[theme-reviewers] Why Rigorous Review of Theme Functional Files is Important

Thu Jan 30 16:46:06 UTC 2014

> Sneak peek: when we begin discussing Guidelines Revisions (next week), I'm going to propose that options for arbitrary header/footer scripts are Plugin Territory.

Thank you! Can we add CSS to that? :)

On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 8:44 PM, Chip Bennett <chip at chipbennett.net> wrote:
> Sneak peek: when we begin discussing Guidelines Revisions (next week), I'm
> going to propose that options for arbitrary header/footer scripts are Plugin
> Territory.
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 11:40 AM, Konstantin Kovshenin <kovshenin at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> > So, if I make the The option of Custom Js available only to users with
>> > unfiltered_html capability, then the themes are good to go, right?
>>
>> That would make the theme more secure, yes, but ultimately it's up to
>> the reviewers and the guidelines on whether it's good to go or not.
>>
>> Again, my opinion is that Custom CSS and Custom JS are plugin
>> territory, which would stop theme authors from reinventing the wheel.
>> It would also mean that reviewers will spend less time auditing theme
>> code. And it would also mean that there's less risk of insecure code
>> ending up in the themes directory. Right, let's dump it all in the
>> plugins directory :)
>>
>> On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 8:34 PM, Rohit Tripathi <rohitink at live.com> wrote:
>> > Thanks Koveshenin.
>> >
>> > So, if I make the The option of Custom Js available only to users with
>> > unfiltered_html capability, then the themes are good to go, right?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 20:19:39 +0400
>> >> From: kovshenin at gmail.com
>> >
>> >> To: theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> >> Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] Why Rigorous Review of Theme Functional
>> >> Files is Important
>> >>
>> >> > I have just allowed the <script> tag in the text area. Is the script
>> >> > tag
>> >> > not acceptable at all? Or should I create a New Field, derivate of
>> >> > Textfield, and allow <script> in that?
>> >>
>> >> As Justin pointed out earlier, you should be checking whether the
>> >> current user can publish unfiltered html, and only then show your
>> >> custom js fields that allow script tags. Note that an some setups,
>> >> neither admins nor super admins have the unfiltered_html capability
>> >> for security reasons.
>> >>
>> >> Also, in my opinion, Custom CSS and especially Custom JS should not be
>> >> allowed in themes.
>> >>
>> >> On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 8:14 PM, Chip Bennett <chip at chipbennett.net>
>> >> wrote:
>> >> > Speaking in general terms, any Theme option must be properly
>> >> > sanitized/validated on input, and escaped on output, as appropriate.
>> >> > Specific sanitization/validation/escaping methods depend on the
>> >> > specific
>> >> > data type.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 11:12 AM, Rohit Tripathi <rohitink at live.com>
>> >> > wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I Use options framework for my theme options. I have just allowed
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> <script> tag in the text area. Is the script tag not acceptable at
>> >> >> all?
>> >> >> Or
>> >> >> should I create a New Field, derivate of Textfield, and allow
>> >> >> <script>
>> >> >> in
>> >> >> that?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Regards
>> >> >>
>> >> >> ________________________________
>> >> >> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 11:01:22 -0500
>> >> >>
>> >> >> From: chip at chipbennett.net
>> >> >> To: theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> >> >> Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] Why Rigorous Review of Theme
>> >> >> Functional
>> >> >> Files is Important
>> >> >>
>> >> >> It's example code, to show that an arbitrary script can be executed.
>> >> >> You
>> >> >> didn't really expect me to put actually dangerous code there, did
>> >> >> you?
>> >> >> :)
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 10:58 AM, Rohit Tripathi <rohitink at live.com>
>> >> >> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I am not sure, if asking this is lame. But, why is the entering
>> >> >> alert('text') in the header/footer codes area, being considered as
>> >> >> an
>> >> >> issue?
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Regards
>> >> >>
>> >> >> ________________________________
>> >> >> Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 10:40:22 -0500
>> >> >> From: chip at chipbennett.net
>> >> >> To: theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> >> >> Subject: Re: [theme-reviewers] Why Rigorous Review of Theme
>> >> >> Functional
>> >> >> Files is Important
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> In many cases, the issue is the lack of inherent sanitization when
>> >> >> using
>> >> >> the Theme Mods API with the Theme Customizer:
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> http://make.wordpress.org/themes/2014/01/30/using-the-theme-customizer-with-the-theme-mods-api/
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 10:21 AM, Justin Tadlock
>> >> >> <justin at justintadlock.com> wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> if ( !current_user_can( 'unfiltered_html' ) ) {
>> >> >> /* Sanitize. */
>> >> >> }
>> >> >>
>> >> >> All theme reviewers should be intimately familiar with this page:
>> >> >> http://codex.wordpress.org/Data_Validation
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On 1/30/2014 7:00 AM, Chip Bennett wrote:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Good morning, all,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Just as a reminder why it is imperative that our reviews are
>> >> >> thorough
>> >> >> and
>> >> >> complete, including a review of the Theme code and not merely a
>> >> >> Theme-Check/front-end review, I woke up this morning to several
>> >> >> emails
>> >> >> reporting various Theme security vulnerabilities. Here's a sampling:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> To reproduce:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 1. Add define( 'DISALLOW_UNFILTERED_HTML', true ); to wp-config.php
>> >> >> 2. Activate the theme, navigate to Theme Options, add an image logo
>> >> >> 3. In General Options - Logo Text, enter (as is, with quotes): "
>> >> >> onclick="javascript:alert(1);"
>> >> >> 4. Visit the homepage, click on the logo, boom.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 5. In Slider Options, add a slider image and use the following for
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> slider text: Foo bar <script>alert('baz');</script>
>> >> >> 6. Visit the home page, boom.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> To reproduce:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 1. Add define( 'DISALLOW_UNFILTERED_HTML', true ); to wp-config.php
>> >> >> 2. Activate the theme, go to Appearance - Theme Settings
>> >> >> 3. In More Text enter: <script>alert('xss');</script>
>> >> >> 4. Visit the home page.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> (you will have to have at least one post with a <!--more--> tag
>> >> >>
>> >> >> To reproduce:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 1. Add define( 'DISALLOW_UNFILTERED_HTML', true ); to wp-config.php
>> >> >> 2. Activate the Theme, navigate to Appearance - Theme
>> >> >> Options - Social Netowrks Configuration
>> >> >> 3. In Twitter URL enter: http://twitter.com/kovshenin'
>> >> >> onclick='alert(1);'
>> >> >> 4. Visit the home page and click the Twitter icon on the top right,
>> >> >> ouch. Other URL fields affected too.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 5. In Layout Settings - Footer enter: <script>alert(123)</script>
>> >> >> 6. Visit the front page, ouch
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 7. In Advertise Settings, Header Banner Alternative: '
>> >> >> onclick='alert(1)'
>> >> >> 8. Visit the front page and click the header banner, ouch
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 9. In Advertise Settings, Header Banner Link: http://foo.com'
>> >> >> onclick='alert("bar")
>> >> >> 10. Visit the front page and click the banner
>> >> >>
>> >> >> To reproduce:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 11. In Theme Options - Integration
>> >> >> 12. For header code: <script>alert('wow');</script>
>> >> >> 13. Body code: <script>alert('seriously?')</script>
>> >> >> 14. Visit the front page
>> >> >>
>> >> >> To reproduce:
>> >> >>
>> >> >> 15. in Theme Options - Colors, go to your browser JS console and
>> >> >> enter: jQuery('#cwp_templates_topbar_colorid_color').val('blue;"
>> >> >> onclick="javascript:alert(123);')
>> >> >> 16. Hit save changes, visit the front page
>> >> >> 17. The top bar is blue, try and click it. Probably all the color
>> >> >> fields in this theme are vulnerable to this.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> That these issues are appearing is approved/live Themes is exactly
>> >> >> the
>> >> >> reason that it takes so long to get through the approved-Theme
>> >> >> queue.
>> >> >> We
>> >> >> have to audit for these things, and the audits are turning into
>> >> >> complete
>> >> >> re-reviews in several cases.
>> >> >>
>> >> >> If you are uncomfortable with performing this level of review -
>> >> >> first:
>> >> >> don't worry. We've all been there. But the important thing is to ask
>> >> >> for
>> >> >> help. We have a team of 100 people, most/all of whom would be more
>> >> >> than
>> >> >> happy to lend a hand. We've all learned from each other. Post a
>> >> >> comment
>> >> >> in-ticket, or post to the mail-list, and ask for guidance.
>> >> >> Especially
>> >> >> when
>> >> >> it comes to Theme options, Theme code can get quite complex and
>> >> >> often
>> >> >> difficult to follow. Understanding how the Settings API works
>> >> >> sometimes
>> >> >> seems like it requires a master's degree. And developers all have
>> >> >> different
>> >> >> coding styles. It's completely understandable if someone needs a
>> >> >> second
>> >> >> pair
>> >> >> of eyes when reviewing a given Theme. So please: ask for help if you
>> >> >> need it
>> >> >> when reviewing.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> >> theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> >> >> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
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>> >> >> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________ theme-reviewers
>> >> >> mailing
>> >> >> list theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> >> >> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________ theme-reviewers
>> >> >> mailing
>> >> >> list theme-reviewers at lists.wordpress.org
>> >> >> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> >> http://lists.wordpress.org/mailman/listinfo/theme-reviewers
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >
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>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Konstantin
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Konstantin
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>
>
>
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-- 
Konstantin