shell/SECURITY-REVIEW-SUMMARY.md

Shell Scripts Security Review Summary

Review Date: $(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S') Reviewer: GitHub Copilot Security Analysis Scope: All shell scripts in /home/acedanger/shell/

Executive Summary

A comprehensive security review was conducted on all shell scripts within the repository. One CRITICAL vulnerability was identified and fixed, along with several moderate security concerns that require attention.

Critical Findings (FIXED)

1. Command Injection Vulnerability - update-containers.sh ✅ FIXED

• Severity: CRITICAL
• Status: RESOLVED
• Description: Multiple unquoted variables could allow command injection
• Original Issues:
  • Line 26: for IMAGE in $IMAGES_WITH_TAGS; do - unquoted variable expansion
  • Line 29: docker pull $IMAGE 2> $ERROR_FILE - unquoted variables
  • Line 31: ERROR=$(cat $ERROR_FILE | grep "not found") - unquoted variable
• Resolution: Complete script rewrite with proper variable quoting, input validation, and secure error handling

High-Risk Findings

1. Remote Code Execution via curl | bash

• Severity: HIGH
• Files Affected:
  • /home/acedanger/shell/setup/debian-patches.sh (Line 176)
  • /home/acedanger/shell/setup/setup.sh (Lines 552, 564)
• Description: Direct execution of remote scripts without verification
• Risk: Allows arbitrary code execution if external sources are compromised
• Recommendation: Download scripts first, verify checksums, then execute

2. Excessive Privilege Usage

• Severity: MEDIUM-HIGH
• Files Affected:
  • /home/acedanger/shell/setup/startup.sh (Lines 45, 46, 65, 66)
  • Multiple Plex scripts using sudo extensively
• Description: Wide use of chmod 777 and unrestricted sudo usage
• Risk: Potential privilege escalation and security boundary violations
• Recommendation: Use principle of least privilege, specific permissions

Moderate Findings

1. Path Traversal Risk

• Severity: MEDIUM
• Files: Various scripts using find -exec and file operations
• Status: Generally secure due to controlled input sources
• Recommendation: Continue current practices with input validation

2. SQL Operations Security

• Severity: MEDIUM
• Files: Plex database scripts
• Status: Well implemented with proper escaping and validation
• Assessment: Industry-standard security practices observed

Positive Security Implementations

1. Immich Scripts - Exemplary Security ✅

• Location: /home/acedanger/shell/immich/
• Assessment: Industry-standard security implementations
• Features:
  • Comprehensive input validation
  • Proper variable quoting throughout
  • SQL injection prevention
  • Path traversal protection
  • Container security best practices
  • Detailed security documentation

2. Recent Security Improvements ✅

• Plex Scripts: Added comprehensive headers with security notes
• Documentation: Enhanced with security considerations
• Error Handling: Robust error handling patterns implemented

Security Recommendations

Immediate Actions Required

1. Address curl | bash patterns:

   # Replace:
   curl -s https://example.com/script.sh | bash
   
   # With:
   TEMP_SCRIPT=$(mktemp)
   curl -s https://example.com/script.sh -o "$TEMP_SCRIPT"
   # Optionally verify checksum
   bash "$TEMP_SCRIPT"
   rm -f "$TEMP_SCRIPT"
   

2. Review privilege usage:

   • Replace chmod 777 with specific permissions (644, 755, etc.)
   • Limit sudo usage to specific commands
   • Use service-specific users where possible

3. Enhance input validation:

   • Validate all external inputs
   • Sanitize user-provided paths
   • Implement bounds checking for numerical inputs

Long-term Security Enhancements

1. Implement security scanning in CI/CD:

   • Add ShellCheck to automated testing
   • Include security-focused linting
   • Regular vulnerability assessments

2. Create security standards document:

   • Coding guidelines for secure shell scripting
   • Required security patterns
   • Prohibited practices

3. Regular security reviews:

   • Quarterly security assessments
   • Peer review of security-critical changes
   • Update security practices based on new threats

Compliance Status

✅ Security Controls Implemented

• Input validation (most scripts)
• Error handling and logging
• Proper file permissions (most cases)
• Container security practices
• Database security patterns

❌ Security Controls Needed

• Remote script download verification
• Reduced privilege usage
• Formalized security documentation
• Automated security testing

Risk Assessment

Category	Risk Level	Count	Status
Critical	HIGH	1	✅ FIXED
Command Injection	HIGH	0	✅ RESOLVED
Remote Execution	MEDIUM-HIGH	3	⚠️ NEEDS ATTENTION
Privilege Escalation	MEDIUM	5	⚠️ REVIEW NEEDED
Path Traversal	LOW-MEDIUM	1	✅ ACCEPTABLE
SQL Injection	LOW	0	✅ PROTECTED

Conclusion

The security review revealed one critical vulnerability that has been successfully resolved. The repository demonstrates strong security practices in most areas, with the Immich scripts serving as excellent examples of secure implementation.

The primary remaining concerns are related to remote script execution patterns and excessive privilege usage, which should be addressed in the next development cycle.

Overall Security Rating: B+ (Good, with room for improvement)

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This review was conducted using automated analysis tools and manual inspection. Regular security reviews are recommended to maintain security posture.

Post-Implementation Notes

Remaining Low-Priority Items (Addressed in Future Releases)

The following items were identified but marked as low-priority due to their testing-only context:

1. Docker Test Files (LOW PRIORITY)
   • setup/Dockerfile: Contains chmod -R 777 /logs for test environments
   • setup/test-setup.sh: Uses chmod -R 777 /logs in testing context
   • Risk Assessment: LOW - Only affects testing environments, not production
   • Recommendation: Update in next maintenance cycle

These items do not affect production security and are acceptable for testing environments.

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