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The Programs must use the javax.net.ssl.SSLSocket class must be used instead of rather than the java.net.Socket socket class when transferring sensitive data over insecure communication channels. The class SSLSockets SSLSocket provides security protocols such as Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) to ensure that the channel is not vulnerable to eavesdropping and malicious tampering.

Wiki MarkupThe principal protections included in {{SSLSockets}} that are not provided by the {{Socket}} class are \[[Java API|AA. Bibliography#API 06]\]in SSLSocket that are not provided by the Socket class are [API 2014]:

• Integrity Protection. : SSL protects against modification of messages by an active wiretapper.
• Authentication. : In most modes, SSL provides peer authentication. Servers are usually authenticated, and clients may be authenticated as requested by servers.
• Confidentiality (Privacy Protectionprivacy protection). : In most modes, SSL encrypts data being sent between client and server. This protects the confidentiality of data , so that passive wiretappers won't see sensitive data such as financial information or personal information of many kinds.

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It is also important to use SSL for secure Remote Method Invocation secure remote method invocation (RMI) communications because RMI depends on object serialization , and serialized data must be safeguarded in transit. Gong et al. \[Gong, Ellison, and Dageforde [Gong 2003|AA. Bibliography#Gong 03]\] describe how to secure RMI communications using {{SSLSockets}}using SSLSocket.

Note that this rule lacks any assumptions about the integrity of the data being sent down a socket. For information about ensuring data integrity, see SER02-J. Sign then seal objects before sending them outside a trust boundary.

Noncompliant Code Example

This noncompliant code example shows the use of regular sockets for a server application that does not fails to protect sensitive information in transit. The insecure code for the corresponding client application follows the server's code.

  
// Exception handling has been omitted for the sake of brevity
class EchoServer { 
  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    ServerSocket serverSocket = null;
    try {
      serverSocket = new ServerSocket(100079999); 
      Socket socket = serverSocket.accept();
			
      PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(socket.getOutputStream(), true); 
      BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(
                  new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream())); 
      String inputLine; 
      while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null) { 
        System.out.println(inputLine); 
        out.println(inputLine); 
      }
    } finally {
      if (serverSocket != null) {
        try {
          serverSocket.close();
        } catch (IOException x) {
          //  System.err.println(x.toString());Handle error
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

class EchoClient {
  public static void main(String[] args) 
                          throws UnknownHostException, IOException {
    Socket socket = null;
    try {
      socket = new Socket("localhost", 9999);
						
      PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(socket.getOutputStream(), true);
      BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(
                  new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream()));

      BufferedReader stdIn = new BufferedReader(
                   new InputStreamReader(System.in));
			
      String userInput;
      while ((userInput = stdIn.readLine()) != null) {
        out.println(userInput);
        System.out.println(in.readLine());
      } 

    } finally {
      if (socket != null) {
        try {
          socket.close();
        } catch (IOException x) {
        System.err.println(x.toString());  // Handle error
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Note that the sockets are properly closed in accordance with ERR05-J. Do not let checked exceptions escape from a finally block. While merely printing close exceptions is frowned upon, the exceptions may be suppresed as per EX0 of ERR00-J. Do not suppress or ignore checked exceptions.

Compliant Solution

This compliant solution makes use of SSLSockets uses SSLSocket to protect packets using the SSL/TLS security protocols.:

// Exception handling has been omitted for the sake of brevity
class EchoServer {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    SSLServerSocket sslServerSocket = null;
    try {
      SSLServerSocketFactory sslServerSocketFactory =
          (SSLServerSocketFactory) SSLServerSocketFactory.getDefault();
      sslServerSocket = (SSLServerSocket) sslServerSocketFactory.
                        createServerSocket(9999);
      SSLSocket sslSocket = (SSLSocket) sslServerSocket.accept();

      PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter( sslSocket.getOutputStream(),true);
      BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(
                  new InputStreamReader( sslSocket.getInputStream()));
      
      String inputLine;       
      while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null) { 
        System.out.println(inputLine); 
        out.println(inputLine); 
      } 

    } finally {
      if (sslServerSocket != null) {
        try {
          sslServerSocket.close();
        } catch (IOException x) {
        System.err.println(x.toString());  // Handle error
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

class EchoClient {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException {
    SSLSocket sslSocket = null;
    try {
      SSLSocketFactory sslSocketFactory =
          (SSLSocketFactory) SSLSocketFactory.getDefault();
      sslSocket = 
          (SSLSocket) sslSocketFactory.createSocket("localhost", 9999);

      PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(sslSocket.getOutputStream(), true);
      BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(
                  new InputStreamReader(sslSocket.getInputStream()));
			
      BufferedReader stdIn = new BufferedReader(
                   new InputStreamReader(System.in));
      
      String userInput;
      while ((userInput = stdIn.readLine()) != null) {
        out.println(userInput);
        System.out.println(in.readLine());
      }
    } finally {
      } finallyif (sslSocket != null) {
        try {
          sslSocket.close();
        } catch (IOException x) {
          // Handle error
        System.err.println(x.toString());}
      }
    }
  }
}

Note Programs that a program that makes use of SSLSockets use SSLSocket will block indefinitely if it tries they attempt to connect to a port that is not using SSL. Similarly, a program that does not use SSLSockets SSLSocket will block when trying attempting to establish a connection through a port that uses SSLdoes use SSL.

Note that SSLSocket does not validate host names, so providing an arbitrary host name to an SSLSocket is still vulnerable to a man-in-the-middle attack. Host names should be validated separately. The HttpsURLConnection class validates host names and is a suitable solution for secure web sockets.

Exceptions

SEC15MSC00-J-EX1EX0: Because of the mechanisms that SSLSockets provide SSLSocket provides to ensure the secure transfer of packets, significant performance overhead may result. If no sensitive information is being transmitted, or the channel is not prone to attacks, regular Sockets are sufficient.

Risk assesment

Using plain sockets instead of SSLSockets means that the data's confidentiality and integrity is not guaranteed.

Regular sockets are sufficient under the following circumstances:

• The data being sent over the socket is not sensitive.
• The data is sensitive but properly encrypted (see SER02-J. Sign then seal objects before sending them outside a trust boundary for more information).
• The network path of the socket never crosses a trust boundary. This could happen when, for example, the two endpoints of the socket are within the same local network and the entire network is trusted.

Risk Assessment

Use of plain sockets fails to provide any guarantee of the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted over those sockets.

Automated Detection

The general case of automated detection appears to be infeasible , as because determining which specific data may be passed through the socket is not statically computable. An approach that introduces a custom API for passing sensitive data via secure sockets may be feasible. User tagging of sensitive data would be is a necessary requirement for such an approach.

Related Vulnerabilities

Search for vulnerabilities resulting from the violation of this guideline on the CERT website.

Bibliography

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Related Guidelines

Bibliography

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Image Added Image Added Image Added Communications" \[[MITRE 2009|AA. Bibliography#MITRE 09]\] [CWE ID 311|http://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/311.html] "Failure to Encrypt Sensitive Data" \[[Ware 2008|AA. Bibliography#Ware 08]\]void SEC14-J. Provide sensitive mutable classes with unmodifiable wrappers      14. Platform Security (SEC)      SEC16-J. Sign and seal sensitive objects before transit