Mass assignment vulnerability: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Computer vulnerability}}

{{Orphan|date=March 2013}}

'''Mass assignment''' is a [[vulnerability (computing)|computer vulnerability]] where an [[active record pattern]] in a [[web application]] is abused to modify data items that the user should be not normally be allowed to access —such for exampleas password, granted permissions, or administrator status.

Many [[web application framework]]s offer an [[active record pattern|active record]] featureand [[object-relational mapping]] features, where databaseexternal recorddata fieldsin can[[serialization]] be modifiedformats byis automatically generatedconverted webon APIinput methodsinto internal [[Object (computer science)|objects]] and, in turn, into database record fields. If the framework doesn'ts preventinterface for that automaticallyconversion is too permissive and the application designer doesn't mark specific fields as immutable this way, it's is possible to abuseoverwrite thefields APIthat callwere andnever modifyintended theseto hiddenbe fieldsmodified from outside (e.g. admin permissions flag).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/915.html | title=CWE-915: Improperly Controlled Modification of Dynamically-Determined Object Attributes | publisher=NIST | work=Common Weakness Enumeration | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref>

'''Mass assignment''' is a [[vulnerability (computing)|computer vulnerability]] where an [[active record pattern]] in [[web application]] is abused to modify data items that the user should be not normally allowed to access — for example password, granted permissions or administrator status.

These vulnerabilities werehave been found in applications written in [[Ruby on Rails]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://guides.rubyonrails.org/security.html#mass-assignment | title=Mass Assignment | work=Ruby On Rails Security Guide | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref> [[ASP.NET MVC Framework]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ironshay.com/post/Mass-Assignment-Vulnerability-in-ASPNET-MVC.aspx | title=Mass Assignment Vulnerability in ASP.NET MVC | publisher=IronsHay | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref> and [[Java (programmingsoftware languageplatform)|Java]] [[Play framework]],.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alots.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/playframework-how-to-protect-against-mass-assignment/ |title=Playframework, how to protect against Mass Assignment |date=2014 |author=Alberto Souza}}</ref> [[PHP]] and [[Python (programming language)|Python]].

Many [[web application framework]]s offer an [[active record pattern|active record]] feature, where database record fields can be modified by automatically generated web API methods. If the framework doesn't prevent that automatically and the application designer doesn't mark specific fields as immutable this way, it's possible to abuse the API call and modify these hidden fields.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/915.html | title=CWE-915: Improperly Controlled Modification of Dynamically-Determined Object Attributes | publisher=NIST | work=Common Weakness Enumeration | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref>

In 2012 mass assignment on Ruby on Rails allowed bypassing of mapping restrictions and resulted in [[proof of concept]] injection of unauthorized [[Secure Shell|SSH]] public keys into user accounts at [[GitHub]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/github-suspends-member-over-mass-assignment-hack/ | title=GitHub suspends member over 'mass-assignment' hack | publisher=ZDnet | year=2012 | access-date=February 27, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://weblog.rubyonrails.org/2013/2/11/SEC-ANN-Rails-3-2-12-3-1-11-and-2-3-17-have-been-released/ | title=[SEC][ANN] Rails 3.2.12, 3.1.11, and 2.3.17 have been released! | accessdate=January 7, 2016}}</ref> Further vulnerabilities in Ruby on Rails allowed creation of internal objects through a specially crafted [[JSON]] structure.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2013/02/22/json-dos-cve-2013-0269/ | title=Denial of Service and Unsafe Object Creation Vulnerability in JSON (CVE-2013-0269) | accessdate=January 7, 2016}}</ref>

These vulnerabilities were found in applications written in [[Ruby on Rails]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://guides.rubyonrails.org/security.html#mass-assignment | title=Mass Assignment | work=Ruby On Rails Security Guide | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref> [[ASP.NET MVC Framework]],<ref>{{cite web | url=http://ironshay.com/post/Mass-Assignment-Vulnerability-in-ASPNET-MVC.aspx | title=Mass Assignment Vulnerability in ASP.NET MVC | publisher=IronsHay | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref> [[Java (programming language)|Java]] [[Play framework]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alots.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/playframework-how-to-protect-against-mass-assignment/ |title=Playframework, how to protect against Mass Assignment |date=2014 |author=Alberto Souza}}</ref> [[PHP]] and [[Python (programming language)|Python]].

In ASP.NET Core mapping restriction can be declared using the <code>[BindNever]</code> attribute.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/aspnet/core/mvc/models/model-binding|title=Model Binding in ASP.NET Core|last=tdykstra|website=docs.microsoft.com|date=20 June 2023 }}</ref>

In 2012 mass assignment on Ruby on Rails was published that allowed injection of unauthorized [[Secure Shell|SSH]] public keys into user accounts at [[GitHub]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.zdnet.com/github-suspends-member-over-mass-assignment-hack-4010025556/ | title=GitHub suspends member over 'mass-assignment' hack | publisher=ZDnet | year=2012 | accessdate=February 27, 2013}}</ref>

==References==

== See also ==

* [[Data transfer object]] (DTO)

== References ==

{{Reflist}}