As suggested by \[[Ware|AA. Java References#Ware 08]\], instances from the class javax.net.ssl.SSLSocket should be created instead of normal Sockets when transferring objects over communication channels. SSLSockets provide a layer of security protocols such as SSL or TLS.

According to \[[Java API|AA. Java References#API 06]\] , the principal protections included in SSLSockets that are not provided by the Socket class are:

Integrity Protection. SSL protects against modification of messages by an active wiretapper.

Authentication. In most modes, SSL provides peer authentication. Servers are usually authenticated, and clients may be authenticated as requested by servers.

Confidentiality (Privacy Protection). In most modes, SSL encrypts data being sent between client and server. This protects the confidentiality of data, so that passive wiretappers won't see sensitive data such as financial information or personal information of many kinds.

Noncompliant code example

This example shows the use of regular Sockets for a server application. Using this kind of Sockets does not protect sensitive information while being in transit.

 
import java.net.ServerSocket;
import java.net.Socket;
import java.io.*; 

public class EchoServer { 
    public static void main(String[] args) { 
        try { 
	    ServerSocket serverSocket = new ServerSocket(10007); 
	    Socket socket = serverSocket.accept();
			
	    PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter( socket.getOutputStream(),true); 
	    BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader( socket.getInputStream())); 

	    String inputLine; 

	    while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null) { 
	        System.out.println (inputLine); 
	        out.println(inputLine); 
	    } 

	    out.close(); 
  	    in.close(); 
	    socket.close();  
	}
	catch (Exception e) { 
	    /*Handle exception*/
	}   
    }
}

Compliant solution

This is a better solution to the previous example, making use of SSLSockets. By doing so, packets are protected with SSL and TLS security protocols.

import javax.net.ssl.SSLServerSocket;
import javax.net.ssl.SSLServerSocketFactory;
import javax.net.ssl.SSLSocket;
import java.io.*;

public class EchoServer {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            SSLServerSocketFactory sslserversocketfactory = (SSLServerSocketFactory) SSLServerSocketFactory.getDefault();
            SSLServerSocket sslserversocket = (SSLServerSocket) sslserversocketfactory.createServerSocket(9999);
            SSLSocket sslsocket = (SSLSocket) sslserversocket.accept();

            PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter( sslsocket.getOutputStream(),true);
            BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader( sslsocket.getInputStream()));
            
            String inputLine; 
            
   	    while ((inputLine = in.readLine()) != null) { 
		System.out.println (inputLine); 
		out.println(inputLine); 
	    } 
			
	    out.close(); 
	    in.close(); 
	    sslsocket.close(); 
        } 
	catch (Exception e) { 
	    /*Handle exception*/
	} 
    }
}

Noncompliant code example

This is a similar insecure code for the client application.

 
import java.io.*;
import java.net.*;

public class EchoClient {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
	try {
 	    Socket socket = new Socket("localhost", 9999);
						
	    PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(socket.getOutputStream(), true);
	    BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(socket.getInputStream()));

	    BufferedReader stdIn = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
			
	    String userInput;

	    while ((userInput = stdIn.readLine()) != null) {
		out.println(userInput);
		System.out.println(in.readLine());
	    }

	    out.close();
	    in.close();
	    stdIn.close();
	    socket.close();
	}
	catch (Exception e) { 
	    /*Handle exception*/
	} 
    }
}

Compliant solution

This is the client application making use of SSLSockets.

import javax.net.ssl.SSLSocket;
import javax.net.ssl.SSLSocketFactory;
import java.io.*;

public class EchoClient {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            SSLSocketFactory sslsocketfactory = (SSLSocketFactory) SSLSocketFactory.getDefault();
            SSLSocket sslsocket = (SSLSocket) sslsocketfactory.createSocket("localhost", 9999);

  	    PrintWriter out = new PrintWriter(sslsocket.getOutputStream(), true);
	    BufferedReader in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(sslsocket.getInputStream()));
			
	    BufferedReader stdIn = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
            
	    String userInput;

	    while ((userInput = stdIn.readLine()) != null) {
		out.println(userInput);
		System.out.println(in.readLine());
	    }

	    out.close();
	    in.close();
	    stdIn.close();
	    sslsocket.close();		
        } 
	catch (Exception e) { 
	    /*Handle exception*/
	} 
    }
}

Risk assesment

Rule	Severity	Likelihood	Remediation Cost	Priority	Level
	medium	unlikely	low	P6	L2

References

\[[API 06|AA. Java References#API 06]\] 
\[[Ware 08|AA. Java References#Ware 08]\]