Add dangerous type blacklist feature to Akka.Serialization.Hyperion (#5208)

* Add deserialization type blacklist security feature

* Add spec

* Fix spec

* Add documentation

* Improve documentation

Co-authored-by: Aaron Stannard <[email protected]>

Author: Arkatufus

docs/articles/networking/serialization.md

@@ -304,6 +304,57 @@ akka {
 }
 ```
 
+## Danger of polymorphic serializer
+One of the danger of polymorphic serializers is the danger of unsafe object type injection into 
+the serialization-deserialization chain. This issue applies to any type of polymorphic serializer,
+including JSON, BinaryFormatter, etc. In Akka, this issue primarily affects developers who allow third parties to pass messages directly 
+to unsecured Akka.Remote endpoints, a [practice that we do not encourage](https://getakka.net/articles/remoting/security.html#akkaremote-with-virtual-private-networks).
+
+Generally, there are two approaches you can take to alleviate this problem:
+1. Implement a schema-based serialization that are contract bound, which is more expensive to setup at first but fundamentally faster and more secure.
+2. Implement a filtering or blacklist to block dangerous types.
+
+An example of using a schema-based serialization in Akka can be read under the title "Using Google 
+Protocol Buffers to Version State and Messages" in [this documentation](https://petabridge.com/cluster/lesson3)
+
+Hyperion chose to implement the second approach by blacklisting a set of potentially dangerous types 
+from being deserialized:
+
+- System.Security.Claims.ClaimsIdentity
+- System.Windows.Forms.AxHost.State
+- System.Windows.Data.ObjectDataProvider
+- System.Management.Automation.PSObject
+- System.Web.Security.RolePrincipal
+- System.IdentityModel.Tokens.SessionSecurityToken
+- SessionViewStateHistoryItem
+- TextFormattingRunProperties
+- ToolboxItemContainer
+- System.Security.Principal.WindowsClaimsIdentity
+- System.Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity
+- System.Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal
+- System.CodeDom.Compiler.TempFileCollection
+- System.IO.FileSystemInfo
+- System.Activities.Presentation.WorkflowDesigner
+- System.Windows.ResourceDictionary
+- System.Windows.Forms.BindingSource
+- Microsoft.Exchange.Management.SystemManager.WinForms.ExchangeSettingsProvider
+- System.Diagnostics.Process
+- System.Management.IWbemClassObjectFreeThreaded
+
+Be warned that these class can be used as a man in the middle attack vector, but if you need 
+to serialize one of these class, you can turn off this feature using this inside your HOCON settings:
+```
+akka.actor.serialization-settings.hyperion.disallow-unsafe-type = false
+```
+
+> [!IMPORTANT]
+> This feature is turned on as default since Akka.NET v1.4.24
+
+> [!WARNING]
+> Hyperion is __NOT__ designed as a safe serializer to be used in an open network as a client-server 
+> communication protocol, instead it is designed to be used as a server-server communication protocol, 
+> preferably inside a closed network system.
+
 ## Cross platform serialization compatibility in Hyperion
 There are problems that can arise when migrating from old .NET Framework to the new .NET Core standard, mainly because of breaking namespace and assembly name changes between these platforms.
 Hyperion implements a generic way of addressing this issue by transforming the names of these incompatible names during deserialization.

src/contrib/serializers/Akka.Serialization.Hyperion.Tests/HyperionConfigTests.cs

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ public void Hyperion_serializer_should_have_correct_defaults()
                 Assert.True(serializer.Settings.VersionTolerance);
                 Assert.True(serializer.Settings.PreserveObjectReferences);
                 Assert.Equal("NoKnownTypes", serializer.Settings.KnownTypesProvider.Name);
+                Assert.True(serializer.Settings.DisallowUnsafeType);
             }
         }
 
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ public void Hyperion_serializer_should_allow_to_setup_custom_flags()
                     serialization-settings.hyperion {
                         preserve-object-references = false
                         version-tolerance = false
+                        disallow-unsafe-type = false
                     }
                 }
             ");
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ public void Hyperion_serializer_should_allow_to_setup_custom_flags()
                 Assert.False(serializer.Settings.VersionTolerance);
                 Assert.False(serializer.Settings.PreserveObjectReferences);
                 Assert.Equal("NoKnownTypes", serializer.Settings.KnownTypesProvider.Name);
+                Assert.False(serializer.Settings.DisallowUnsafeType);
             }
         }
 
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ public void Hyperion_serializer_should_allow_to_setup_custom_types_provider_with
                 Assert.True(serializer.Settings.VersionTolerance);
                 Assert.True(serializer.Settings.PreserveObjectReferences);
                 Assert.Equal(typeof(DummyTypesProviderWithDefaultCtor), serializer.Settings.KnownTypesProvider);
+                Assert.True(serializer.Settings.DisallowUnsafeType);
             }
         }
 
@@ -105,6 +109,7 @@ public void Hyperion_serializer_should_allow_to_setup_custom_types_provider_with
                 Assert.True(serializer.Settings.VersionTolerance);
                 Assert.True(serializer.Settings.PreserveObjectReferences);
                 Assert.Equal(typeof(DummyTypesProvider), serializer.Settings.KnownTypesProvider);
+                Assert.True(serializer.Settings.DisallowUnsafeType);
             }
         }
 

src/contrib/serializers/Akka.Serialization.Hyperion.Tests/HyperionSerializerSetupSpec.cs

@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Diagnostics;
+using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Runtime.Serialization;
+using System.Security.Claims;
+using System.Security.Principal;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Akka.Actor;
@@ -36,14 +42,16 @@ public void Setup_should_be_converted_to_settings_correctly()
         {
             var setup = HyperionSerializerSetup.Empty
                 .WithPreserveObjectReference(true)
-                .WithKnownTypeProvider<NoKnownTypes>();
+                .WithKnownTypeProvider<NoKnownTypes>()
+                .WithDisallowUnsafeType(false);
             var settings =
                 new HyperionSerializerSettings(
                     false, 
                     false, 
                     typeof(DummyTypesProvider), 
                     new Func<string, string>[] { s => $"{s}.." },
-                    new Surrogate[0]);
+                    new Surrogate[0],
+                    true);
             var appliedSettings = setup.ApplySettings(settings);
 
             appliedSettings.PreserveObjectReferences.Should().BeTrue(); // overriden
@@ -52,6 +60,7 @@ public void Setup_should_be_converted_to_settings_correctly()
             appliedSettings.PackageNameOverrides.Count().Should().Be(1); // from settings
             appliedSettings.PackageNameOverrides.First()("a").Should().Be("a..");
             appliedSettings.Surrogates.ToList().Count.Should().Be(0); // from settings
+            appliedSettings.DisallowUnsafeType.ShouldBe(false); // overriden
         }
 
         [Fact]
@@ -115,5 +124,31 @@ public void Setup_surrogate_should_work()
             surrogated.Count.Should().Be(1);
             surrogated[0].Should().BeEquivalentTo(expected);
         }
+
+        [Theory]
+        [MemberData(nameof(DangerousObjectFactory))]
+        public void Setup_disallow_unsafe_type_should_work(object dangerousObject, Type type)
+        {
+            var serializer = new HyperionSerializer((ExtendedActorSystem)Sys, HyperionSerializerSettings.Default);
+            var serialized = serializer.ToBinary(dangerousObject);
+            serializer.Invoking(s => s.FromBinary(serialized, type)).Should().Throw<SerializationException>();
+        }
+
+        public static IEnumerable<object[]> DangerousObjectFactory()
+        {
+            var isWindow = RuntimeInformation.IsOSPlatform(OSPlatform.Windows);
+            
+            yield return new object[]{ new FileInfo("C:\\Windows\\System32"), typeof(FileInfo) };
+            yield return new object[]{ new ClaimsIdentity(), typeof(ClaimsIdentity)};
+            if (isWindow)
+            {
+                yield return new object[]{ WindowsIdentity.GetAnonymous(), typeof(WindowsIdentity) };
+                yield return new object[]{ new WindowsPrincipal(WindowsIdentity.GetAnonymous()), typeof(WindowsPrincipal)};
+            }
+#if NET471
+            yield return new object[]{ new Process(), typeof(Process)};
+#endif
+            yield return new object[]{ new ClaimsIdentity(), typeof(ClaimsIdentity)};
+        }
     }
 }

src/contrib/serializers/Akka.Serialization.Hyperion/HyperionSerializer.cs

@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
-using System.Reflection;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using System.Runtime.Serialization;
 using Akka.Actor;
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ public HyperionSerializer(ExtendedActorSystem system, HyperionSerializerSettings
                     serializerFactories: null,
                     knownTypes: provider.GetKnownTypes(),
                     ignoreISerializable:true,
-                    packageNameOverrides: settings.PackageNameOverrides));
+                    packageNameOverrides: settings.PackageNameOverrides,
+                    disallowUnsafeTypes: settings.DisallowUnsafeType));
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -164,7 +165,8 @@ public sealed class HyperionSerializerSettings
             versionTolerance: true,
             knownTypesProvider: typeof(NoKnownTypes), 
             packageNameOverrides: new List<Func<string, string>>(),
-            surrogates: new Surrogate[0]);
+            surrogates: new Surrogate[0],
+            disallowUnsafeType: true);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a new instance of <see cref="HyperionSerializerSettings"/> using provided HOCON config.
@@ -185,7 +187,7 @@ public static HyperionSerializerSettings Create(Config config)
                 throw ConfigurationException.NullOrEmptyConfig<HyperionSerializerSettings>("akka.actor.serialization-settings.hyperion");
 
             var typeName = config.GetString("known-types-provider", null);
-            var type = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(typeName) ? Type.GetType(typeName, true) : null;
+            var type = !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(typeName) ? Type.GetType(typeName, true) : null;
 
             var framework = RuntimeInformation.FrameworkDescription;
             string frameworkKey;
@@ -232,7 +234,8 @@ public static HyperionSerializerSettings Create(Config config)
                 versionTolerance: config.GetBoolean("version-tolerance", true),
                 knownTypesProvider: type,
                 packageNameOverrides: packageNameOverrides,
-                surrogates: surrogates);
+                surrogates: surrogates,
+                disallowUnsafeType: config.GetBoolean("disallow-unsafe-type", true));
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -268,6 +271,12 @@ public static HyperionSerializerSettings Create(Config config)
         /// Hyperion directly.
         /// </summary>
         public readonly IEnumerable<Surrogate> Surrogates;
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// If set, will cause the Hyperion serializer to block potentially dangerous and unsafe types
+        /// from being deserialized during run-time
+        /// </summary>
+        public readonly bool DisallowUnsafeType;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a new instance of a <see cref="HyperionSerializerSettings"/>.
@@ -278,7 +287,7 @@ public static HyperionSerializerSettings Create(Config config)
         /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Raised when `known-types-provider` type doesn't implement <see cref="IKnownTypesProvider"/> interface.</exception>
         [Obsolete]
         public HyperionSerializerSettings(bool preserveObjectReferences, bool versionTolerance, Type knownTypesProvider)
-            : this(preserveObjectReferences, versionTolerance, knownTypesProvider, new List<Func<string, string>>())
+            : this(preserveObjectReferences, versionTolerance, knownTypesProvider, new List<Func<string, string>>(), new Surrogate[0], true)
         { }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -295,16 +304,8 @@ public HyperionSerializerSettings(
             bool versionTolerance, 
             Type knownTypesProvider, 
             IEnumerable<Func<string, string>> packageNameOverrides)
-        {
-            knownTypesProvider = knownTypesProvider ?? typeof(NoKnownTypes);
-            if (!typeof(IKnownTypesProvider).IsAssignableFrom(knownTypesProvider))
-                throw new ArgumentException($"Known types provider must implement an interface {typeof(IKnownTypesProvider).FullName}");
-
-            PreserveObjectReferences = preserveObjectReferences;
-            VersionTolerance = versionTolerance;
-            KnownTypesProvider = knownTypesProvider;
-            PackageNameOverrides = packageNameOverrides;
-        }
+            : this(preserveObjectReferences, versionTolerance, knownTypesProvider, packageNameOverrides, new Surrogate[0], true)
+        { }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a new instance of a <see cref="HyperionSerializerSettings"/>.
@@ -321,6 +322,26 @@ public HyperionSerializerSettings(
             Type knownTypesProvider, 
             IEnumerable<Func<string, string>> packageNameOverrides,
             IEnumerable<Surrogate> surrogates)
+            : this(preserveObjectReferences, versionTolerance, knownTypesProvider, packageNameOverrides, surrogates, true)
+        { }
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Creates a new instance of a <see cref="HyperionSerializerSettings"/>.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="preserveObjectReferences">Flag which determines if serializer should keep track of references in serialized object graph.</param>
+        /// <param name="versionTolerance">Flag which determines if field data should be serialized as part of type manifest.</param>
+        /// <param name="knownTypesProvider">Type implementing <see cref="IKnownTypesProvider"/> to be used to determine a list of types implicitly known by all cooperating serializer.</param>
+        /// <param name="packageNameOverrides">An array of package name overrides for cross platform compatibility</param>
+        /// <param name="surrogates">A list of <see cref="Surrogate"/> instances that are used to de/serialize complex objects into a much simpler serialized objects.</param>
+        /// <param name="disallowUnsafeType">Block unsafe types from being deserialized.</param>
+        /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Raised when `known-types-provider` type doesn't implement <see cref="IKnownTypesProvider"/> interface.</exception>
+        public HyperionSerializerSettings(
+            bool preserveObjectReferences, 
+            bool versionTolerance, 
+            Type knownTypesProvider, 
+            IEnumerable<Func<string, string>> packageNameOverrides,
+            IEnumerable<Surrogate> surrogates, 
+            bool disallowUnsafeType)
         {
             knownTypesProvider = knownTypesProvider ?? typeof(NoKnownTypes);
             if (!typeof(IKnownTypesProvider).IsAssignableFrom(knownTypesProvider))
@@ -331,6 +352,7 @@ public HyperionSerializerSettings(
             KnownTypesProvider = knownTypesProvider;
             PackageNameOverrides = packageNameOverrides;
             Surrogates = surrogates;
+            DisallowUnsafeType = disallowUnsafeType;
         }
     }
 }