the assigned risk ratings is very important. This will allow stakeholders (especially non-technical ones) to gain more of an understanding of the issue at hand. Two key points to identify are:

  • Likelihood (ease of discovery and execution)
  • Business/Technical impact

You should have a standard methodology for rating risks in your organization. The OWASP Risk Rating Methodology is a comprehensive method that you can tailor for your organization's priorities.

Suggest Remediations

  • alternatives
  • include effort required
  • discuss residual risk

Include References

  • Important note: if you use OWASP materials for any reason, you must follow the terms of our license

Sample Report

Below is a sample format for a finding report resulting from a secure code review.




Review /Engagement reference:

Package/Component/Class Name

 

Finding description

Location(S)

Severity

Recommendation

 

No input validation of the HTTPRequest object.getID() function.

 

Lack of input validation may make the application vulnerable to many types of injection

 

com.inc.dostuff.java

Lines 20, 55,106

 

com.inc.main.java

Lines 34, 99

 

Critical ▪

 

Required □

 

Recommended □

 

Informational □

 

 

It is critical that this be addressed prior to deployment to production

 


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