Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
Add whitelist for set_user() target
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
The guc variable `set_user.nosuperuser_target_whitelist can be used to
limit the roles that any user can become when given access to execute
set_user(). Previously, anyone with access to call set_user() could
become any user that was not a superuser. This allowed for bypassing
some security features by becoming the owner of an object. With the
addition of a whitelist around the allowed target roles to set_user()
the scope of set_user can be limited to an approved list.

With the default of set_user.nosuperuser_target_whitelist being '*'
this change is backwards compatible and can be installed on existing
configurations, without reconfiguring. This has no effect on the current
superuser_whitelist. As it is only called on when the target role is not
a superuser.

Discussion in: #18
  • Loading branch information
scrummyin committed Jun 27, 2018
1 parent e0ea5a9 commit be3b6da
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Showing 2 changed files with 65 additions and 11 deletions.
65 changes: 54 additions & 11 deletions README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ again for reset.
* list of user roles (i.e. `<role1>, <role2>,...,<roleN>`)
* Group roles may be indicated by `+<roleN>`
* The wildcard character `*`
* set_user.dest_role_whitelist = `'<role list>'`
* `<role list>` can contain any of the following:
* list of user roles (i.e. `<role1>, <role2>,...,<roleN>`)
* Group roles may be indicated by `+<roleN>`
* The wildcard character `*`
* To make use of the optional `set_user` and `reset_user` hooks, please refer to
the [hooks](#post-execution-hooks) section.

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -63,13 +68,13 @@ Specifically, when an allowed user executes `set_user('rolename')` or
* [Post-execution hook](#post_set_user_hook) for `set_user` is called if it is set.

Only users with `EXECUTE` permission on `set_user_u('rolename')` may escalate to
superuser. Additionally, only roles explicitly listed or included by a group
that is explicitly listed (e.g. `'+admin'`) in `set_user.superuser_whitelist`
can escalate to superuser. If `set_user.superuser_whitelist` is explicitly set
to the empty set, `''`, superuser escalation is blocked for all users. If the
whitelist is equal to the wildcard character, `'*'`, all users with `EXECUTE`
permission on `set_user_u()` can escalate to superuser. The default value of
`set_user.superuser_whitelist` is `'*'`.
superuser. Additionally, all rules in [Superuser Whitelist](#superuser-whitelist-rules-and-logic)
apply to `set_user.superuser_whitelist` and `set_user_u('rolename')`.

User's calling `set_user('rolename')` can only transition to roles listed or
included in `set_user.dest_role_whitelist` (defaults to all roles). Additionally
the logic in [Nosuperuser Whitelist](#nosuperuser-target-whitelist-rules-and-logic)
applies to `current_user` when `set_user()` is invoked.

Additionally, with `set_user('rolename','token')` the `token` is stored for the
lifetime of the session.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -134,10 +139,8 @@ Alternatively, transitions can be made to superusers through use of
SELECT set_user_u('postgres');
```

**Note:** Superuser escalation is only allowed for the roles listed in
`set_user.superuser_whitelist`. If the whitelist is equal to `'*'`, all roles
that have been granted `EXECUTE` on `set_user_u` can escalate to superuser.
This is the default setting of `set_user.superuser_whitelist`.
**Note:** See rules in [Superuser Whitelist](#superuser-whitelist-rules-and-logic)
for logic around calling set_user_u. See

Once one or more unprivileged users are able to run `set_user_u()` in order to
escalate their privileges, the superuser account (typically `postgres`) can be
Expand All @@ -149,6 +152,43 @@ to ensure there are no other PostgreSQL roles existing which are both superuser
and can log in. Additionally there must be no unprivileged PostgreSQL roles
which have been granted access to one of the existing superuser roles.

#### Superuser Whitelist Rules and Logic

The following rules govern escalation to superuser via the set_user_u('rolename')
function:

* current_user must be GRANTed EXECUTE ON FUNCTION set_user_u('rolename') OR
current_user must be the OWNER of the set_user_u function OR current_user must
be a superuser.
* current_user must be listed in set_user.superuser_whitelist OR current_user
must belong to a group that is listed in set_user.superuser_whitelist
(e.g. '+admin')
* If set_user.superuser_whitelist is the empty set , '', superuser escalation is
blocked for all users.
* If set_user.superuser_whitelist is the wildcard character, '*', all users
with EXECUTE permission on set_user_u('rolename') can escalate to superuser.
* If set_user.superuser_whitelist is not specified, the value defaults to the
wildcard character, '*'.

#### Nosuperuser Target Whitelist Rules and Logic

The following rules govern non-superuser role transitions through use of the
set_user('rolename') function:

* current_user must be GRANTed EXECUTE ON FUNCTION set_user('rolename') OR
current_user must be the OWNER of the set_user function OR current_user must
be a superuser.
* The destination rolename must be listed in set_user.nosuperuser_target_whitelist
OR the destination rolename must belong to a group that is listed in
set_user.nosuperuser_target_whitelist (e.g. '+client')
* If set_user.dest_role_whitelist is the empty set , '', set_user transitioning
to non-superusers is blocked for all users.
* If set_user.dest_role_whitelist is the wildcard character, '*', all users
with EXECUTE permission on set_user('rolename') can transition to any other
non-superuser role.
* If set_user.dest_user_whitelist is not specified, the value defaults to the
wildcard character, '*'.

#### Perform Actions With Enhanced Logging

Once a transition has been made, the current session behaves as if it has the
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -361,6 +401,7 @@ set_user.block_alter_system = off #defaults to "on"
set_user.block_copy_program = off #defaults to "on"
set_user.block_log_statement = off #defaults to "on"
set_user.superuser_whitelist = '' #defaults to '*'
set_user.dest_role_whitelist = '' #defaults to '*'
```

Finally, restart PostgreSQL (method may vary):
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -432,6 +473,8 @@ shared_preload_libraries = 'set_user, <extension_name>'
* `set_user.block_log_statement = on`
* Allow list of roles to escalate to superuser
* `set_user.superuser_whitelist = '<role1>,<role2>,...,<roleN>'`
* Allowed list of roles that can be switched to (not used in set_user_u)
* `set_user.dest_role_whitelist = '<role1>,<role2>,...,<roleN>'`


## Examples
Expand Down
11 changes: 11 additions & 0 deletions set_user.c
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ static bool Block_CP = false;

static bool Block_LS = false;
static char *SU_Whitelist = NULL;
static char *NOSU_TargetWhitelist = NULL;
static char *SU_AuditTag = NULL;

#ifdef HAS_TWO_ARG_GETUSERNAMEFROMID
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -349,6 +350,11 @@ set_user(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
errmsg("switching to superuser not allowed"),
errhint("Add current user to set_user.superuser_whitelist.")));
}
else if(!check_user_whitelist(NewUserId, NOSU_TargetWhitelist))
ereport(ERROR,
(errcode(ERRCODE_INSUFFICIENT_PRIVILEGE),
errmsg("switching to role is not allowed"),
errhint("Add the role to set_user.nosuperuser_target_whitelist.")));

/* keep track of original userid and value of log_statement */
save_OldUserId = OldUserId;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -467,6 +473,11 @@ _PG_init(void)
NULL, &Block_LS, true, PGC_SIGHUP,
0, NULL, NULL, NULL);

DefineCustomStringVariable("set_user.nosuperuser_target_whitelist",
"List of roles that can be an argument to set_user",
NULL, &NOSU_TargetWhitelist, WHITELIST_WILDCARD, PGC_SIGHUP,
0, NULL, NULL, NULL);

DefineCustomStringVariable("set_user.superuser_whitelist",
"Allows a list of users to use set_user_u for superuser escalation",
NULL, &SU_Whitelist, WHITELIST_WILDCARD, PGC_SIGHUP,
Expand Down

0 comments on commit be3b6da

Please sign in to comment.