Course

The Code Review Patch challenges are designed to help you practice identifying vulnerabilities in code by providing you with both the original vulnerable code and the patch that fixes the issue. Initially, you should strive to find the vulnerability without looking at the patch. Once you've made your attempt, or if you find it too challenging, you can refer to the patch to understand the correction made. This method not only tests your ability to spot issues but also deepens your understanding of secure coding practices.

For example, in the provided RDFXMLParser.java file, the challenge involves understanding changes made to mitigate vulnerabilities, such as preventing XML External Entity (XXE) attacks by disabling external DTD processing. This lab illustrates the importance of secure XML parsing and encoding handling. By comparing the original and patched code, you gain insights into the nuances of securing XML inputs in Java applications.