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Home > CWE List > CWE-939: Improper Authorization in Handler for Custom URL Scheme (4.16)  
ID

CWE-939: Improper Authorization in Handler for Custom URL Scheme

Weakness ID: 939
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource.
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+ Description
The product uses a handler for a custom URL scheme, but it does not properly restrict which actors can invoke the handler using the scheme.
+ Extended Description
Mobile platforms and other architectures allow the use of custom URL schemes to facilitate communication between applications. In the case of iOS, this is the only method to do inter-application communication. The implementation is at the developer's discretion which may open security flaws in the application. An example could be potentially dangerous functionality such as modifying files through a custom URL scheme.
+ Potential Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

Utilize a user prompt pop-up to authorize potentially harmful actions such as those modifying data or dealing with sensitive information.

When designing functionality of actions in the URL scheme, consider whether the action should be accessible to all mobile applications, or if an allowlist of applications to interface with is appropriate.
+ Relationships
Section Help This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (CWE-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 862 Missing Authorization
Section Help This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (CWE-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1212 Authorization Errors
Section Help This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (CWE-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1011 Authorize Actors
+ Modes Of Introduction
Section HelpThe different Modes of Introduction provide information about how and when this weakness may be introduced. The Phase identifies a point in the life cycle at which introduction may occur, while the Note provides a typical scenario related to introduction during the given phase.
Phase Note
Implementation REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
+ Applicable Platforms
Section HelpThis listing shows possible areas for which the given weakness could appear. These may be for specific named Languages, Operating Systems, Architectures, Paradigms, Technologies, or a class of such platforms. The platform is listed along with how frequently the given weakness appears for that instance.

Technologies

Class: Mobile (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

This iOS application uses a custom URL scheme. The replaceFileText action in the URL scheme allows an external application to interface with the file incomingMessage.txt and replace the contents with the text field of the query string.

External Application

(good code)
Example Language: Objective-C 
NSString *stringURL = @"appscheme://replaceFileText?file=incomingMessage.txt&text=hello";
NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:stringURL];
[[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:url];

Application URL Handler

(bad code)
 

- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application handleOpenURL:(NSURL *)url {
if (!url) {
return NO;
}
NSString *action = [url host];
if([action isEqualToString: @"replaceFileText"]) {
NSDictionary *dict = [self parseQueryStringExampleFunction:[url query]];
//this function will write contents to a specified file
FileObject *objectFile = [self writeToFile:[dict objectForKey: @"file"] withText:[dict objectForKey: @"text"]];
}
return YES;
}

The handler has no restriction on who can use its functionality. The handler can be invoked using any method that invokes the URL handler such as the following malicious iframe embedded on a web page opened by Safari.

(attack code)
Example Language: HTML 
<iframe src="appscheme://replaceFileText?file=Bookmarks.dat&text=listOfMaliciousWebsites">

The attacker can host a malicious website containing the iframe and trick users into going to the site via a crafted phishing email. Since Safari automatically executes iframes, the user is not prompted when the handler executes the iframe code which automatically invokes the URL handler replacing the bookmarks file with a list of malicious websites. Since replaceFileText is a potentially dangerous action, an action that modifies data, there should be a sanity check before the writeToFile:withText: function.


Example 2

These Android and iOS applications intercept URL loading within a WebView and perform special actions if a particular URL scheme is used, thus allowing the Javascript within the WebView to communicate with the application:

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
// Android
@Override
public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url){
if (url.substring(0,14).equalsIgnoreCase("examplescheme:")){
if(url.substring(14,25).equalsIgnoreCase("getUserInfo")){
writeDataToView(view, UserData);
return false;
}
else{
return true;
}
}
}
(bad code)
Example Language: Objective-C 
// iOS
-(BOOL) webView:(UIWebView *)exWebView shouldStartLoadWithRequest:(NSURLRequest *)exRequest navigationType:(UIWebViewNavigationType)exNavigationType
{
NSURL *URL = [exRequest URL];
if ([[URL scheme] isEqualToString:@"exampleScheme"])
{
NSString *functionString = [URL resourceSpecifier];
if ([functionString hasPrefix:@"specialFunction"])
{

// Make data available back in webview.
UIWebView *webView = [self writeDataToView:[URL query]];
}
return NO;
}
return YES;
}

A call into native code can then be initiated by passing parameters within the URL:

(attack code)
Example Language: JavaScript 
window.location = examplescheme://method?parameter=value

Because the application does not check the source, a malicious website loaded within this WebView has the same access to the API as a trusted site.


+ Observed Examples
Reference Description
URL scheme has action replace which requires no user prompt and allows remote attackers to perform undesired actions.
URL scheme has action follow and favorite which allows remote attackers to force user to perform undesired actions.
+ Memberships
Section HelpThis MemberOf Relationships table shows additional CWE Categories and Views that reference this weakness as a member. This information is often useful in understanding where a weakness fits within the context of external information sources.
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Usage: ALLOWED

(this CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities)

Reason: Acceptable-Use

Rationale:

This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.

Comments:

Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.
+ References
[REF-938] Guillaume Ross. "Scheming for Privacy and Security". 2013-11-11. <https://brooksreview.net/2013/11/guest-post_scheming-for-privacy-and-security/>. URL validated: 2023-04-07.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2014-01-14
(CWE 2.6, 2014-02-19) 		CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2017-01-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Modes_of_Introduction, References, Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
Page Last Updated: November 19, 2024
 

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