Verbose Error Handling (leaked stack traces)

← Code Quality & Build Config

verbose_error_handling   EASY

CategoryCode Quality & Build Config
OWASP Mobile (2024)M7
MASVSMASVS-CODE-2
MASWEMASWE-0061
MASTG (v2 tests)iOSMASTG-TEST-0084AndroidMASTG-TEST-0041
CWECWE-209CWE-497
PlatformAndroidiOS

Description

Error screens render full stack traces and internal details.

How it works

When something fails, the app dumps the full exception, stack trace, and internal context (DB DSN, config paths, API key) straight to the screen, mapping out the internals for an attacker. Users should see a generic message; details belong in server-side logs only.

How to exercise it. DVMA is the harness - open this module from the home index and tap the demo action. The screen ships the malicious input and simulates the attacker (e.g. the companion app, crafted intent, or scanned payload) in-process, and the evidence panel prints the proof. The Tools (optional) and Attack inputs below are only needed to reproduce the exploit end-to-end on a real device.

Exploit steps

  1. Set up. Build DVMA with a flavor that enables the Code Quality & Build Config category (e.g. --dart-define-from-file=config/flavors/dev.json) and run on an emulator/simulator you control. The demo needs no external tooling; for the optional on-device reproduction the relevant tools are: adb logcat, jadx.
  2. Locate the target. From the home index, open Verbose Error Handling (leaked stack traces) (verbose_error_handling). The How it works section above describes this module’s specific weakness; the screen states the intended-secure behavior and exposes the vulnerable action.
  3. Exploit. Statically inspect the shipped artifact (jadx, strings, nm, aapt dump badging) and confirm the build/quality weakness is present in the release binary.
  4. Observe the evidence. Trigger the vulnerable action and read the evidence panel - it prints the concrete proof (leaked value, accepted replay, executed payload, or unauthorized result).
  5. Contrast with the secure path. Run the module’s secure/hardened action (where provided) and confirm the same attack is rejected - this is what a correct implementation should do.
  6. Map it back. Cross-reference the MASTG v2 test(s) MASTG-TEST-0041, MASTG-TEST-0084 for the canonical procedure and remediation.

Tools (optional)