Trying to Use ESAPI But getting Error

java security web-applications esapi
AngelsandDemons picture AngelsandDemons · Oct 8, 2011 · Viewed 102.3k times · Source

I am trying to use ESAPI.jar for providing security to my web application.Basically I have just started using ESAPI.jar. But problem is I am not able to run even a simple program using ESAPI. The small code snippet is:

String clean = ESAPI.encoder().canonicalize("someString");
Randomizer r=ESAPI.randomizer();    
System.out.println(r);
System.out.println(clean);

I get this error:

Attempting to load ESAPI.properties via file I/O.
Attempting to load ESAPI.properties as resource file via file I/O.
Not found in 'org.owasp.esapi.resources' directory or file not readable: D:\Eclipse-Workspace\Test\ESAPI.properties
Not found in SystemResource Directory/resourceDirectory: .esapi\ESAPI.properties
Not found in 'user.home' (C:\Documents and Settings\user.user) directory: C:\Documents and Settings\user.user\esapi\ESAPI.properties
Loading ESAPI.properties via file I/O failed. Exception was: java.io.FileNotFoundException
Attempting to load ESAPI.properties via the classpath.
ESAPI.properties could not be loaded by any means. Fail. Exception was: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Failed to load ESAPI.properties as a classloader resource.
Exception in thread "main" org.owasp.esapi.errors.ConfigurationException: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException SecurityConfiguration class (org.owasp.esapi.reference.DefaultSecurityConfiguration) CTOR threw exception.
    at org.owasp.esapi.util.ObjFactory.make(ObjFactory.java:129)
    at org.owasp.esapi.ESAPI.securityConfiguration(ESAPI.java:184)
    at org.owasp.esapi.ESAPI.encoder(ESAPI.java:99)
    at org.rancore.testJasp.TestEsapi.main(TestEsapi.java:59)
Caused by: java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at org.owasp.esapi.util.ObjFactory.make(ObjFactory.java:86)
    ... 3 more
Caused by: org.owasp.esapi.errors.ConfigurationException: ESAPI.properties could not be loaded by any means. Fail.
    at org.owasp.esapi.reference.DefaultSecurityConfiguration.loadConfiguration(DefaultSecurityConfiguration.java:439)
    at org.owasp.esapi.reference.DefaultSecurityConfiguration.<init>(DefaultSecurityConfiguration.java:227)
    at org.owasp.esapi.reference.DefaultSecurityConfiguration.getInstance(DefaultSecurityConfiguration.java:75)
    ... 8 more
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Failed to load ESAPI.properties as a classloader resource.
    at org.owasp.esapi.reference.DefaultSecurityConfiguration.loadConfigurationFromClasspath(DefaultSecurityConfiguration.java:667)
    at org.owasp.esapi.reference.DefaultSecurityConfiguration.loadConfiguration(DefaultSecurityConfiguration.java:436)
    ... 10 more

I have tried copying the 3 ESAPI properties files in my source folder and also configuring them on build path but still I have not succeeded. I have tried many permutations and combinations to no avail.

Please guide me.

The content of property file is:

# User Messages
Error.creating.randomizer=Error creating randomizer

This.is.test.message=This {0} is {1} a test {2} message

# Validation Messages

# Log Messages

Answer

Jason Dean picture Jason Dean · Oct 8, 2011

The ESAPI.properties file should have more than 3 lines in it. See for example:

https://web.archive.org/web/20150904064147/http://code.google.com:80/p/owasp-esapi-java/source/browse/trunk/configuration/esapi/ESAPI.properties

In my experience the ESAPI.properties file either needs to be in the same folder as the esapi.jar or needs to be compiled into the jar in a resources directory. 

/resources/ESAPI.properties

I believe that either one should work. If ESAPI does not find the file it one location it looks in others.

The code for that is here around line 620:

https://web.archive.org/web/20161005210258/http://code.google.com/p/owasp-esapi-java/source/browse/trunk/src/main/java/org/owasp/esapi/reference/DefaultSecurityConfiguration.java

Related questions

Content Security Policy: The page's settings blocked the loading of a resource at self?

I have Java-based based web application running on Tomcat 6. My application is running on localhost and port 9001. To make my application more secure and to reduce the risk of XSS attacks, I added the header Content-Security-Policy with value default-src * 'unsafe-inline' …

Read More
Java Error: "Your security settings have blocked a local application from running"

I'm trying to run this simple HelloWorld code written in Java from my browser (Chrome): public class HelloWorld extends JApplet { public void init() { try { SwingUtilities.invokeAndWait(new Runnable() { public void run() { JLabel lbl = new JLabel("Hello World"); add(lbl); } }); } catch (…

Read More
Why is char[] preferred over String for passwords?

In Swing, the password field has a getPassword() (returns char[]) method instead of the usual getText() (returns String) method. Similarly, I have come across a suggestion not to use String to handle passwords. Why does String pose a threat to …

Read More