STRIDE Analysis

Threat Modeling

OWASP Juice Shop

STRIDE Threat Analysis

Using the STRIDE methodology, we categorised threats against the OWASP Juice Shop and identified the associated mitigations. Each card below summarises typical attacks and defences for a given category.

Spoofing

Threats

  • SQL Injection login bypass allows impersonation of administrators.
  • Guessable or weak admin credentials enable brute force attacks.
  • Session hijacking via stolen tokens.

Mitigations

  • Use parameterised queries to prevent injection.
  • Implement strong password policies and multi‑factor authentication.
  • Generate unpredictable session identifiers and enforce session timeouts.

Tampering

Threats

  • Manipulating API requests to alter orders or account data.
  • Injecting malicious JavaScript through reflected or DOM‑based XSS.
  • Bypassing access control to modify restricted pages.

Mitigations

  • Validate and sanitise all client‑supplied input.
  • Enforce strict Content‑Security‑Policy (CSP) headers.
  • Implement role‑based access controls (RBAC) and server‑side checks.

Repudiation

Threats

  • Attackers deleting or altering logs to conceal activities.
  • Insufficient logging for privileged actions.

Mitigations

  • Ensure comprehensive, tamper‑evident logging of all critical events.
  • Secure log storage and implement log integrity checks.
  • Regularly audit and monitor logs for anomalies.

Information Disclosure

Threats

  • Direct access to confidential documents via predictable URLs.
  • Directory listing of backup files and source code.
  • Verbose error messages revealing stack traces.

Mitigations

  • Restrict access to sensitive files and disable directory browsing.
  • Sanitise error responses and hide stack traces in production.
  • Encrypt data at rest and in transit.

Denial of Service

Threats

  • Brute force authentication or resource exhaustion through automated requests.
  • Abusing search functionality to overload the server.

Mitigations

  • Implement rate limiting and CAPTCHAs on sensitive endpoints.
  • Use load balancing and resource quotas to absorb spikes.
  • Monitor traffic patterns and employ a Web Application Firewall.

Elevation of Privilege

Threats

  • Broken access controls granting admin access to regular users.
  • Privilege escalation through unprotected admin routes (e.g., score board).

Mitigations

  • Adopt least‑privilege principles and robust authorisation checks.
  • Harden admin interfaces with authentication and segmentation.
  • Regularly test access controls using automated tools.

Risk Assessment Matrix

The matrix below rates the likelihood and impact of each identified vulnerability, yielding an overall risk level.

Vulnerability Likelihood Impact Risk Level
SQL Injection Login Bypass High High Critical
Weak Admin Password High High High
Reflected XSS Medium High High
DOM‑based XSS Medium Medium Medium
Confidential Document Exposure Medium Medium Medium
FTP Directory Listing Medium Low Low
Scoreboard Access High Medium High
Stack Trace Leak Low Low Low

Attack Surface Analysis

Understanding how data flows through the Juice Shop helps prioritise defences. Entry points, trust boundaries and data flows are summarised below.

Entry Points

  • Login and registration pages
  • Product catalogue and search
  • API endpoints for orders, comments and administration
  • File download endpoints (legal documents)

Trust Boundaries

  • Client browser ↔ Web server
  • Web server ↔ Application logic
  • Application ↔ Database
  • Admin interface ↔ User privileges

Data Flows

  • User credentials and sessions stored in the database
  • Orders and payments processed via APIs
  • Comments and search queries passed to backend services
  • File contents served from the file system

Strategic Recommendations

Security improvements should be prioritised over immediate, short‑term and long‑term horizons.

Immediate Actions

  • Sanitise user inputs and deploy parameterised queries across the codebase.
  • Reset the administrator password and enforce a strong complexity policy.
  • Disable directory listings and remove sensitive files from public folders.
  • Suppress verbose error messages in production.
Timeline: 1-7 days

Short‑Term Actions

  • Implement multi‑factor authentication for all admin accounts.
  • Adopt a Web Application Firewall and enable rate limiting.
  • Introduce centralised logging and monitoring with alerting.
  • Conduct a formal code review and penetration test.
Timeline: 1-3 months

Long‑Term Actions

  • Integrate security testing into the CI/CD pipeline.
  • Implement security awareness training for developers and staff.
  • Launch a responsible disclosure program or bug bounty.
  • Continuously re‑evaluate threat models as the application evolves.
Timeline: 6-12 months