CryptVault implements comprehensive security measures to protect against common vulnerabilities and ensure safe operation. This document outlines the security features, best practices, and guidelines for secure usage.

Location: cryptvault/security/input_validator.py

All external input is validated and sanitized to prevent injection attacks:

• Ticker Symbol Whitelist: Only pre-approved ticker symbols are accepted
• Injection Prevention: Detects and blocks command injection, SQL injection, XSS attempts
• Format Validation: Strict format checking for all input types
• Sanitization: Removes dangerous characters and control codes

from cryptvault.security import InputValidator

validator = InputValidator(strict_mode=True)
ticker = validator.validate_ticker('BTC')  # OK
ticker = validator.validate_ticker('BTC; rm -rf /')  # Raises ValidationError

The system maintains a whitelist of ~150 supported tickers including:

• Major cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, etc.)
• Major stocks (AAPL, MSFT, etc.)
• Popular ETFs and indices

Custom tickers can be added programmatically:

validator.add_to_whitelist(['CUSTOM1', 'CUSTOM2'])

Location: cryptvault/security/credential_manager.py

Credentials are managed securely using environment variables:

• Environment Variables: All API keys stored in environment variables
• No Hardcoding: Credentials never hardcoded in source code
• Secure Logging: Automatic redaction of sensitive data in logs
• Rotation Support: Built-in credential rotation tracking

from cryptvault.security import CredentialManager

creds = CredentialManager()
api_key = creds.get_credential('CRYPTOCOMPARE_API_KEY', required=True)

1. Create a .env file (never commit to repository):

CRYPTOCOMPARE_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
YFINANCE_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

2. Load credentials:

creds = CredentialManager()
creds.load_from_env_file('.env')

3. Or set via environment:

export CRYPTOCOMPARE_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

The system tracks credential age and recommends rotation every 90 days:

if creds.check_rotation_needed('API_KEY'):
    print("Consider rotating this credential")

Location: cryptvault/security/rate_limiter.py

Prevents API abuse and respects external API limits:

• Token Bucket Algorithm: Smooth rate limiting
• Exponential Backoff: Automatic backoff on repeated violations
• Adaptive Limiting: Adjusts rates based on API responses
• Per-Resource Limits: Different limits for different resources

from cryptvault.security import RateLimiter, rate_limit

# Manual rate limiting
limiter = RateLimiter(max_calls=100, period=60)
limiter.acquire('api_call')

# Decorator-based rate limiting
@rate_limit(max_calls=10, period=60)
def fetch_data(symbol):
    return api.get(symbol)

Automatically adjusts limits based on API responses:

from cryptvault.security import AdaptiveRateLimiter

limiter = AdaptiveRateLimiter(max_calls=100, period=60, min_calls=10)
limiter.acquire('api_call')

# Report API response to adjust limits
response = make_api_call()
limiter.report_response('api_call', response.status_code)

Location: cryptvault/security/credential_manager.py (SecureLogger)

Prevents accidental exposure of sensitive information:

• Automatic Redaction: API keys, passwords, tokens automatically redacted
• Pattern Detection: Detects and redacts long alphanumeric strings
• Structured Logging: Consistent log format with context

from cryptvault.security import SecureLogger

SecureLogger.safe_log('info', 'API call successful', extra={
    'api_key': 'secret123',  # Will be redacted
    'symbol': 'BTC'
})

1. Never Commit Credentials

   • Add .env to .gitignore
   • Use .env.example for documentation
   • Store credentials in environment variables

2. Use Strong API Keys

   • Minimum 20 characters
   • Mix of letters, numbers, and symbols
   • Rotate regularly (every 90 days)

3. Validate All Input

   • Use provided validators for all external input
   • Enable strict mode for production
   • Never bypass validation

4. Monitor Rate Limits

   • Check remaining calls before making requests
   • Implement backoff strategies
   • Use adaptive rate limiting

5. Keep Dependencies Updated

   • Run pip install --upgrade regularly
   • Monitor security advisories
   • Use safety check to scan for vulnerabilities

1. Input Validation

   # Always validate external input
   from cryptvault.security import InputValidator
   
   validator = InputValidator(strict_mode=True)
   ticker = validator.validate_ticker(user_input)

2. Credential Management

   # Never hardcode credentials
   # BAD:
   api_key = "hardcoded_key_123"
   
   # GOOD:
   from cryptvault.security import get_credential_manager
   creds = get_credential_manager()
   api_key = creds.get_credential('API_KEY', required=True)

3. Rate Limiting

   # Apply rate limiting to all API calls
   from cryptvault.security import rate_limit
   
   @rate_limit(max_calls=100, period=60)
   def fetch_market_data(symbol):
       return api.get(symbol)

4. Secure Logging

   # Use secure logging for sensitive operations
   from cryptvault.security import SecureLogger
   
   SecureLogger.safe_log('info', 'Operation completed', extra={
       'user_data': sensitive_data  # Will be redacted
   })

CryptVault addresses the OWASP Top 10 security risks:

• Status: N/A (No authentication system)
• Mitigation: Input validation prevents unauthorized operations

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Credentials stored in environment variables, never in code

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Comprehensive input validation and sanitization
• Implementation: validate_no_injection() checks for injection patterns

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Security controls implemented at design level

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Centralized configuration management with validation

• Status: ✅ Monitored
• Mitigation: Regular dependency scanning with safety and bandit

• Status: N/A (No authentication system)

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Input validation and data integrity checks

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Structured logging with automatic sensitive data redaction

• Status: ✅ Addressed
• Mitigation: Ticker whitelist prevents arbitrary URL requests

Run the comprehensive security audit:

python scripts/security_audit.py

Generate a report:

python scripts/security_audit.py --report security_report.json

The security audit performs the following checks:

1. Dependency Vulnerability Scanning

   • Uses safety to check for known vulnerabilities
   • Scans all dependencies in requirements files

2. Code Security Analysis

   • Uses bandit for static code analysis
   • Identifies security issues in Python code

3. Credential Exposure Detection

   • Scans for hardcoded credentials
   • Checks for API keys, passwords, tokens in code

4. Input Validation Verification

   • Verifies input validation is implemented
   • Checks for whitelist and injection prevention

5. OWASP Top 10 Checks

   • Validates compliance with OWASP guidelines
   • Identifies potential vulnerabilities

6. Configuration Security

   • Checks for exposed .env files
   • Verifies .gitignore configuration

pip install safety bandit

If you discover a security vulnerability, please report it to:

Email: security@cryptvault.example.com

Please include:

• Description of the vulnerability
• Steps to reproduce
• Potential impact
• Suggested fix (if any)

Do not publicly disclose vulnerabilities until they have been addressed.

Security updates are released as soon as possible after vulnerabilities are discovered. To stay updated:

1. Watch the repository for security advisories
2. Subscribe to release notifications
3. Run pip install --upgrade cryptvault regularly
4. Monitor the CHANGELOG for security fixes

CryptVault follows these security standards:

• OWASP Top 10: Addresses all applicable risks
• PCI DSS: Not applicable (no payment processing)
• GDPR: No personal data collected
• CWE Top 25: Mitigates common weaknesses

• All credentials stored in environment variables
• .env file not committed to repository
• .env added to .gitignore
• Input validation enabled in strict mode
• Rate limiting configured appropriately
• Security audit passed with no critical issues
• Dependencies scanned for vulnerabilities
• Logging configured with sensitive data redaction
• API keys rotated within last 90 days

• Run security audit monthly
• Update dependencies quarterly
• Rotate credentials every 90 days
• Review logs for suspicious activity
• Monitor rate limit violations
• Check for security advisories

• OWASP Top 10
• Python Security Best Practices
• API Security Best Practices
• Secure Coding Guidelines

For security questions or concerns:

• Email: security@cryptvault.example.com
• GitHub Issues: Use the security label
• Documentation: See docs/SECURITY.md

Last Updated: 2024 Version: 4.0.0