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Database

Insecure encryption algorithm - SHA1

Need

Upgrade encryption algorithm to a secure and robust option

Context

• Usage of Java 8 for developing applications with enhanced features and performance

• Usage of javax.servlet-api for building Java web applications with Servlets

• Usage of java.security for implementing security features in Java applications

Description

1. Non compliant code

import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
import java.security.MessageDigest;
import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;

public class EncryptionServlet extends javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet {

        String password = request.getParameter("password");...

The above code is a Servlet that handles HTTP POST requests. It reads a password from the request parameters and then encrypts it using the SHA-1 algorithm, which is considered insecure. The encryption is done in the `encryptPassword` method. This method uses the `MessageDigest` class from the `java.security` package to create an instance of the SHA-1 algorithm. It then digests the password bytes and converts the result into a hexadecimal string. The main vulnerability here is the usage of the SHA-1 algorithm for encryption. SHA-1 is no longer considered secure against well-funded attackers. In cryptographic hash functions, it is crucial to use a secure algorithm to ensure the integrity and security of the data. Using an insecure algorithm like SHA-1 can lead to vulnerabilities like collision attacks, where two different inputs produce the same hash output, thus compromising the security of the application.

2. Steps

• Replace the insecure encryption algorithm SHA-1 with a stronger algorithm.

• Use a secure hashing algorithm like SHA-256 or bcrypt for password encryption.

• Update the code to use the new encryption algorithm.

• Ensure that the new encryption algorithm is supported by the server environment.

• Test the updated code thoroughly to ensure it functions correctly.

3. Secure code example

import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;
import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletResponse;
import java.security.MessageDigest;
import java.security.NoSuchAlgorithmException;

public class EncryptionServlet extends javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet {

        String password = request.getParameter("password");...

The original code was using the SHA-1 algorithm for password encryption, which is considered insecure due to its vulnerability to collision attacks. In the updated code, the SHA-1 algorithm has been replaced with the SHA-256 algorithm, which is currently considered secure for password encryption. In the `encryptPassword` method, the `MessageDigest` instance is now created with the "SHA-256" algorithm instead of "SHA-1". The rest of the method remains the same, as it simply performs the hashing operation and formats the result into a hexadecimal string. Please ensure that the server environment supports the SHA-256 algorithm. After updating the code, it is crucial to test it thoroughly to ensure that the password encryption and the overall functionality of the application are working as expected.

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