What is Shadow Code? | Risks & Solutions

Shadow code is any code introduced into an application without formal approval or security validation. It is the application development equivalent of Shadow IT.
Shadow code introduces unknown risks into the application and makes it difficult for the business to ensure data security and privacy, and to comply with regulations.

Open source libraries and third-party scripts are two primary sources of shadow code. These may call other scripts, creating a digital supply chain of fourth-, fifth- and Nth-party scripts powering your web applications and websites from the shadows. 

Shadow Code takes many forms. Here are just some of the ways it spreads through your web applications:

• Open source libraries used in scripts developed and hosted by you
• Legitimate third-party scripts introduced without a formal approval process
• Fourth-, fifth- or Nth-party scripts that are loaded by your vendor without your direct knowledge
• Malicious scripts such as digital skimmers injected through brute-force attacks on your infrastructure or through your script supply chain
• Third-party plugins for your Content Management Systems or e-commerce platform
• Malicious code injected into first-party scripts by rogue insiders

Shadow Code Examples:

• Social sharing buttons, e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Advertising iframes, e.g., Google Ads, Facebook
• Payment iframes, e.g., Braintree, Paypal, Stripe, WePay
• Chatbots, e.g., [24]7.ai, Inbenta, Intercom
• Analytics and metrics scripts, e.g.. Google Analytics, Heap, HotJar
• A/B testing scripts for experiments, e.g.. Optimizely, Google Optimize
• Helper libraries, e.g,. jQuery, animation libraries

Application developers often rely on open source libraries and third-party code in order to innovate faster and keep pace with evolving business needs.  Industry estimates show that up to 70% of the scripts running on a typical website are third-party. This creates an opportunity for Shadow Code to enter the application.

At the same time, modern web and mobile applications increasingly shift logic to the client side to improve performance and enrich the user’s digital experience. A significant portion of the application that now runs on your users’ browsers and mobile devices relies on client-side JavaScript code. 

The result is that much of the code powering your site isn’t built in house and doesn’t run on your server. Without the proper security safeguards in place, this can open you up to a host of script-based attacks that steal sensitive user data.

Shadow code impacts businesses in many ways, both in regard to the risks it introduces and the time spent trying to gain visibility.

Operational Challenges
Information security teams need to be enablers rather than blockers of innovation, while also protecting the organization from cybersecurity risks. Agile processes such as CI/CD don’t leave room for traditional security audits that can take weeks or months to complete. As a result, infosec teams often have to inventory and audit scripts retroactively. By the time they finish one cycle, the application has already changed, leaving security teams constantly playing catch up and wasting considerable resources in the process.

Security and Compliance Challenges
Shadow code introduces unknown risks into a web application. You cannot secure what you cannot see. The visibility gaps with shadow code and lack of effective controls make it challenging for any organization to ensure the privacy of their customers’ personal data and to comply with data privacy regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These regulations require that businesses regulate access to users’ personal data.

Client-side Data Breaches
Digital skimming and Magecart attacks are a direct result of Shadow Code lurking in web applications. These attacks inject malicious code into first- or third-party web scripts to harvest personally identifiable information (PII) from websites, including logins, passwords and credit card numbers. These attacks have impacted major websites resulting in hefty fines and compliance penalties.

Information security teams can follow a few best practices to regain control of shadow code without becoming blockers:

1. Set up an agile notification and approval process for any third-party scripts or external libraries used in your applications. This will ensure basic visibility and facilitate a smoother feedback loop between developers and information security teams.
2. Use code analysis and verification tools to detect vulnerabilities earlier in the cycle. Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools can find vulnerabilities in first-party scripts while Software Composition Analysis (SCA) solutions can inventory and analyze open source libraries in your own applications. Features such as Subresource Integrity (SRI) allow browsers to verify the script at runtime and ensure that it has not been tampered with.
3. Content Security Policy (CSP) is another capability native to browsers that can be used to reduce the risk of malicious shadow code being injected into your website. By enforcing allowlists, CSP can prevent unauthorized scripts from being loaded as well as prevent malicious scripts from exfiltrating data. However, CSP will not protect against a first-party compromise or insider threats where the attacker has access to resources on the allowlist.
4. Invest in client-side application security solutions that provide continuous real-time visibility and control over all scripts running on your website. These solutions can detect if a new script gets loaded on the client side or if an existing script starts exhibiting suspicious behavior indicating a potential compromise. Such solutions can also automate CSP management and facilitate a trust-but-verify model for security.

HUMAN Client-Side Defense is a client-side web application security solution that provides comprehensive real-time visibility and granular control into your modern website’s client-side attack surface. The solution identifies vulnerabilities and anomalous behavior, and proactively mitigates your shadow code risk.

With Client-Side Defense, you get full visibility into the scripts running on your site in real time, including how they are interacting, additional scripts they are using and any exposure details, identifying high risk PII, PCI and vulnerability incidents. The solution monitors all client-side scripts in every user session, so none of your code can operate in the shadows. It offers multi-layered protection that lets security teams block specific actions in a script without blocking the full script (e.g. stopping the script from accessing passwords or credit card numbers, etc.), and stop unwanted scripts from loading entirely. 

Supply Chain Attacks | What They are & How to Prevent Them

What is Digital Skimming and How Does It Work?

What is Formjacking and How to Prevent It

What is Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Harvesting?

What is PCI DSS Compliance? | Requirements & How to Comply