Kingdom: Security Features

Software security is not security software. Here we're concerned with topics like authentication, access control, confidentiality, cryptography, and privilege management.

Privilege Management: Android Data Storage

Java/JSP

Abstract

The program requests permission to write data to Android's external storage.

Explanation

Files written to external storage are readable and writeable by arbitrary programs and users. Programs must never write sensitive information, for instance personally identifiable information, to external storage. When you connect the Android device via USB to a PC or other device it enables USB mass storage mode. Any file written to external storage can be read and modified in this mode. In addition, files in external storage will remain there even after the application that wrote them is uninstalled, further increasing the risk that any sensitive information stored in them will be compromised.

Example 1:The <uses-permission .../> element of AndroidManifest.xml declares usage of the WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission, which enables an application to write to external storage.

 <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>

Example 2:The <uses-permission .../> element of AndroidManifest.xml declares usage of the READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE permission, which enables and application to read from external storage.

 <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>

References

[1] Security guidelines - Permissions

[2] Ruggero Contu, John Girard Put security policies in place for portable storage devices Gartner Research

[3] Data Storage

[4] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration CWE ID 250

[5] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25 2023 [22] CWE ID 269

[6] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25 2024 [15] CWE ID 269

[7] Standards Mapping - DISA Control Correlation Identifier Version 2 CCI-000381, CCI-002233, CCI-002235

[8] Standards Mapping - FIPS200 AC

[9] Standards Mapping - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Access Violation

[10] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 4 AC-6 Least Privilege (P1), CM-7 Least Functionality (P1)

[11] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5 AC-6 Least Privilege, CM-7 Least Functionality

[12] Standards Mapping - OWASP Application Security Verification Standard 4.0 10.2.2 Malicious Code Search (L2 L3)

[13] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile 2014 M5 Poor Authorization and Authentication

[14] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile 2024 M8 Security Misconfiguration

[15] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard 2.0 MASVS-AUTH-1

[16] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2004 A2 Broken Access Control

[17] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2010 A6 Security Misconfiguration

[18] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2013 A5 Security Misconfiguration

[19] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2017 A6 Security Misconfiguration

[20] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2021 A05 Security Misconfiguration

[21] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.0 Requirement 6.5.6

[22] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.1 Requirement 6.5.6

[23] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2 Requirement 6.5.6

[24] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2.1 Requirement 6.5.6

[25] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 4.0 Requirement 6.2.4

[26] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 4.0.1 Requirement 6.2.4

[27] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.0 Control Objective 4.2 - Critical Asset Protection

[28] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.1 Control Objective 4.2 - Critical Asset Protection

[29] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.2 Control Objective 4.2 - Critical Asset Protection

[30] Standards Mapping - SANS Top 25 2009 Porous Defenses - CWE ID 285

[31] Standards Mapping - SANS Top 25 2010 Porous Defenses - CWE ID 285

[32] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.1 APP3500 CAT II

[33] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.4 APP3500 CAT II

[34] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.5 APP3500 CAT II

[35] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.6 APP3500 CAT II

[36] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.7 APP3500 CAT II

[37] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.9 APP3500 CAT II

[38] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.10 APP3500 CAT II

[39] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.2 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[40] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.3 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[41] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.4 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[42] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.5 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[43] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.6 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[44] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.7 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[45] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.8 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[46] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.9 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[47] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.10 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[48] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.11 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[49] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.1 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[50] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.1 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[51] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.2 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[52] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.3 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[53] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 6.1 APSC-DV-000500 CAT II, APSC-DV-000510 CAT I, APSC-DV-001500 CAT II

[54] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium Version 2.00 Insufficient Authorization (WASC-02)

[55] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium 24 + 2 Insufficient Authorization

desc.config.java.privilege_management_android_data_storage