security
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security [2016/10/30 05:04] – created stas | security [2016/11/11 13:16] – krakjoe | ||
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+ | ====== Meta ====== | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Authors: Release Managers | ||
+ | * Date: November 2016 | ||
+ | * Version: 1.0.0 | ||
+ | * RFC: [[rfc: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====== Introduction ====== | ||
+ | |||
For the sake of our users, we classify some of the issues found in PHP as " | For the sake of our users, we classify some of the issues found in PHP as " | ||
====== Classification ====== | ====== Classification ====== | ||
- | We classify as security issues bugs that allow users to execute unauthorized actions, cross security boundaries, access data that is not intended to be accessible, severely impact accessibility or performance of the system, etc. The purpose of this classification is to alert the users and the developers about the bugs that need to be prioritized in their handling. | + | We classify as security issues bugs that: |
+ | |||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
+ | | ||
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+ | The purpose of this classification is to alert the users and the developers about the bugs that need to be prioritized in their handling. | ||
We define three categories of security issues, by their severity, described below. Please note that this categorization is in many aspects subjective, so it ultimately relies on the judgement of the PHP developers. | We define three categories of security issues, by their severity, described below. Please note that this categorization is in many aspects subjective, so it ultimately relies on the judgement of the PHP developers. | ||
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===== High severity ===== | ===== High severity ===== | ||
- | This issue would allow third party to compromise any or most of the hosts running PHP, allowing to run arbitrary code or disable the system completely or access any file local PHP user can access. The issue can be triggered on any PHP install or on most typical PHP installs, and does not require exotic and non-recommended settings to be triggered. | + | These issues may allow: |
- | This category also involves | + | * third party to compromise any, or most installations of PHP |
+ | * the execution of arbitrary code | ||
+ | * disabling the system completely | ||
+ | * access to any file a local PHP user can access. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The issue can be triggered on any, or on most typical installations, | ||
+ | |||
+ | This category also includes | ||
This category also may include issues that require special code or code pattern if such code or pattern is present in many popular libraries. | This category also may include issues that require special code or code pattern if such code or pattern is present in many popular libraries. | ||
- | This kind of issues usually | + | This kind of issues usually |
===== Medium severity ===== | ===== Medium severity ===== | ||
+ | These issues may have the same potential to compromise an installation as a high severity issue, but may also require: | ||
- | This issue allows the same level of compromise as high severity issue, but requires particular and not commonly used extension, or particular type of settings, | + | * an extension that is not commonly used |
- | + | * a particular type of configuration | |
- | This category also may include issues that require special | + | * relies on old version of a third-party library being used |
+ | | ||
+ | * code that is very old, or extremely uncommon (and so is used infrequently) | ||
This kind of issues usually will have a CVE number, unless the required configuration is particularly exotic to the point it's not practically usable. | This kind of issues usually will have a CVE number, unless the required configuration is particularly exotic to the point it's not practically usable. | ||
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===== Low severity ===== | ===== Low severity ===== | ||
- | This issue allows theoretical compromise of security, but practical attack is usually impossible or extremely hard due to common practices or limitations that are virtually always present. | + | This issue allows theoretical compromise of security, but practical attack is usually impossible or extremely hard due to common practices or limitations that are virtually always present |
- | This also includes problems with configuration, | + | This also includes problems with configuration, |
- | Issues that can trigger unauthorized actions that do not seem to be useful for any practical attack can also be categorized as low severity. | + | Issues that can trigger unauthorized actions that do not seem to be useful for any practical attack can also be categorized as low severity. |
- | Low severity | + | Security |
- | ===== Not a security issue ===== | + | Low severity issues usually do not need to have CVE and may, at the discretion of the PHP developers, be disclosed publicly before the fix is released or available. |
- | We do not classify as a security issue any issue that requires the server to run specific code (unless it is a very simple frequently used pattern, such as starting a session, calling a constructor, | + | ===== Not a security issue ===== |
- | We do not classify as a security issue bugs in debug functions or stemming from the use of debug functionality - such as xdebug, var_dump, etc. - or from enabling settings documented as not recommended for production - such as error reporting to output, etc. | + | We do not classify as a security issue any issue that: |
- | We do not classify as security issue | + | * requires invocation of specific code, which may be valid but is obviously malicious |
+ | * requires invocation of functions with specific arguments, which may be valid but are obviously malicious | ||
+ | * requires specific actions to be performed on the server, which are not commonly performed, or are not commonly permissible for the user (uid) executing PHP | ||
+ | * requires privileges superior to that of the user (uid) executing PHP | ||
+ | * requires the use of debugging facilities - ex. xdebug, var_dump | ||
+ | * requires the use of settings not recommended for production - ex. error reporting to output | ||
+ | * requires the use of non-standard environment variables - ex. USE_ZEND_ALLOC | ||
+ | * requires the use of non-standard builds | ||
+ | * requires the use of code or settings known to be insecure | ||
====== Handling issues ====== | ====== Handling issues ====== | ||
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====== FAQ ====== | ====== FAQ ====== | ||
- | Q. How I report a security issue? | + | Q. How do I report a security issue?\\ |
- | A. Please report it on bugs.php.net, | + | A. Please report it on http://bugs.php.net, |
- | Q. What do you consider responsible disclosure? | + | Q. What do you consider |
- | A. Please report the issue as described above. Please communicate with the developers about when the fix will be released - usually it's the next monthly release after the bug was reported. Some issue can take longer. After the fix is released (releases usually happen on Thursday) please feel free to disclose the issue as you see fit. | + | A. Please report the issue as described above. Please communicate with the developers about when the fix will be released - usually it's the next monthly release after the bug was reported. Some issues |
- | Q. What if I think it's a security issue but developers disagree? | + | Q. What if I think it's a security issue but developers disagree?\\ |
- | A. Please read the above and try to explain us why it fits the description. | + | A. Please read the above and try to explain |
- | Q. What if developers still don't think it's a security issue? | + | Q. What if developers still don't think it's a security issue?\\ |
A. We'll have to agree to disagree. | A. We'll have to agree to disagree. | ||
- | Q. The bug I submitted was classified as "not a security issue", | + | Q. The bug I submitted was classified as "not a security issue", |
A. It has nothing to do with the bug being real or its importance to you. It just means it does not fit our specific definitions for issues that we will handle in a special way. We fix a lot of non-security bugs and pull requests are always welcome. | A. It has nothing to do with the bug being real or its importance to you. It just means it does not fit our specific definitions for issues that we will handle in a special way. We fix a lot of non-security bugs and pull requests are always welcome. | ||
- | Q. But you classified bug #424242 as security issue, but not this one?! | + | Q. But you classified bug #424242 as security issue, but not this one?!\\ |
A. Each bug usually has its aspects, if a short discussion does not yield agreement we'd rather do more fixing and less arguing. | A. Each bug usually has its aspects, if a short discussion does not yield agreement we'd rather do more fixing and less arguing. | ||
- | Q. Do you pay bounties for security issues? | + | Q. Do you pay bounties for security issues?\\ |
A. PHP is a volunteer project. We have no money, thus we can't pay them. | A. PHP is a volunteer project. We have no money, thus we can't pay them. | ||
security.txt · Last modified: 2024/01/30 17:35 by derick