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Analyzing data flow in Java

You can use CodeQL to track the flow of data through a Java program to its use.

About this article

This article describes how data flow analysis is implemented in the CodeQL libraries for Java and includes examples to help you write your own data flow queries. The following sections describe how to use the libraries for local data flow, global data flow, and taint tracking.

For a more general introduction to modeling data flow, see “About data flow analysis.”

Local data flow

Local data flow is data flow within a single method or callable. Local data flow is usually easier, faster, and more precise than global data flow, and is sufficient for many queries.

Using local data flow

The local data flow library is in the module DataFlow, which defines the class Node denoting any element that data can flow through. Nodes are divided into expression nodes (ExprNode) and parameter nodes (ParameterNode). You can map between data flow nodes and expressions/parameters using the member predicates asExpr and asParameter:

class Node {
  /** Gets the expression corresponding to this node, if any. */
  Expr asExpr() { ... }

  /** Gets the parameter corresponding to this node, if any. */
  Parameter asParameter() { ... }

  ...
}

or using the predicates exprNode and parameterNode:

/**
 * Gets the node corresponding to expression `e`.
 */
ExprNode exprNode(Expr e) { ... }

/**
 * Gets the node corresponding to the value of parameter `p` at function entry.
 */
ParameterNode parameterNode(Parameter p) { ... }

The predicate localFlowStep(Node nodeFrom, Node nodeTo) holds if there is an immediate data flow edge from the node nodeFrom to the node nodeTo. You can apply the predicate recursively by using the + and * operators, or by using the predefined recursive predicate localFlow, which is equivalent to localFlowStep*.

For example, you can find flow from a parameter source to an expression sink in zero or more local steps:

DataFlow::localFlow(DataFlow::parameterNode(source), DataFlow::exprNode(sink))

Using local taint tracking

Local taint tracking extends local data flow by including non-value-preserving flow steps. For example:

String temp = x;
String y = temp + ", " + temp;

If x is a tainted string then y is also tainted.

The local taint tracking library is in the module TaintTracking. Like local data flow, a predicate localTaintStep(DataFlow::Node nodeFrom, DataFlow::Node nodeTo) holds if there is an immediate taint propagation edge from the node nodeFrom to the node nodeTo. You can apply the predicate recursively by using the + and * operators, or by using the predefined recursive predicate localTaint, which is equivalent to localTaintStep*.

For example, you can find taint propagation from a parameter source to an expression sink in zero or more local steps:

TaintTracking::localTaint(DataFlow::parameterNode(source), DataFlow::exprNode(sink))

Examples

This query finds the filename passed to new FileReader(..).

import java

from Constructor fileReader, Call call
where
  fileReader.getDeclaringType().hasQualifiedName("java.io", "FileReader") and
  call.getCallee() = fileReader
select call.getArgument(0)

Unfortunately, this only gives the expression in the argument, not the values which could be passed to it. So we use local data flow to find all expressions that flow into the argument:

import java
import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow

from Constructor fileReader, Call call, Expr src
where
  fileReader.getDeclaringType().hasQualifiedName("java.io", "FileReader") and
  call.getCallee() = fileReader and
  DataFlow::localFlow(DataFlow::exprNode(src), DataFlow::exprNode(call.getArgument(0)))
select src

Then we can make the source more specific, for example an access to a public parameter. This query finds where a public parameter is passed to new FileReader(..):

import java
import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow

from Constructor fileReader, Call call, Parameter p
where
  fileReader.getDeclaringType().hasQualifiedName("java.io", "FileReader") and
  call.getCallee() = fileReader and
  DataFlow::localFlow(DataFlow::parameterNode(p), DataFlow::exprNode(call.getArgument(0)))
select p

This query finds calls to formatting functions where the format string is not hard-coded.

import java
import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow
import semmle.code.java.StringFormat

from StringFormatMethod format, MethodAccess call, Expr formatString
where
  call.getMethod() = format and
  call.getArgument(format.getFormatStringIndex()) = formatString and
  not exists(DataFlow::Node source, DataFlow::Node sink |
    DataFlow::localFlow(source, sink) and
    source.asExpr() instanceof StringLiteral and
    sink.asExpr() = formatString
  )
select call, "Argument to String format method isn't hard-coded."

Exercises

Exercise 1: Write a query that finds all hard-coded strings used to create a java.net.URL, using local data flow. (Answer)

Global data flow

Global data flow tracks data flow throughout the entire program, and is therefore more powerful than local data flow. However, global data flow is less precise than local data flow, and the analysis typically requires significantly more time and memory to perform.

Note

You can model data flow paths in CodeQL by creating path queries. To view data flow paths generated by a path query in CodeQL for VS Code, you need to make sure that it has the correct metadata and select clause. For more information, see Creating path queries.

Using global data flow

You use the global data flow library by extending the class DataFlow::Configuration:

import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow

class MyDataFlowConfiguration extends DataFlow::Configuration {
  MyDataFlowConfiguration() { this = "MyDataFlowConfiguration" }

  override predicate isSource(DataFlow::Node source) {
    ...
  }

  override predicate isSink(DataFlow::Node sink) {
    ...
  }
}

These predicates are defined in the configuration:

  • isSource—defines where data may flow from
  • isSink—defines where data may flow to
  • isBarrier—optional, restricts the data flow
  • isAdditionalFlowStep—optional, adds additional flow steps

The characteristic predicate MyDataFlowConfiguration() defines the name of the configuration, so "MyDataFlowConfiguration" should be a unique name, for example, the name of your class.

The data flow analysis is performed using the predicate hasFlow(DataFlow::Node source, DataFlow::Node sink):

from MyDataFlowConfiguration dataflow, DataFlow::Node source, DataFlow::Node sink
where dataflow.hasFlow(source, sink)
select source, "Data flow to $@.", sink, sink.toString()

Using global taint tracking

Global taint tracking is to global data flow as local taint tracking is to local data flow. That is, global taint tracking extends global data flow with additional non-value-preserving steps. You use the global taint tracking library by extending the class TaintTracking::Configuration:

import semmle.code.java.dataflow.TaintTracking

class MyTaintTrackingConfiguration extends TaintTracking::Configuration {
  MyTaintTrackingConfiguration() { this = "MyTaintTrackingConfiguration" }

  override predicate isSource(DataFlow::Node source) {
    ...
  }

  override predicate isSink(DataFlow::Node sink) {
    ...
  }
}

These predicates are defined in the configuration:

  • isSource—defines where taint may flow from
  • isSink—defines where taint may flow to
  • isSanitizer—optional, restricts the taint flow
  • isAdditionalTaintStep—optional, adds additional taint steps

Similar to global data flow, the characteristic predicate MyTaintTrackingConfiguration() defines the unique name of the configuration.

The taint tracking analysis is performed using the predicate hasFlow(DataFlow::Node source, DataFlow::Node sink).

Flow sources

The data flow library contains some predefined flow sources. The class RemoteFlowSource (defined in semmle.code.java.dataflow.FlowSources) represents data flow sources that may be controlled by a remote user, which is useful for finding security problems.

Examples

This query shows a taint-tracking configuration that uses remote user input as data sources.

import java
import semmle.code.java.dataflow.FlowSources

class MyTaintTrackingConfiguration extends TaintTracking::Configuration {
  MyTaintTrackingConfiguration() {
    this = "..."
  }

  override predicate isSource(DataFlow::Node source) {
    source instanceof RemoteFlowSource
  }

  ...
}

Exercises

Exercise 2: Write a query that finds all hard-coded strings used to create a java.net.URL, using global data flow. (Answer)

Exercise 3: Write a class that represents flow sources from java.lang.System.getenv(..). (Answer)

Exercise 4: Using the answers from 2 and 3, write a query which finds all global data flows from getenv to java.net.URL. (Answer)

Answers

Exercise 1

import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow

from Constructor url, Call call, StringLiteral src
where
  url.getDeclaringType().hasQualifiedName("java.net", "URL") and
  call.getCallee() = url and
  DataFlow::localFlow(DataFlow::exprNode(src), DataFlow::exprNode(call.getArgument(0)))
select src

Exercise 2

import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow

class Configuration extends DataFlow::Configuration {
  Configuration() {
    this = "LiteralToURL Configuration"
  }

  override predicate isSource(DataFlow::Node source) {
    source.asExpr() instanceof StringLiteral
  }

  override predicate isSink(DataFlow::Node sink) {
    exists(Call call |
      sink.asExpr() = call.getArgument(0) and
      call.getCallee().(Constructor).getDeclaringType().hasQualifiedName("java.net", "URL")
    )
  }
}

from DataFlow::Node src, DataFlow::Node sink, Configuration config
where config.hasFlow(src, sink)
select src, "This string constructs a URL $@.", sink, "here"

Exercise 3

import java

class GetenvSource extends MethodAccess {
  GetenvSource() {
    exists(Method m | m = this.getMethod() |
      m.hasName("getenv") and
      m.getDeclaringType() instanceof TypeSystem
    )
  }
}

Exercise 4

import semmle.code.java.dataflow.DataFlow

class GetenvSource extends DataFlow::ExprNode {
  GetenvSource() {
    exists(Method m | m = this.asExpr().(MethodAccess).getMethod() |
      m.hasName("getenv") and
      m.getDeclaringType() instanceof TypeSystem
    )
  }
}

class GetenvToURLConfiguration extends DataFlow::Configuration {
  GetenvToURLConfiguration() {
    this = "GetenvToURLConfiguration"
  }

  override predicate isSource(DataFlow::Node source) {
    source instanceof GetenvSource
  }

  override predicate isSink(DataFlow::Node sink) {
    exists(Call call |
      sink.asExpr() = call.getArgument(0) and
      call.getCallee().(Constructor).getDeclaringType().hasQualifiedName("java.net", "URL")
    )
  }
}

from DataFlow::Node src, DataFlow::Node sink, GetenvToURLConfiguration config
where config.hasFlow(src, sink)
select src, "This environment variable constructs a URL $@.", sink, "here"