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**Why**: When a controller uses Strong Parameters such as: `params.require(:user).permit(:email)`, the `user` param is assumed to be a Hash, but it's easy for a pentester (for example) to set the `user` param to a String instead, which by default would raise a 500 error because the String class doesn't respond to `permit`. **How**: To get around that, we monkey patched the Ruby String class to raise an instance of `ActionController::ParameterMissing`, which will return a 400 error. 500 errors can potentially page people in the middle of the night, whereas 400 errors don't. Note that Devise handles this scenario gracefully in SessionsController, but because it determines whether or not to call `permit` based on whether or not the object responds to `permit`, the Devise code will end up calling `permit` because all Strings respond to it now after our monkey patch. This is why the `invalid_sign_in_params_spec` had to change.
jgsmith-usds
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Nov 7, 2018
zachmargolis
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Jan 11, 2023
This reverts commit b96b6e8.
zachmargolis
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Jan 11, 2023
Stop logging exceptions to NewRelic for error messages like > param is missing or the value is empty: #permit called on String Reverts our custom monkeypatch to add String#permit that throws this error intentionally, adds regression spec to make sure "fuzzing" input does not result in exception noise for us * Revert "LG-746 Return 400 error for invalid String params (#2648)" This reverts commit b96b6e8. [skip changelog]
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Why:
When a controller uses Strong Parameters such as:
params.require(:user).permit(:email), theuserparam is assumed tobe a Hash, but it's easy for a pentester (for example) to set the
userparam to a String instead, which by default would raise a 500error because the String class doesn't respond to
permit.How:
To get around that, we monkey patched the Ruby String class to raise an
instance of
ActionController::ParameterMissing, which will return a400 error. 500 errors can potentially page people in the middle of the
night, whereas 400 errors don't.
Note that Devise handles this scenario gracefully in SessionsController,
but because it determines whether or not to call
permitbased onwhether or not the object responds to
permit, the Devise code willend up calling
permitbecause all Strings respond to it now after ourmonkey patch. This is why the
invalid_sign_in_params_spechad tochange.
Hi! Before submitting your PR for review, and/or before merging it, please
go through the checklists below. These represent the more critical elements
of our code quality guidelines. The rest of the list can be found in
CONTRIBUTING.md
When adding a new controller that requires the user to be fully
authenticated, make sure to add
before_action :confirm_two_factor_authenticatedas the first callback.
Unsafe migrations are implemented over several PRs and over several
deploys to avoid production errors. The strong_migrations gem
will warn you about unsafe migrations and has great step-by-step instructions
for various scenarios.
Indexes were added if necessary. This article provides a good overview
of indexes in Rails.
Verified that the changes don't affect other apps (such as the dashboard)
When relevant, a rake task is created to populate the necessary DB columns
in the various environments right before deploying, taking into account the users
who might not have interacted with this column yet (such as users who have not
set a password yet)
Migrations against existing tables have been tested against a copy of the
production database. See LG-228 Make migrations safer and more resilient #2127 for an example when a migration caused deployment
issues. In that case, all the migration did was add a new column and an index to
the Users table, which might seem innocuous.
The changes are compatible with data that was encrypted with the old code.
GET requests are not vulnerable to CSRF attacks (i.e. they don't change
state or result in destructive behavior).
When adding user data to the session, use the
user_sessionhelperinstead of the
sessionhelper so the data does not persist beyond the user'ssession.
Tests added for this feature/bug
Prefer feature/integration specs over controller specs
When adding code that reads data, write tests for nil values, empty strings,
and invalid inputs.