SECURITY: generic API 500 responses expose internal Python tracebacks to clients #174

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opened 2026-09-09 15:05:23 +00:00 by nsaspy · 0 comments

nsaspy commented

2026-09-09 15:05:23 +00:00

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Finding

helpers/api.py::ApiHandler.handle_request() catches arbitrary exceptions and returns:

error = format_error(e)
PrintStyle.error(f"API error: {error}")
return Response(response=error, status=500, mimetype="text/plain")

helpers/errors.py::format_error() includes a Python traceback with source file paths, call stack, exception text and potentially values interpolated into exception messages.

Therefore unexpected errors from built-in, plugin, or user API handlers are returned verbatim to the HTTP client. This exposes implementation details and can leak sensitive path/config/value information when an exception contains it. If UI authentication is intentionally unset, requires_auth permits the request, increasing the importance of a safe production error boundary.

Direction

Separate client-safe errors from server diagnostics:

generate a request/error correlation ID
log the detailed traceback server-side with that ID
return a generic structured 500 payload to clients
allow an explicit development/debug mode to expose traces locally if desired, but never make detailed traces the default wire response
preserve intentional user-facing validation errors as typed 4xx responses rather than treating everything as generic 500

Acceptance

Unexpected API exceptions do not return Python stack frames, server filesystem paths or raw exception values to the client by default.
Server logs retain the detailed traceback with a correlation ID.
Client response includes a stable error code/correlation ID usable for diagnosis.
Plugin/user API handlers receive the same error boundary.
Explicit validation/authorization failures keep appropriate 4xx status and safe messages.
Development trace exposure, if retained, is explicit and cannot accidentally activate just because authentication is unset.
Regression test raises an exception containing a synthetic secret/path and proves neither appears in the default HTTP response.

Mirrored from lost-rob0t/a0-symbolics#36 via tracker sync.

## Finding `helpers/api.py::ApiHandler.handle_request()` catches arbitrary exceptions and returns: ```python error = format_error(e) PrintStyle.error(f"API error: {error}") return Response(response=error, status=500, mimetype="text/plain") ``` `helpers/errors.py::format_error()` includes a Python traceback with source file paths, call stack, exception text and potentially values interpolated into exception messages. Therefore unexpected errors from built-in, plugin, or user API handlers are returned verbatim to the HTTP client. This exposes implementation details and can leak sensitive path/config/value information when an exception contains it. If UI authentication is intentionally unset, `requires_auth` permits the request, increasing the importance of a safe production error boundary. ## Direction Separate client-safe errors from server diagnostics: - generate a request/error correlation ID - log the detailed traceback server-side with that ID - return a generic structured 500 payload to clients - allow an explicit development/debug mode to expose traces locally if desired, but never make detailed traces the default wire response - preserve intentional user-facing validation errors as typed 4xx responses rather than treating everything as generic 500 ## Acceptance - [ ] Unexpected API exceptions do not return Python stack frames, server filesystem paths or raw exception values to the client by default. - [ ] Server logs retain the detailed traceback with a correlation ID. - [ ] Client response includes a stable error code/correlation ID usable for diagnosis. - [ ] Plugin/user API handlers receive the same error boundary. - [ ] Explicit validation/authorization failures keep appropriate 4xx status and safe messages. - [ ] Development trace exposure, if retained, is explicit and cannot accidentally activate just because authentication is unset. - [ ] Regression test raises an exception containing a synthetic secret/path and proves neither appears in the default HTTP response. --- *Mirrored from [`lost-rob0t/a0-symbolics#36`](https://github.com/lost-rob0t/a0-symbolics/issues/36)* via tracker sync.

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