Reviewing Flash Applications

OWASP Code Review Guide Table of Contents

Flash Applications

Look for potential Flash redirect issues

clickTAG
TextField
TextArea
load
getURL
NetConnection.connect
NetServices.createGatewayConnection
NetSteam.play
XML.send

SandBox Security Model

Flash player assigns SWF files to sandboxes based on their origin

Internet SWF files sandboxed based on origin domains Domain: - Any two SWF files can interact together within the same sandbox. - Explicit permission is required to interact with objects in other sandboxes.

Local

local-with-filesystem (default) - The file system can read from local files only

local-with-networking - Interact with other local-with-networking SWF files

local-trusted - Can read from Local files, communicate to any server and access any SWF file.

“The sandbox defines a limited space in which a Macromedia Flash movie running within the Macromedia Flash Player is allowed to operate. Its primary purpose is to ensure the integrity and security of the client’s machine, and as well as security of any Macromedia Flash movies running in the player.”

Cross Domain Permissions: A Macromedia Flash movie playing on a web browser is not allowed access that is outside the exact domain from which is originated. This is defined in the cross-domain policy file crossdomain.xml. Policy files are used by Flash to permit Flash to load data from servers other than its native domain. If a SWF file wishes to communicate with remote servers it must be granted explicit permission:

<cross-domain-policy> 
    <allow-access-from domain="example.domain.com"/>
</cross-domain-policy>

The API call System.security.loadPolicyFile(url) loads a cross domain policy from a specified URL which may be different from the crossdomain.xml file

Accessing JavaScript:

A parameter called allowScriptAccess governs if the Flash object has access to external scripts It can have three possible values: never, same domain, always

 <object id="flash007"> 
   <param name=movie value="bigmovie.swf">
   <embed AllowScriptAccess="always" name='flash007' src="bigmovie.swf"  type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> 
  </embed>
 </object>

Shared Objects

Shared Objects are designed to store up to 100kb of data relating to a users session. They are dependent on host and domain name and SWF movie name.

They are stored in binary format and are not cross-domain by default. Shared objects are not automatically transmitted to the server unless requested by the application.

It is worth noting that they are also stored outside the web browser cache:

C:\Documents and Settings\<USER>\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\#Shared Objects\<randomstring>\<domain>

In the case of cleaning the browser cache Flash sharedobjects survive such an action.

Shared objects are handled by the Flash application and not the clients' web browser.

Permission Structure

Domain

• Any two SWF files can interact within the same sandbox. They need explicit permission to read data from another sandbox

Local

• local-with-filesystem (default) - can read from local files only
• local-with-networking
  • Communicate with other local-with-networking SWF files
  • Send data to servers (e.g., using XML.Send() )

local-trusted

• May read from local files; read or send messages with any server; and script and any other SWF file

External Resources, Controlling access
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