[DERBY-6617] Silently swallowed SecurityExceptions may disable Derby features, including security features.

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Fixed
• Affects Version/s: 10.11.1.1
• Fix Version/s: 10.11.1.3, 10.12.1.1
• Component/s: Services
• Urgency: Normal
• Bug behavior facts: Security
• Assignee: Dag H. Wanvik
• Reporter: Richard N. Hillegas
• Created: 17/Jun/14 17:51
• Updated: 09/Sep/16 12:53
• Resolved: 13/Aug/14 18:51

Description

When the Monitor tries to read Derby properties, it silently swallows SecurityExceptions. This means that the properties will be silently ignored if Derby has not been granted sufficient privileges. This means that if you make a mistake crafting your security policy, then you may disable authentication and authorization. You may not realize this until you have incurred a security breach. This swallowing occurs at the following code locations:

org.apache.derby.impl.services.monitor.BaseMonitor readApplicationProperties Catch java.lang.SecurityException 1 line 1360
org.apache.derby.impl.services.monitor.BaseMonitor runWithState Catch java.lang.SecurityException 0 line 280
org.apache.derby.impl.services.monitor.FileMonitor PBgetJVMProperty Catch java.lang.SecurityException 1 line 183
org.apache.derby.impl.services.monitor.FileMonitor PBinitialize Catch java.lang.SecurityException 1 line 120

SecurityExceptions are swallowed at other locations in the Monitor. The implications of these swallowings should be understood and, at a minimum, security problems should be fixed:

org.apache.derby.impl.services.monitor.FileMonitor PBinitialize Catch java.lang.SecurityException 1 line 157
org.apache.derby.impl.services.monitor.FileMonitor createDaemonGroup Catch java.lang.SecurityException 1 line 89

Issue Links

• relates to: DERBY-6655 Missing FilePermission makes boot fail with NPE