Zate Vulnerability Patterns: Language-Specific
Detection patterns organized by programming language.
When to Use This Skill
- Language-targeted scans - When auditing specific tech stacks
- Code review - Finding vulnerabilities in PRs
- Building auditor agents - Patterns for domain auditors
When NOT to Use This Skill
- Universal patterns - Use vuln-patterns-core skill
- Full audits - Use domain auditor agents
- Remediation - Use remediation-* skills
JavaScript/TypeScript Patterns
Dangerous eval()
Detection Pattern:
# eval with variables
eval\s*\([^)]*[a-zA-Z_]+[^)]*\)
# Function constructor
new\s+Function\s*\([^)]*[a-zA-Z_]+
# setTimeout/setInterval with string
(setTimeout|setInterval)\s*\([^,)]*['"`]
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" -E "eval\s*\(" .
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" -E "new\s+Function\s*\(" .
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" -E "(setTimeout|setInterval)\s*\(['\"\`]" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.5.1 - Safe deserialization CWE: CWE-94 (Code Injection)
XSS via DOM Manipulation
Detection Pattern:
# innerHTML assignment
\.innerHTML\s*=(?!\s*['"]<[^>]+>[^<]*</[^>]+>['"])
# document.write
document\.write\s*\(
# insertAdjacentHTML
\.insertAdjacentHTML\s*\(
# React dangerouslySetInnerHTML
dangerouslySetInnerHTML
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}" "\.innerHTML\s*=" .
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}" "document\.write" .
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts,jsx,tsx}" "dangerouslySetInnerHTML" .
Severity: High ASVS: V3.3.1 - XSS prevention CWE: CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting)
Prototype Pollution
Detection Pattern:
# Direct __proto__ access
__proto__
# Object merge without validation
Object\.assign\s*\([^)]*,[^)]*\)
\.\.\.(?!props)[a-zA-Z_]+
# Bracket notation with variable
\[[a-zA-Z_]+\]\s*=
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" "__proto__" .
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" "constructor\s*\[" .
Severity: High ASVS: V1.5.1 - Safe deserialization CWE: CWE-1321 (Prototype Pollution)
Insecure Randomness
Detection Pattern:
Math\.random\s*\(\)
Context: Only flag when used for security purposes (tokens, keys, IDs)
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" "Math\.random" .
Severity: Medium (context-dependent) ASVS: V11.3.1 - CSPRNG for security values CWE: CWE-330 (Insufficient Randomness)
Missing Security Headers (Express)
Detection Pattern:
# Express without helmet
app\s*=\s*express\s*\(\)(?!.*helmet)
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" "express()" . | grep -v helmet
grep -rn --include="*.{js,ts}" "helmet" .
Severity: Medium ASVS: V3.4.1 - Security headers CWE: CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)
Python Patterns
Unsafe Deserialization
Detection Pattern:
# Pickle with untrusted data
pickle\.(loads?|load)\s*\(
# YAML unsafe load
yaml\.(load|unsafe_load)\s*\([^)]*(?!Loader\s*=\s*yaml\.SafeLoader)
# Marshal load
marshal\.loads?\s*\(
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.py" "pickle\.load" .
grep -rn --include="*.py" "yaml\.load" . | grep -v "SafeLoader\|safe_load"
grep -rn --include="*.py" "marshal\.load" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.5.1 - Safe deserialization CWE: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)
Weak Cryptography
Detection Pattern:
# MD5/SHA1 for security
hashlib\.(md5|sha1)\s*\(
# DES/RC4
DES\.|RC4\.|Blowfish\.
# ECB mode
\.MODE_ECB
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.py" "hashlib\.md5\|hashlib\.sha1" .
grep -rn --include="*.py" "MODE_ECB" .
grep -rn --include="*.py" -E "DES\.|RC4\." .
Severity: High ASVS: V11.5.2 - No MD5/SHA1 CWE: CWE-327 (Broken Crypto Algorithm)
Insecure Random
Detection Pattern:
# random module for security
random\.(choice|randint|random|randrange|sample)\s*\(
Context: Flag when used for tokens, keys, session IDs
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.py" -E "random\.(choice|randint|random|randrange)" . | grep -i "token\|key\|session\|secret\|password"
Severity: High ASVS: V11.3.1 - CSPRNG CWE: CWE-338 (Weak PRNG)
Hardcoded Flask Secret Key
Detection Pattern:
SECRET_KEY\s*=\s*['"][^'"]+['"]
app\.secret_key\s*=\s*['"][^'"]+['"]
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.py" "SECRET_KEY\s*=\s*['\"]" .
grep -rn --include="*.py" "secret_key\s*=\s*['\"]" .
Severity: High ASVS: V13.3.1 - Secrets management CWE: CWE-798 (Hardcoded Credentials)
Debug Mode in Production
Detection Pattern:
DEBUG\s*=\s*True
app\.run\s*\([^)]*debug\s*=\s*True
FLASK_DEBUG\s*=\s*['"]?1
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.py" "DEBUG\s*=\s*True" .
grep -rn --include="*.py" "debug\s*=\s*True" .
Severity: High ASVS: V13.2.1 - Debug disabled in production CWE: CWE-489 (Active Debug Code)
TLS Verification Disabled
Detection Pattern:
verify\s*=\s*False
REQUESTS_CA_BUNDLE\s*=\s*['"]?$
urllib3\.disable_warnings
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.py" "verify\s*=\s*False" .
grep -rn --include="*.py" "disable_warnings" .
Severity: High ASVS: V12.3.1 - Certificate validation CWE: CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation)
Go Patterns
SQL Injection
Detection Pattern:
# fmt.Sprintf in queries
fmt\.Sprintf\s*\([^)]*SELECT
db\.(Query|Exec)\s*\([^)]*\+
# String concatenation
"SELECT.*"\s*\+
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.go" -E "fmt\.Sprintf.*SELECT|fmt\.Sprintf.*INSERT" .
grep -rn --include="*.go" -E "db\.(Query|Exec)\s*\(.*\+" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.2.1 - Parameterized queries CWE: CWE-89 (SQL Injection)
Weak Cryptography
Detection Pattern:
crypto/md5
crypto/sha1
crypto/des
crypto/rc4
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.go" "crypto/md5\|crypto/sha1\|crypto/des\|crypto/rc4" .
Severity: High ASVS: V11.5.2 - No deprecated algorithms CWE: CWE-327 (Broken Crypto)
Insecure TLS Config
Detection Pattern:
InsecureSkipVerify\s*:\s*true
MinVersion\s*:\s*tls\.VersionSSL
MinVersion\s*:\s*tls\.VersionTLS10
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.go" "InsecureSkipVerify.*true" .
grep -rn --include="*.go" "MinVersion.*SSL\|MinVersion.*TLS10\|MinVersion.*TLS11" .
Severity: High ASVS: V12.2.1 - TLS 1.2+ CWE: CWE-295 (Certificate Validation)
Java Patterns
SQL Injection
Detection Pattern:
# String concatenation
Statement\s+\w+\s*=.*createStatement
executeQuery\s*\([^?]*\+
"SELECT.*"\s*\+
# PreparedStatement misuse
prepareStatement\s*\([^?]*\+
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.java" "createStatement" .
grep -rn --include="*.java" -E "executeQuery\s*\(.*\+" .
grep -rn --include="*.java" -E "\"SELECT.*\"\s*\+" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.2.1 - Parameterized queries CWE: CWE-89 (SQL Injection)
Unsafe Deserialization
Detection Pattern:
ObjectInputStream
readObject\s*\(\)
XMLDecoder
XStream(?!.*allowTypes)
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.java" "ObjectInputStream\|readObject()" .
grep -rn --include="*.java" "XMLDecoder" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.5.1 - Safe deserialization CWE: CWE-502 (Deserialization)
XXE Vulnerability
Detection Pattern:
DocumentBuilderFactory(?!.*setFeature.*FEATURE_SECURE)
SAXParserFactory(?!.*setFeature)
XMLInputFactory(?!.*setProperty.*SUPPORT_DTD)
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.java" "DocumentBuilderFactory\|SAXParserFactory\|XMLInputFactory" .
Severity: High ASVS: V1.5.1 - XML processing CWE: CWE-611 (XXE)
Weak Cryptography
Detection Pattern:
MessageDigest\.getInstance\s*\(\s*["']MD5
MessageDigest\.getInstance\s*\(\s*["']SHA-?1
Cipher\.getInstance\s*\(\s*["']DES
Cipher\.getInstance\s*\(\s*["'].*ECB
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.java" -E "MessageDigest\.getInstance.*MD5|MessageDigest\.getInstance.*SHA.?1" .
grep -rn --include="*.java" "Cipher\.getInstance.*DES\|Cipher\.getInstance.*ECB" .
Severity: High ASVS: V11.5.2 - Secure algorithms CWE: CWE-327 (Broken Crypto)
Ruby Patterns
Command Injection
Detection Pattern:
`[^`]*#{
system\s*\([^)]*#{
exec\s*\([^)]*#{
%x\{[^}]*#{
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.rb" -E "\`.*#\{" .
grep -rn --include="*.rb" -E "system\s*\(.*#\{" .
grep -rn --include="*.rb" "%x{" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.2.3 - Command injection CWE: CWE-78 (OS Command Injection)
SQL Injection (Rails)
Detection Pattern:
\.where\s*\([^)]*#{
\.find_by_sql\s*\([^)]*#{
\.execute\s*\([^)]*#{
\.order\s*\([^)]*#{
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.rb" -E "\.where\s*\(.*#\{" .
grep -rn --include="*.rb" "find_by_sql" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.2.1 - Parameterized queries CWE: CWE-89 (SQL Injection)
Mass Assignment
Detection Pattern:
attr_accessible\s*:
params\.permit!
\.update_attributes?\s*\(params
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.rb" "params\.permit!" .
grep -rn --include="*.rb" "update_attributes.*params" .
Severity: High ASVS: V2.2.1 - Input validation CWE: CWE-915 (Mass Assignment)
PHP Patterns
SQL Injection
Detection Pattern:
mysql_query\s*\(
mysqli_query\s*\([^,]+,\s*["'][^?]
\$_(?:GET|POST|REQUEST)\s*\[.*\]\s*\.
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.php" "mysql_query\|mysqli_query" .
grep -rn --include="*.php" '\$_(GET|POST|REQUEST).*\.' .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.2.1 - Parameterized queries CWE: CWE-89 (SQL Injection)
Command Injection
Detection Pattern:
(system|exec|shell_exec|passthru|popen|proc_open)\s*\(\s*\$
`\$
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.php" -E "(system|exec|shell_exec|passthru)\s*\(\s*\\\$" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.2.3 - Command injection CWE: CWE-78 (OS Command Injection)
Unsafe Deserialization
Detection Pattern:
unserialize\s*\(\s*\$
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.php" "unserialize\s*(\s*\$" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V1.5.1 - Safe deserialization CWE: CWE-502 (Deserialization)
File Inclusion
Detection Pattern:
(include|require|include_once|require_once)\s*\(\s*\$
Grep Commands:
grep -rn --include="*.php" -E "(include|require)(_once)?\s*\(\s*\\\$" .
Severity: Critical ASVS: V5.3.1 - File security CWE: CWE-98 (File Inclusion)
Quick Reference by Language
| Language | Critical Issues | High Issues |
|---|---|---|
| JS/TS | eval(), XSS | Prototype pollution |
| Python | pickle, yaml.load | MD5/SHA1, random |
| Go | fmt.Sprintf SQL | InsecureSkipVerify |
| Java | ObjectInputStream, SQL | XXE, MD5/SHA1 |
| Ruby | backticks, SQL | Mass assignment |
| PHP | unserialize, include | mysql_query |
See Also
vuln-patterns-core- Universal patternsremediation-injection- Injection fixesremediation-crypto- Crypto fixes