Each thread in Java is assigned to a thread group upon the thread's creation. These groups are implemented by the {{java.lang.ThreadGroup}} class. If the thread group name is not specified explicitly, the {{main}} default group is assigned by the JVM \[[Tutorials 2008|AA. Bibliography#Tutorials 08]\]. The convenience methods of the {{ThreadGroup}} class can be used to operate on all threads belonging to a thread group at once. For instance, the {{ThreadGroup.interrupt()}} method interrupts all threads in the thread group. Thread groups also help reinforce layered security by confining threads into groups so that they do not interfere with threads in other groups \[[JavaThreads 2004|AA. Bibliography#JavaThreads 04]\].
Even though thread groups are useful for keeping threads organized, programmers seldom benefit from their use because many of the methods of the {{ThreadGroup}} class are deprecated (for example, {{allowThreadSuspension(), resume(), stop() and suspend()}}). Furthermore, many non-deprecated methods are obsolete in that they offer little desirable functionality. Ironically, a few {{ThreadGroup}} methods are not even thread-safe \[[Bloch 2001|AA. Bibliography#Bloch 01]\].
Insecure, yet non-deprecated methods, include
* {{ThreadGroup.activeCount()}}
According to the Java API, the {{activeCount()}} method \[[API 2006|AA. Bibliography#API 06]\]
{quote}
returns an estimate of the number of active threads in this thread group.
{quote}
This method is often used as a precursor to thread enumeration. If a thread is not started, it continues to reside in the thread group and is considered to be active. Furthermore, the active count is affected by the presence of certain system threads \[[API 2006|AA. Bibliography#API 06]\]. Consequently, the _{{activeCount()}}_ method might not reflect the actual number of running tasks in the thread group.
* {{ThreadGroup.enumerate()}}
According to the Java API, {{ThreadGroup}} class documentation \[[API 2006|AA. Bibliography#API 06]\]
{quote}
\[The {{enumerate()}} method\] copies into the specified array every active thread in this thread group and its subgroups. An application should use the {{activeCount}} method to get an estimate of how big the array should be. If the array is too short to hold all the threads, the extra threads are silently ignored.
{quote}
Using the {{ThreadGroup}} APIs to shut down threads also has pitfalls. Because the {{stop()}} method is deprecated, alternative ways are required to stop threads. According to The Java Programming Language \[[JPL 2006|AA. Bibliography#JPL 06]\]
{quote}
One way is for the thread initiating the termination to join the other threads and so know when those threads have terminated. However, an application may have to maintain its own list of the threads it creates because simply inspecting the {{ThreadGroup}} may return library threads that do not terminate and for which join will not return.
{quote}
The {{Executor}} framework provides a better API for managing a logical grouping of threads and offers secure facilities for handling shutdown and thread exceptions \[[Bloch 2008|AA. Bibliography#Bloch 08]\].
h2. Noncompliant Code Example
This noncompliant code example contains a {{NetworkHandler}} class that maintains a {{controller}} thread. This thread delegates a new request to a worker thread. To demonstrate the race condition in this example, the {{controller}} thread services three requests by starting three threads in succession from its {{run()}} method. All threads are defined to belong to the {{Chief}} thread group.
{code:bgColor=#FFcccc}
final class HandleRequest implements Runnable {
public void run() {
// Do something
}
}
public final class NetworkHandler implements Runnable {
private static ThreadGroup tg = new ThreadGroup("Chief");
@Override public void run() {
new Thread(tg, new HandleRequest(), "thread1").start(); // Start thread 1
new Thread(tg, new HandleRequest(), "thread2").start(); // Start thread 2
new Thread(tg, new HandleRequest(), "thread3").start(); // Start thread 3
}
public static void printActiveCount(int point) {
System.out.println("Active Threads in Thread Group " + tg.getName() +
" at point(" + point + "):" + " " + tg.activeCount());
}
public static void printEnumeratedThreads(Thread[] ta, int len) {
System.out.println("Enumerating all threads...");
for(int i = 0; i < len; i++) {
System.out.println("Thread " + i + " = " + ta[i].getName());
}
}
public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
// Start thread controller
Thread thread = new Thread(tg, new NetworkHandler(), "controller");
thread.start();
Thread[] ta = new Thread[tg.activeCount()]; // Gets the active count (insecure)
printActiveCount(1); // P1
Thread.sleep(1000); // Delay to demonstrate TOCTOU condition (race window)
printActiveCount(2); // P2: the thread count changes as new threads are initiated
// Incorrectly uses the (now stale) thread count obtained at P1
int n = tg.enumerate(ta);
printEnumeratedThreads(ta, n); // Silently ignores newly initiated threads
// (between P1 and P2)
// This code destroys the thread group if it does not have any alive threads
for (Thread thr : ta) {
thr.interrupt();
while(thr.isAlive());
}
tg.destroy();
}
}
{code}
There is a time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability in this implementation because obtaining the count and enumerating the list do not constitute an atomic operation. If new requests occur after the call to {{activeCount()}} and before the call to {{enumerate()}} in the {{main()}} method, the total number of threads in the group will increase but the enumerated list {{ta}} will contain only the initial number, that is, two thread references: ({{main}} and {{controller}}). Consequently, the program will fail to account for the newly started threads in the {{Chief}} thread group.
Any subsequent use of the {{ta}} array is insecure. For example, calling the {{destroy()}} method to destroy the thread group and its sub-groups will not work as expected. The precondition to calling {{destroy()}} is that the thread group is empty with no executing threads. The code attempts to accomplish this by interrupting every thread in the thread group. However, when the {{destroy()}} method is called, the thread group is not empty, which causes a {{java.lang.IllegalThreadStateException}} to be thrown.
{mc} The other surprise is that after enumerating array ta, Chief also consists of a thread called "main" {mc}
h2. Compliant Solution
This compliant solution uses a fixed thread pool, rather than a {{ThreadGroup}}, to group its three tasks. The {{java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService}} interface provides methods to manage the thread pool. Note that there are no methods for finding the number of actively executing threads or for enumerating through them. However, the logical grouping can help control the behavior of the group as a whole. For instance, all threads belonging to a particular thread pool can be terminated by invoking the {{shutdownPool()}} method.
{code:bgColor=#ccccff}
public final class NetworkHandler {
private final ExecutorService executor;
NetworkHandler(int poolSize) {
this.executor = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(poolSize);
}
public void startThreads() {
for(int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
executor.execute(new HandleRequest());
}
}
public void shutdownPool() {
executor.shutdown();
}
public static void main(String[] args) {
NetworkHandler nh = new NetworkHandler(3);
nh.startThreads();
nh.shutdownPool();
}
}
{code}
Before Java SE 5.0, the {{ThreadGroup}} class had to be extended because there was no other direct way to catch an uncaught exception in a separate thread. If the application had installed an {{UncaughtExceptionHandler}}, it could only be controlled by subclassing {{ThreadGroup}}. In recent versions,{{UncaughtExceptionHandler}} is maintained on a per-thread basis using an interface enclosed by the {{Thread}} class, which leaves little to no functionality for the {{ThreadGroup}} class \[[Goetz 2006|AA. Bibliography#Goetz 06]\], \[[Bloch 2008|AA. Bibliography#Bloch 08]\].
Refer to rule [TPS03-J. Ensure that tasks executing in a thread pool do not fail silently] for more information on using uncaught exception handlers in thread pools.
h2. Risk Assessment
Using the {{ThreadGroup}} APIs may result in race conditions, memory leaks, and inconsistent object state.
|| GuidelineRule || Severity || Likelihood || Remediation Cost || Priority || Level ||
| THI01-J | low | probable | medium | {color:green}{*}P4{*}{color} | {color:green}{*}L3{*}{color} |
h3. Automated Detection
TODO
h3. Related Vulnerabilities
Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this rule on the [CERT website|https://www.kb.cert.org/vulnotes/bymetric?searchview&query=FIELD+KEYWORDS+contains+CON01-J].
h2. Bibliography
\[[API 2006|AA. Bibliography#API 06]\] Methods {{activeCount}} and {{enumerate}}, Classes ThreadGroup and Thread
\[[Bloch 01|AA. Bibliography#Bloch 01]\] Item 53: Avoid thread groups
\[[Bloch 2008|AA. Bibliography#Bloch 08]\] Item 73: Avoid thread groups
\[[Goetz 2006|AA. Bibliography#Goetz 06]\] Section 7.3.1, "Uncaught Exception Handlers"
\[[JavaThreads 04|AA. Bibliography#JavaThreads 04]\] 13.1 ThreadGroups
\[[JPL 2006|AA. Bibliography#JPL 06]\] 23.3.3. Shutdown Strategies
\[[SDN 2006|AA. Bibliography#SDN 06]\] Bug ID: 4089701 and 4229558
\[[Tutorials 2008|AA. Bibliography#Tutorials 08]\]
----
[!The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java^button_arrow_left.png!|THI00-J. Do not assume that the sleep(), yield() or getState() methods provide synchronization semantics] [!The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java^button_arrow_up.png!|09. Thread APIs (THI)] [!The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java^button_arrow_right.png!|THI02-J. Do not invoke Thread.run()]
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