Code Security Report: High Severity Vulnerabilities

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, ensuring the security of your code is paramount. A code security report serves as a critical tool in identifying vulnerabilities and safeguarding your applications from potential threats. This article delves into a recent code security report, highlighting the high-severity findings and providing insights into the vulnerabilities detected.

Decoding the Code Security Report

Before diving into the specifics, let's break down the key components of a code security report. Typically, these reports include scan metadata, a summary of the most relevant findings, an overview of vulnerabilities, and remediation suggestions. Understanding each section is crucial for effectively addressing the identified issues.

Scan Metadata: The Foundation

The scan metadata provides essential context for the report. This section typically includes the date and time of the latest scan, the total number of findings, the number of new and resolved findings, the number of files tested, and the programming languages detected. In the report we are examining, the latest scan was conducted on 2025-11-16 at 06:01 PM, revealing a total of 5 findings, all of which are new. The scan encompassed 18 project files and detected two programming languages: Python and Secrets.

Most Relevant Findings: A Deep Dive

This section presents a detailed analysis of the most critical vulnerabilities identified during the scan. The findings are typically categorized by severity, vulnerability type, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE), file location, data flows, and detection date. The report we are analyzing highlights three high-severity findings, all related to SQL Injection, and two medium-severity findings concerning Hardcoded Passwords/Credentials.

High Severity: SQL Injection Vulnerabilities

SQL Injection is a notorious web security vulnerability that allows attackers to interfere with the queries that an application makes to its database. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, modification of database content, or even complete compromise of the database server. The report identifies three instances of SQL Injection vulnerabilities in the libuser.py file.

• libuser.py:12: This vulnerability, classified under CWE-89, involves two data flows. The vulnerable code snippet can be found at https://github.com/SAST-UP-DP-STG/SAST-Test-Repo-0aa6036b-baaf-4702-8f6c-92443f836834/blob/f8940f09c52e0ce31a88525293b6391644fa4741/bad/libuser.py#L8-L17. The data flows trace back to mod_user.py and highlight the path through which user-supplied input can influence the SQL query.

  • Data Flow #1: mod_user.py#L17 -> mod_user.py#L20 -> libuser.py#L5 -> libuser.py#L12
  • Data Flow #2: mod_user.py#L16 -> mod_user.py#L20 -> libuser.py#L5 -> libuser.py#L12

  To mitigate this SQL Injection vulnerability, the report suggests using parameterized queries with the sqlite3 module. This approach safely injects user-supplied parameters into the SQL statement using placeholders, preventing attackers from manipulating the query structure. Secure Code Warrior also offers training material and videos on SQL Injection, along with further reading resources from OWASP and Real Python.

• libuser.py:25: Similar to the previous finding, this SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) also involves two data flows and is located in the same libuser.py file. The vulnerable code snippet can be found at https://github.com/SAST-UP-DP-STG/SAST-Test-Repo-0aa6036b-baaf-4702-8f6c-92443f836834/blob/f8940f09c52e0ce31a88525293b6391644fa4741/bad/libuser.py#L21-L30.

  • Data Flow #1: mod_user.py#L46 -> mod_user.py#L52 -> libuser.py#L20 -> libuser.py#L25
  • Data Flow #2: mod_user.py#L45 -> mod_user.py#L52 -> libuser.py#L20 -> libuser.py#L25

  The remediation suggestion and training resources are consistent with the previous SQL Injection finding, emphasizing the importance of parameterized queries and secure coding practices.

• libuser.py:53: This third SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) involves one data flow and is again located in libuser.py. The vulnerable code snippet can be found at https://github.com/SAST-UP-DP-STG/SAST-Test-Repo-0aa6036b-baaf-4702-8f6c-92443f836834/blob/f8940f09c52e0ce31a88525293b6391644fa4741/bad/libuser.py#L49-L58.

  • Data Flow: mod_user.py#L69 -> mod_user.py#L80 -> libuser.py#L46 -> libuser.py#L53

  The remediation advice remains the same: utilize parameterized queries to prevent SQL Injection attacks. The consistent recurrence of this vulnerability underscores the need for thorough code review and security training for developers.

Medium Severity: Hardcoded Passwords/Credentials

The report also identifies two medium-severity findings related to Hardcoded Passwords/Credentials. This vulnerability, classified under CWE-798, occurs when sensitive information like passwords or API keys are directly embedded in the code. This practice poses a significant security risk, as anyone with access to the code can potentially access these credentials.

• vulpy-ssl.py:13: The hardcoded credentials vulnerability in vulpy-ssl.py involves one data flow. The vulnerable code snippet can be found at https://github.com/SAST-UP-DP-STG/SAST-Test-Repo-0aa6036b-baaf-4702-8f6c-92443f836834/blob/f8940f09c52e0ce31a88525293b6391644fa4741/bad/vulpy-ssl.py#L9-L18.

  • Data Flow: vulpy-ssl.py#L13

  To address this vulnerability, developers should avoid hardcoding credentials and instead use secure methods for storing and retrieving sensitive information, such as environment variables, configuration files, or dedicated secret management systems. Secure Code Warrior offers training material and videos on this topic.

• vulpy.py:16: Similar to the previous finding, this hardcoded credentials vulnerability in vulpy.py also involves one data flow. The vulnerable code snippet can be found at https://github.com/SAST-UP-DP-STG/SAST-Test-Repo-0aa6036b-baaf-4702-8f6c-92443f836834/blob/f8940f09c52e0ce31a88525293b6391644fa4741/bad/vulpy.py#L12-L21.

  • Data Flow: vulpy.py#L16

  The remediation strategy remains the same: eliminate hardcoded credentials and adopt secure storage and retrieval mechanisms. The presence of this vulnerability in multiple files highlights the importance of establishing and enforcing secure coding standards across the development team.

Findings Overview: A Consolidated View

The findings overview provides a summary of the vulnerabilities categorized by severity, vulnerability type, CWE, language, and count. This section offers a consolidated view of the security landscape of the codebase. In this report, the overview reveals three high-severity SQL Injection vulnerabilities in Python code and two medium-severity Hardcoded Password/Credentials vulnerabilities, also in Python.

Key Takeaways and Remediation Strategies

This code security report underscores the critical importance of proactive security measures in software development. The presence of high-severity SQL Injection vulnerabilities necessitates immediate attention and remediation. Developers should prioritize the implementation of parameterized queries to safeguard against SQL Injection attacks. Furthermore, the identification of Hardcoded Passwords/Credentials highlights the need for secure credential management practices.

To effectively address these vulnerabilities and prevent future occurrences, organizations should:

1. Conduct regular code security scans: Employ static analysis tools and other security scanning techniques to identify vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle.
2. Implement secure coding practices: Establish and enforce secure coding standards, including guidelines for input validation, output encoding, and credential management.
3. Provide security training for developers: Equip developers with the knowledge and skills necessary to write secure code and avoid common vulnerabilities.
4. Utilize parameterized queries: Always use parameterized queries or prepared statements when interacting with databases to prevent SQL Injection attacks.
5. Securely manage credentials: Avoid hardcoding credentials in code and instead use secure methods for storing and retrieving sensitive information.
6. Conduct thorough code reviews: Implement a robust code review process to identify and address security vulnerabilities before they make it into production.

By adopting a proactive and comprehensive approach to code security, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of security breaches and protect their valuable assets.

Conclusion

In conclusion, understanding and addressing the findings of a code security report is a crucial step in maintaining a secure software environment. The report we analyzed highlighted the presence of high-severity SQL Injection vulnerabilities and medium-severity Hardcoded Passwords/Credentials issues. By implementing the recommended remediation strategies and fostering a culture of security awareness, organizations can strengthen their defenses against potential threats.

For further information on SQL Injection prevention, consider exploring the OWASP SQL Injection Prevention Cheat Sheet.