Java Snippet #06
This challenge covers the review of a snippet of code written in Java
The Code Review Snippet challenge in question focuses on a Java class named Proxy that fetches data from a given URL. The method get(String uri) initializes a URL object from the provided uri, opens a stream to read data, and returns the data as a string. However, this implementation has a critical security vulnerability.
The vulnerability lies in the fact that the method does not validate the uri scheme. This allows an attacker to supply a file:// URL, enabling the reading of any local file on the server, such as sensitive configuration files or /etc/passwd. This flaw exposes the server to arbitrary local file read attacks, jeopardizing the confidentiality of the server’s data.