Kingdom: Encapsulation

Encapsulation is about drawing strong boundaries. In a web browser that might mean ensuring that your mobile code cannot be abused by other mobile code. On the server it might mean differentiation between validated data and unvalidated data, between one user's data and another's, or between data users are allowed to see and data that they are not.

System Information Leak: iOS Property List

Objective-C

Abstract

System information which is stored and not protected, such as device IDs in a clear-text file, endangers system security. Revealing system data or debugging information helps an adversary learn about the system and form a plan of attack.

Explanation

An internal information leak occurs when system data or debugging information is sent via logging or printing to a local file, console, or screen.

Example 1: The following XML contains system information about a device stored in a plist file. Among other values that are stored, the UDID key stores a Unique Device Identifier.



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>systemName</key>
  <string>John's iPhone</string>
  <key>systemInfo</key>
  <dict>
          <key>UDID</key>
          <string>2b6f0cc904d137be2e1730235f5664094b831186</string>
          <key>systemVersion</key>
          <string>4.2</string>
          <key>model</key>
          <string>iPhone</string>
          <key>localizedModel</key>
          <string>iPhone</string>
  </dict>
</dict>
</plist>

The code in Example 1 stores private user information from the mobile device in an unprotected plist file stored on the device. Although many developers trust plist files as a safe storage location for any and all data, it should not be trusted implicitly particularly when system information and privacy are a concern, since plist files could be read by anyone in possession of the device.

References

[1] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration CWE ID 497

[2] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25 2019 [4] CWE ID 200

[3] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25 2020 [7] CWE ID 200

[4] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25 2021 [20] CWE ID 200

[5] Standards Mapping - Common Weakness Enumeration Top 25 2024 [17] CWE ID 200

[6] Standards Mapping - DISA Control Correlation Identifier Version 2 CCI-001312, CCI-001314, CCI-002420

[7] Standards Mapping - General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Indirect Access to Sensitive Data

[8] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 4 AC-4 Information Flow Enforcement (P1), SC-8 Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity (P1), SI-11 Error Handling (P2)

[9] Standards Mapping - NIST Special Publication 800-53 Revision 5 AC-4 Information Flow Enforcement, SC-8 Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity, SI-11 Error Handling

[10] Standards Mapping - OWASP API 2023 API8 Security Misconfiguration

[11] Standards Mapping - OWASP Application Security Verification Standard 4.0 8.3.4 Sensitive Private Data (L1 L2 L3), 14.3.3 Unintended Security Disclosure Requirements (L1 L2 L3)

[12] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile 2014 M2 Insecure Data Storage

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

[14] Standards Mapping - OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard 2.0 MASVS-STORAGE-1

[15] Standards Mapping - OWASP Top 10 2007 A6 Information Leakage and Improper Error Handling

[16] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 1.2 Requirement 6.5.6

[17] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 2.0 Requirement 6.5.5

[18] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.0 Requirement 6.5.5

[19] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.1 Requirement 6.5.5

[20] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2 Requirement 6.5.5

[21] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Version 3.2.1 Requirement 6.5.5

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

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

[24] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.0 Control Objective 3.6 - Sensitive Data Retention

[25] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.1 Control Objective 3.6 - Sensitive Data Retention

[26] Standards Mapping - Payment Card Industry Software Security Framework 1.2 Control Objective 3.6 - Sensitive Data Retention

[27] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.1 APP3620 CAT II

[28] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.4 APP3620 CAT II

[29] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.5 APP3620 CAT II

[30] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.6 APP3620 CAT II

[31] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.7 APP3620 CAT II

[32] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.9 APP3620 CAT II

[33] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 3.10 APP3620 CAT II

[34] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.2 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[35] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.3 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[36] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.4 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[37] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.5 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[38] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.6 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[39] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.7 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[40] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.8 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[41] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.9 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[42] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.10 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[43] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.11 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[44] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 4.1 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[45] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.1 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[46] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.2 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[47] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 5.3 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[48] Standards Mapping - Security Technical Implementation Guide Version 6.1 APSC-DV-002480 CAT II, APSC-DV-002570 CAT II, APSC-DV-002580 CAT II

[49] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium Version 2.00 Information Leakage (WASC-13)

[50] Standards Mapping - Web Application Security Consortium 24 + 2 Information Leakage

desc.config.objc.system_information_leak_ios_property_list