FIO10-J. Do not let external processes block on IO buffers

The exec() method of the java.lang.Runtime class and the related ProcessBuilder.start() method can be used to invoke external programs. These programs may require input to be sent to their input stream, and they may also produce output on their output stream or error stream. Incorrect handling of such external programs can cause unexpected exceptions, denial of service, and other security problems.

A process that tries to read input on an empty input stream will block until input is supplied. Consequently, input must be supplied when invoking a process that expects input.

Output from an external process can exhaust the available buffer for the output or error stream. When this occurs, it can block the external process as well, preventing any forward progress for both the Java program and the external processes. Note that many platforms limit the buffer size available for the output streams. Consequently, when invoking an external process, if the process sends any data to its output stream, the process's output stream must be emptied. And if the process sends any data to its error stream, the error stream must also be emptied.

We will assume that the following code samples use the external command notemaker, a hypothetical cross-platform notepad application. We will also assume that notemaker does not read its input stream, but does send output to both its output stream and error stream.

Noncompliant Code Example (exitValue())

This noncompliant code example invokes notemaker using the exec() method, which returns an object of a subclass of the abstract class java.lang.Process. The exitValue() method returns the exit value for processes that have terminated, but it throws an IllegalThreadStateException when invoked on an active process. Because this noncompliant example program fails to wait for the notemaker process to terminate, the call to exitValue() is likely to throw an {IllegalThreadStateException}}.

public class Exec {
  public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException {
    Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
    Process proc = rt.exec("notemaker");
    int exitVal = proc.exitValue();
  }
}

Noncompliant Code Example (waitFor())

In this noncompliant code example, the waitFor() method blocks the calling thread until the invoked process terminates. This prevents the IllegalThreadStateException seen in the previous example. However, the example program may experience an arbitrary delay before termination. Output from the notemaker process can exhaust the available buffer for the output or error stream since neither stream is read while waiting for the process to complete. If either buffer becomes full, it can block the notemaker process as well, preventing all forward progress for both the notemake process and the Java program.

public class Exec {
  public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException {
    Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
    Process proc = rt.exec("notemaker");
    int exitVal = proc.waitFor();
  }
}

Noncompliant Code Example (input stream)

This noncompliant code example properly drains the input stream from the process, thereby preventing the input stream buffer from becoming full and blocking. However, it ignores the error stream, which can also fill and cause the process to block.

public class Exec {
  public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
    Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
    Process proc = rt.exec("notemaker");
    InputStream is = proc.getInputStream();
    int c;
    while ((c = is.read()) != -1)
      System.out.print((char) c);
    int exitVal = proc.waitFor();   
  }
}

Compliant Solution (redirectErrorStream())

This compliant solution redirects the process's error stream to its input stream. Thus, the program can drain the single output stream without fear of blockage.

public class Exec {
  public static void main(String args[]) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
    ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("notemaker");
    pb = pb.redirectErrorStream(true);
    Process proc = pb.start();
    InputStream is = proc.getInputStream();
    int c;
    while ((c = is.read()) != -1)
      System.out.print((char) c);
    int exitVal = proc.waitFor();   
  }
}

Compliant Solution (input stream and error stream)

This compliant solution spawns two threads to consume the input stream and error stream. Consequently, the process does not block.

When the output and error streams are handled separately, they must be drained independently. Failure to do so can cause the program to block indefinitely.

class StreamGobbler extends Thread {
  InputStream is;
  PrintStream os;

  StreamGobbler(InputStream is, PrintStream os) {
    this.is = is;
    this.os = os;
  }

  public void run() {
    try {
    int c;
    while ((c = is.read()) != -1)
      os.print((char) c);
    } catch (IOException x) {
      // handle error
    }
  }
}
	
public class Exec {
  public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException, InterruptedException {
	
    Runtime rt = Runtime.getRuntime();
    Process proc = rt.exec("notemaker");

    // Any error message?
    StreamGobbler errorGobbler = new StreamGobbler(proc.getErrorStream(), System.err);
	
    // Any output?
    StreamGobbler outputGobbler = new StreamGobbler(proc.getInputStream(), System.out);
	
    errorGobbler.start();
    outputGobbler.start();
	
    // Any error?
    int exitVal = proc.waitFor();
    errorGobbler.join();   // Handle condition where the
    outputGobbler.join();  // process ends before the threads finish 
  }
}

Exceptions

FIO10-EX0: A process that does not read input from its input stream need not have data supplied there. Likewise a process that does not send output to its output stream need not have its output stream emptied. And a proces that does not send output to its error stream need not have its error stream emptied.

Risk Assessment

Misuse of the exec() method can result in runtime exceptions and in denial of service vulnerabilities.

Related Vulnerabilities

GROOVY-3275

Bibliography

[[API 06]] method exec()
[[Daconta 00]]
[[Daconta 03]] Pitfall 1

FIO09-J. Detect and handle file-related errors      12. Input Output (FIO)      FIO11-J. Do not attempt to read raw binary data as character data