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Cleartext storage of sensitive information in a local database

ID: swift/cleartext-storage-database
Kind: path-problem
Security severity: 7.5
Severity: warning
Precision: high
Tags:
   - security
   - external/cwe/cwe-312
Query suites:
   - swift-code-scanning.qls
   - swift-security-extended.qls
   - swift-security-and-quality.qls

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Sensitive information that is stored unencrypted in a database is accessible to an attacker who gains access to that database. For example, the information could be accessed by any process or user in a rooted device, or exposed through another vulnerability.

Recommendation

Either encrypt the entire database, or ensure that each piece of sensitive information is encrypted before being stored. In general, decrypt sensitive information only at the point where it is necessary for it to be used in cleartext. Avoid storing sensitive information at all if you do not need to keep it.

Example

The following example shows three cases of storing information using the Core Data library. In the ‘BAD’ case, the data that is stored is sensitive (a credit card number) and is not encrypted. In the ‘GOOD’ cases, the data is either not sensitive, or is protected with encryption. When encryption is used, take care to select a secure modern encryption algorithm, and put suitable key management practices into place.

import CryptoKit

private func encrypt(_ text: String, _ encryptionKey: SymmetricKey) -> String {
	let sealedBox = try! AES.GCM.seal(Data(text.utf8), using: encryptionKey)
	return sealedBox.combined!.base64EncodedString()
}

func storeMyData(databaseObject : NSManagedObject, faveSong : String, creditCardNo : String, encryptionKey: SymmetricKey) {
	// ...

	// GOOD: not sensitive information
	databaseObject.setValue(faveSong, forKey: "myFaveSong")

	// BAD: sensitive information saved in cleartext
	databaseObject.setValue(creditCardNo, forKey: "myCreditCardNo")

	// GOOD: encrypted sensitive information saved
	databaseObject.setValue(encrypt(creditCardNo, encryptionKey), forKey: "myCreditCardNo")

	// ...
}

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