Missing Authentication in Adonisjs with Dynamodb

When an AdonisJS application interacts with AWS DynamoDB, missing authentication controls can expose both the application and the database to unauthorized access. AdonisJS is a Node.js web framework that relies on explicit middleware to enforce authentication; if routes that interact with DynamoDB skip or misconfigure these guards, requests may reach the database without valid credentials.

DynamoDB itself does not perform application-level authentication. Instead, it expects AWS Signature Version 4 credentials (access key, secret key, and session token when applicable) signed per request. If AdonisJS does not ensure that each request to DynamoDB includes valid AWS credentials—either via IAM roles for attached resources or by securely managing temporary credentials for users—requests may succeed using overly permissive or default credentials, or even unauthenticated SDK clients configured without credential checks.

This combination creates a BOLA (Broken Level of Authorization) and authentication risk: an attacker who can route requests to the backend may call AdonisJS endpoints that directly invoke DynamoDB operations. Because the database trusts any credential supplied by the application layer, missing enforcement in AdonisJS effectively grants a direct path to scan, read, or modify DynamoDB tables. Such misconfiguration is commonly flagged in unauthenticated scans, where endpoints are probed without prior credentials, and findings are mapped to the OWASP API Top 10 and AWS well-architected security pillars.

For example, an endpoint that lists user data by querying a DynamoDB table based on a path parameter like /users/:id may fail to confirm that the authenticated user is allowed to view the requested record. If the DynamoDB SDK is instantiated with a default credential chain that resolves to an overprivileged IAM role or no explicit credentials, the query executes without verifying the caller’s authorization context. This gap enables horizontal or vertical privilege escalation via BOLA, where one user accesses another’s data or elevates permissions through manipulated requests.

middleBrick detects this class of issue by running unauthenticated probes against the API surface, including checks for Authentication and BOLA/IDOR. Findings include severity ratings and remediation guidance, emphasizing that detection occurs at the API level, while remediation must be implemented in application code and AWS configuration.

To secure AdonisJS applications using DynamoDB, enforce authentication and authorization at both the API layer and the database layer. Use middleware to validate sessions or tokens before allowing request processing, and ensure the DynamoDB client is configured with least-privilege credentials scoped to the operation and resource.

Below are concrete examples using the AWS SDK for JavaScript v3 with DynamoDB in an AdonisJS controller. These snippets assume you have installed @aws-sdk/client-dynamodb and @aws-sdk/lib-dynamodb.

1. Configuring a scoped DynamoDB client

Create a DynamoDB client that uses explicit credentials rather than relying on the default chain in production contexts. This example retrieves temporary credentials from a secure source (e.g., process environment) and limits permissions to required actions.

// start/src/lib/dynamodb.ts
import { DynamoDBClient } from '@aws-sdk/client-dynamodb';
import { fromEnv } from '@aws-sdk/credential-providers';

export const ddbClient = new DynamoDBClient({
  region: process.env.AWS_REGION || 'us-east-1',
  credentials: fromEnv(), // or use fromIni, fromSSO with named profile
});

2. Authenticated route guard in AdonisJS

Ensure routes that interact with DynamoDB are protected by an authentication middleware. This prevents unauthenticated requests from reaching DynamoDB operations.

// start/src/routes/user.ts
import Route from '@ioc:Adonis/Core/Route';
import { ddbClient } from '../lib/dynamodb';
import { GetUserCommand } from '@aws-sdk/client-dynamodb';
import { unmarshall } from '@aws-sdk/util-dynamodb';

Route.get('/users/:id', async ({ params, auth }) => {
  // Enforce authentication before proceeding
  await auth.authenticate();

  const userId = params.id;
  const command = new GetUserCommand({
    TableName: process.env.USERS_TABLE!,
    Key: { userId: { S: userId } },
  });

  const response = await ddbClient.send(command);
  return unmarshall(response.Item || {});
});

3. Authorization check before DynamoDB access

After authentication, verify that the requesting user is allowed to access the specific resource. This prevents BOLA by ensuring users can only operate on records they own or are permitted to view.

// start/src/controllers/UserController.ts
import { HttpContextContract } from '@ioc:Adonis/Core/HttpContext';
import { ddbClient } from '../lib/dynamodb';
import { GetUserCommand } from '@aws-sdk/client-dynamodb';
import { unmarshall } from '@aws-sdk/util-dynamodb';

class UserController {
  public async show({ params, auth }: HttpContextContract) {
    const userId = params.id;
    const viewerId = auth.user?.id;

    if (!viewerId || viewerId !== userId) {
      throw new Error('Unauthorized: cannot access other users data');
    }

    const command = new GetUserCommand({
      TableName: process.env.USERS_TABLE!,
      Key: { userId: { S: userId } },
    });

    const response = await ddbClient.send(command);
    return unmarshall(response.Item || {});
  }
}

4. Principle of least privilege for IAM roles

Configure IAM roles or users used by AdonisJS to allow only the required DynamoDB actions on specific resources. Avoid broad dynamodb:* permissions in production. For example, a read-only role for listing public profiles might include only dynamodb:GetItem and dynamodb:Query on the designated table ARN.

5. Secure handling of credentials in environments

When deploying, use IAM roles for EC2, ECS, or Lambda rather than long-lived access keys. For local development, use the AWS credentials file or environment variables with minimal scopes. middleBrick’s CLI can be integrated into your workflow to scan endpoints and highlight authentication gaps, surfacing findings with severity and remediation guidance.

By combining authenticated routes in AdonisJS with tightly scoped DynamoDB clients and strict authorization checks, you reduce the attack surface and align the API with security best practices for AWS-integrated applications.