Configuration Management / Insecure Whitelist Configuration

Description

Insecure whitelist configuration is a type of vulnerability in Configuration Management that allows an attacker to access a system by bypassing a whitelist. This vulnerability is registered in the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) directory as CWE-639. It is also described in the OWASP Testing Guide. This vulnerability affects Android, iOS, and mobile applications.

Risk

Insecure whitelist configuration poses a high risk to a system. This vulnerability can allow an attacker to bypass authentication and gain access to a system without the proper authorization. This type of attack can lead to data theft, modification of system files, and the installation of malicious programs.

Solution

To protect against insecure whitelist configuration, it is important to use secure configuration management tools to ensure that only users with the proper authorization can access a system. Additionally, it is important to use secure coding practices, such as input validation, to ensure that only valid users can access a system.

Example

The following code is an example of a vulnerable whitelist configuration in Android:

String allowed_domain = “example.com”;

String user_input = “attacker.com”;

if (user_input == allowed_domain) {
    // allow access
}

In this code example, the application is only checking for an exact match between the user-provided domain and the allowed domain. This could allow an attacker to bypass the check and gain access to the system.