BoxLang Security

Overview

BoxLang inherits both the power and the historical attack surface of ColdFusion/CFML and the JVM. This skill documents security patterns and runtime controls to help build secure applications from the ground up.

Runtime Security Configuration (boxlang.json)

"security": {
    // Regex patterns — prevent dangerous Java class access
    "disallowedImports": [
        "java\\.lang\\.(ProcessBuilder|Runtime)",
        "java\\.io\\.(FileWriter|PrintWriter)",
        "java\\.lang\\.reflect\\."
    ],
    // BIFs that should be disabled in production web apps
    "disallowedBifs": [
        "createObject",
        "systemExecute",
        "getSystemInfo"
    ],
    // Components that should be disabled in production
    "disallowedComponents": [
        "execute"
    ],
    // Prevent system properties from leaking into server scope
    "populateServerSystemScope": false,
    // Explicit upload whitelist (overrides disallowed list)
    "allowedFileOperationExtensions": [ "jpg", "png", "pdf", "docx" ],
    // Dangerous executable extensions blocked on file upload and copy/move
    "disallowedFileOperationExtensions": [
        "exe", "bat", "sh", "bx", "bxm", "bxs", "php", "jsp", "jar", "dll"
    ]
}

Injection Prevention

SQL Injection

NEVER build SQL with string concatenation. Always use QueryParam:

// BAD — SQL injection vulnerability
var result = queryExecute(
    "SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = '#email#'"
)

// GOOD — parameterized query (prevents SQL injection)
var result = queryExecute(
    "SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = :email",
    { email: { value: arguments.email, cfsqltype: "cf_sql_varchar" } }
)

// GOOD — struct shorthand
var result = queryExecute(
    "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = :id AND status = :status",
    {
        id:     { value: arguments.id,     cfsqltype: "cf_sql_integer" },
        status: { value: arguments.status, cfsqltype: "cf_sql_varchar" }
    }
)

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Encode all user-supplied output in HTML context:

// BAD — raw user input rendered in HTML
<bx:output>#userComment#</bx:output>

// GOOD — HTML encode before output
<bx:output>#encodeForHTML( userComment )#</bx:output>

// For HTML attribute context
<input value="#encodeForHTMLAttribute( userInput )#">

// For JavaScript context
<script>var name = "#encodeForJavaScript( userName )#";</script>

// For URL context
<a href="/search?q=#encodeForURL( searchTerm )#">Search</a>

Use the right encoding function per context:

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

// Generate a token per session/form
var token = generateSecureToken()
session.csrfToken = token

// In the form template
<input type="hidden" name="csrfToken" value="#session.csrfToken#">

// Validate on POST
function onRequestStart( required string targetPage ) {
    if ( cgi.request_method == "POST" ) {
        if ( !structKeyExists( form, "csrfToken" ) ||
             form.csrfToken != session.csrfToken ) {
            throw( type="SecurityException", message="CSRF validation failed" )
        }
    }
    return true
}

File Upload Security

Always validate file uploads before processing:

function handleUpload( required string fieldName ) {
    // Restrict to explicit allowed types and extensions
    var upload = fileUpload(
        destination    = getTempDirectory(),
        filefield      = arguments.fieldName,
        accept         = "image/jpeg,image/png,application/pdf",
        nameconflict   = "makeunique"
    )

    // Validate extension explicitly regardless of MIME type
    var allowedExtensions = [ "jpg", "jpeg", "png", "pdf" ]
    if ( !allowedExtensions.contains( lCase( upload.serverFileExt ) ) ) {
        fileDelete( upload.serverDirectory & "/" & upload.serverFile )
        throw( type="SecurityException", message="Disallowed file type" )
    }

    // Validate file size
    var maxSizeBytes = 5 * 1024 * 1024  // 5 MB
    if ( upload.fileSize > maxSizeBytes ) {
        fileDelete( upload.serverDirectory & "/" & upload.serverFile )
        throw( type="SecurityException", message="File too large" )
    }

    // Store outside the webroot, serve via handler — never serve raw uploads
    var safePath = expandPath( "/private/uploads/" ) & createUUID() & "." & upload.serverFileExt
    fileMove( upload.serverDirectory & "/" & upload.serverFile, safePath )

    return safePath
}

Secrets Management

Never hardcode secrets. Use environment variables via the BoxLang config:

// boxlang.json — uses env var substitution
"datasources": {
    "mainDB": {
        "driver":   "postgresql",
        "host":     "${env.DB_HOST:localhost}",
        "username": "${env.DB_USERNAME:app}",
        "password": "${env.DB_PASSWORD}"   // No default — fail fast if missing
    }
}

In code, access via environment (not hardcoded):

// GOOD — read from environment
var apiKey    = server.system.environment.PAYMENT_API_KEY ?: ""
var jwtSecret = server.system.environment.JWT_SECRET ?: ""

if ( apiKey.isEmpty() ) {
    throw( type="ConfigException", message="PAYMENT_API_KEY is not configured" )
}

Authentication Patterns

Password Hashing

// GOOD — bcrypt-style hash (use bx-bcrypt module or GeneratePBKDFKey)
var salt   = generateSecureToken( 32 )
var hashed = hash( arguments.password & salt, "SHA-512" )

// Even better — use a dedicated BCrypt module
// install bx-bcrypt
var bcrypt  = new BCrypt()
var hashed  = bcrypt.hashpw( plainPassword, bcrypt.gensalt() )

// Verify
var isMatch = bcrypt.checkpw( loginPassword, storedHash )

JWT / Token Validation

// Always validate before trusting any token data
function validateToken( required string token ) {
    try {
        // Use the bx-jwt module
        var claims = jwtService.decode( arguments.token )

        // Validate expiry
        if ( claims.exp < epochSecond() ) {
            throw( type="AuthException", message="Token expired" )
        }

        return claims
    } catch ( "JWT" e ) {
        throw( type="AuthException", message="Invalid token" )
    }
}

Session Security

Configure session settings in Application.bx:

class {
    this.name              = "MyApp"
    this.sessionManagement = true
    this.sessionTimeout    = createTimeSpan( 0, 2, 0, 0 )  // 2 hours

    // Rotate session ID after login (session fixation prevention)
    function onLogin( required struct user ) {
        var oldData = duplicate( session )
        sessionRotate()  // BoxLang BIF to regenerate session ID
        structDelete( session, "ALL" )
        structAppend( session, oldData )
        session.userId    = user.id
        session.isLoggedIn = true
    }
}

Path Traversal Prevention

Validate all user-supplied file paths:

function readFile( required string filename ) {
    var safeBase   = expandPath( "/app/uploads/" )
    var fullPath   = safeBase & arguments.filename
    var cleanPath  = createObject( "java", "java.io.File" ).init( fullPath ).getCanonicalPath()

    // Ensure the resolved path is within the allowed directory
    if ( !cleanPath.startsWith( safeBase ) ) {
        throw( type="SecurityException", message="Path traversal detected" )
    }

    return fileRead( cleanPath )
}

Input Validation

// Validate and sanitize input at the boundary
function processContactForm( required struct form ) {
    var errors = []

    // Length limits
    if ( form.name.len() > 100 ) errors.append( "Name too long" )

    // Email format
    if ( !isValid( "email", form.email ) ) errors.append( "Invalid email" )

    // Numeric ranges
    if ( !isNumeric( form.age ) || form.age < 0 || form.age > 150 ) {
        errors.append( "Invalid age" )
    }

    // Allowlist for enum-style fields
    var validTopics = [ "support", "sales", "billing" ]
    if ( !validTopics.contains( lCase( form.topic ) ) ) {
        errors.append( "Invalid topic" )
    }

    if ( !errors.isEmpty() ) {
        throw( type="ValidationException", message=errors.toList( ", " ) )
    }
}

Remote Function Exposure (Web Services)

When exposing class functions as web-accessible endpoints, explicitly control access:

class {
    remote struct function getUser( required numeric id ) returnformat="json" {
        // Always authenticate remote calls
        if ( !isAuthenticated() ) {
            httpSetResponseStatus( 401 )
            return { error: "Unauthorized" }
        }

        // Validate and sanitize the id parameter
        if ( !isValid( "integer", arguments.id ) || arguments.id < 1 ) {
            httpSetResponseStatus( 400 )
            return { error: "Invalid user ID" }
        }

        return userService.getById( arguments.id )
    }
}

Production Hardening Checklist

• [ ] Set populateServerSystemScope: false unless needed
• [ ] Configure disallowedBifs to remove dangerous BIFs (systemExecute, createObject if not needed)
• [ ] Configure disallowedImports for Java class access restrictions
• [ ] Set disallowedComponents: ["execute"] to prevent OS command execution
• [ ] All secrets via environment variables — none in code or committed config
• [ ] All SQL via parameterized queries (queryParam)
• [ ] All user output HTML-encoded with context-appropriate encoding functions
• [ ] CSRF tokens on all state-changing forms
• [ ] File uploads stored outside webroot, validated by extension and size
• [ ] Session timeouts configured; session rotated on privilege elevation
• [ ] Enable trustedCache: true and classResolverCache: true in production
• [ ] HTTPS enforced at the reverse proxy or container level
• [ ] Dependency modules kept up to date (check box outdated)