Merge branch 'security-katex-dos-master' into 'master'

Enforce max chars and max render time in markdown math

See merge request gitlab/gitlabhq!3277

4 files changed, 143 insertions, 23 deletions

diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/behaviors/markdown/render_math.js b/app/assets/javascripts/behaviors/markdown/render_math.js
index a68936d79e2..53867b3096b 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/behaviors/markdown/render_math.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/behaviors/markdown/render_math.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-import $ from 'jquery';
-import { __ } from '~/locale';
 import flash from '~/flash';
+import { s__, sprintf } from '~/locale';
 
 // Renders math using KaTeX in any element with the
 // `js-render-math` class
@@ -10,21 +9,131 @@ import flash from '~/flash';
 //   <code class="js-render-math"></div>
 //
 
-// Loop over all math elements and render math
-function renderWithKaTeX(elements, katex) {
-  elements.each(function katexElementsLoop() {
-    const mathNode = $('<span></span>');
-    const $this = $(this);
-
-    const display = $this.attr('data-math-style') === 'display';
-    try {
-      katex.render($this.text(), mathNode.get(0), { displayMode: display, throwOnError: false });
-      mathNode.insertAfter($this);
-      $this.remove();
-    } catch (err) {
-      throw err;
+const MAX_MATH_CHARS = 1000;
+const MAX_RENDER_TIME_MS = 2000;
+
+// These messages might be used with inline errors in the future. Keep them around. For now, we will
+// display a single error message using flash().
+
+// const CHAR_LIMIT_EXCEEDED_MSG = sprintf(
+//   s__(
+//     'math|The following math is too long. For performance reasons, math blocks are limited to %{maxChars} characters. Try splitting up this block, or include an image instead.',
+//   ),
+//   { maxChars: MAX_MATH_CHARS },
+// );
+// const RENDER_TIME_EXCEEDED_MSG = s__(
+//   "math|The math in this entry is taking too long to render. Any math below this point won't be shown. Consider splitting it among multiple entries.",
+// );
+
+const RENDER_FLASH_MSG = sprintf(
+  s__(
+    'math|The math in this entry is taking too long to render and may not be displayed as expected. For performance reasons, math blocks are also limited to %{maxChars} characters. Consider splitting up large formulae, splitting math blocks among multiple entries, or using an image instead.',
+  ),
+  { maxChars: MAX_MATH_CHARS },
+);
+
+// Wait for the browser to reflow the layout. Reflowing SVG takes time.
+// This has to wrap the inner function, otherwise IE/Edge throw "invalid calling object".
+const waitForReflow = fn => {
+  window.requestAnimationFrame(fn);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Renders math blocks sequentially while protecting against DoS attacks. Math blocks have a maximum character limit of MAX_MATH_CHARS. If rendering math takes longer than MAX_RENDER_TIME_MS, all subsequent math blocks are skipped and an error message is shown.
+ */
+class SafeMathRenderer {
+  /*
+  How this works:
+
+  The performance bottleneck in rendering math is in the browser trying to reflow the generated SVG.
+  During this time, the JS is blocked and the page becomes unresponsive.
+  We want to render math blocks one by one until a certain time is exceeded, after which we stop
+  rendering subsequent math blocks, to protect against DoS. However, browsers do reflowing in an
+  asynchronous task, so we can't time it synchronously.
+
+  SafeMathRenderer essentially does the following:
+  1. Replaces all math blocks with placeholders so that they're not mistakenly rendered twice.
+  2. Places each placeholder element in a queue.
+  3. Renders the element at the head of the queue and waits for reflow.
+  4. After reflow, gets the elapsed time since step 3 and repeats step 3 until the queue is empty.
+   */
+  queue = [];
+  totalMS = 0;
+
+  constructor(elements, katex) {
+    this.elements = elements;
+    this.katex = katex;
+
+    this.renderElement = this.renderElement.bind(this);
+    this.render = this.render.bind(this);
+  }
+
+  renderElement() {
+    if (!this.queue.length) {
+      return;
     }
-  });
+
+    const el = this.queue.shift();
+    const text = el.textContent;
+
+    el.removeAttribute('style');
+
+    if (this.totalMS >= MAX_RENDER_TIME_MS || text.length > MAX_MATH_CHARS) {
+      if (!this.flashShown) {
+        flash(RENDER_FLASH_MSG);
+        this.flashShown = true;
+      }
+
+      // Show unrendered math code
+      const codeElement = document.createElement('pre');
+      codeElement.className = 'code';
+      codeElement.textContent = el.textContent;
+      el.parentNode.replaceChild(codeElement, el);
+
+      // Render the next math
+      this.renderElement();
+    } else {
+      this.startTime = Date.now();
+
+      try {
+        el.innerHTML = this.katex.renderToString(text, {
+          displayMode: el.getAttribute('data-math-style') === 'display',
+          throwOnError: true,
+          maxSize: 20,
+          maxExpand: 20,
+        });
+      } catch {
+        // Don't show a flash for now because it would override an existing flash message
+        el.textContent = s__('math|There was an error rendering this math block');
+        // el.style.color = '#d00';
+        el.className = 'katex-error';
+      }
+
+      // Give the browser time to reflow the svg
+      waitForReflow(() => {
+        const deltaTime = Date.now() - this.startTime;
+        this.totalMS += deltaTime;
+
+        this.renderElement();
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    // Replace math blocks with a placeholder so they aren't rendered twice
+    this.elements.forEach(el => {
+      const placeholder = document.createElement('span');
+      placeholder.style.display = 'none';
+      placeholder.setAttribute('data-math-style', el.getAttribute('data-math-style'));
+      placeholder.textContent = el.textContent;
+      el.parentNode.replaceChild(placeholder, el);
+      this.queue.push(placeholder);
+    });
+
+    // If we wait for the browser thread to settle down a bit, math rendering becomes 5-10x faster
+    // and less prone to timeouts.
+    setTimeout(this.renderElement, 400);
+  }
 }
 
 export default function renderMath($els) {
@@ -34,7 +143,8 @@ export default function renderMath($els) {
     import(/* webpackChunkName: 'katex' */ 'katex/dist/katex.min.css'),
   ])
     .then(([katex]) => {
-      renderWithKaTeX($els, katex);
+      const renderer = new SafeMathRenderer($els.get(), katex);
+      renderer.render();
     })
-    .catch(() => flash(__('An error occurred while rendering KaTeX')));
+    .catch(() => {});
 }
diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/security-katex-dos-master.yml b/changelogs/unreleased/security-katex-dos-master.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..df803a5eafd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/security-katex-dos-master.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+title: Enforce max chars and max render time in markdown math
+merge_request:
+author:
+type: security
diff --git a/locale/gitlab.pot b/locale/gitlab.pot
index 61642fbbd59..840c27d1699 100644
--- a/locale/gitlab.pot
+++ b/locale/gitlab.pot
@@ -1101,9 +1101,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "An error occurred while parsing recent searches"
 msgstr ""
 
-msgid "An error occurred while rendering KaTeX"
-msgstr ""
-
 msgid "An error occurred while rendering preview broadcast message"
 msgstr ""
 
@@ -13676,6 +13673,12 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "manual"
 msgstr ""
 
+msgid "math|The math in this entry is taking too long to render and may not be displayed as expected. For performance reasons, math blocks are also limited to %{maxChars} characters. Consider splitting up large formulae, splitting math blocks among multiple entries, or using an image instead."
+msgstr ""
+
+msgid "math|There was an error rendering this math block"
+msgstr ""
+
 msgid "merge request"
 msgid_plural "merge requests"
 msgstr[0] ""
diff --git a/spec/features/markdown/math_spec.rb b/spec/features/markdown/math_spec.rb
index 68d99b4241a..76eef66c517 100644
--- a/spec/features/markdown/math_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/markdown/math_spec.rb
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ describe 'Math rendering', :js do
 
     visit project_issue_path(project, issue)
 
-    expect(page).to have_selector('.katex-error', text: "\href{javascript:alert('xss');}{xss}")
-    expect(page).to have_selector('.katex-html a', text: 'Gitlab')
+    page.within '.description > .md' do
+      expect(page).to have_selector('.katex-error')
+      expect(page).to have_selector('.katex-html a', text: 'Gitlab')
+    end
   end
 end