FAQ-000424 - Component Lifecycle Security / Component Deprecation and Global Class Management

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Current FAQ

Question
What is the proper way to deprecate and manage vulnerable or unused global components and classes?
Answer
To properly deprecate and manage vulnerable or unused global components and classes: **For Unused Global Components:** 1. **Remove the Components**: If they are no longer in use, remove them from the managed package. 2. **Eliminate Code References**: Ensure the code is removed from Visualforce pages, Apex classes, or other relevant areas. Simply commenting out the code is not sufficient. 3. **Document the Deprecation**: Include details in your package's release notes or a dedicated document. Clearly state the components' previous usage and the reason for deprecation. **For Vulnerable Global Classes in Managed Packages:** 1. **Comment Out the Contents**: Retain only the class definition, effectively making it a "dummy" class while keeping it in the package for compatibility. 2. **Create a New Class**: Develop a new class with the required functionality and mark it as `public` instead of `global`. 3. **Update References**: Ensure all references to the deprecated global class are updated to use the new public class. 4. **Document the Deprecation**: Include details in your release notes and communicate the change to users, advising them to transition to the new class. 5. **Submit for Security Review**: Submit the updated package for a security review to ensure compliance with security standards. Deprecating and no longer using a vulnerable global class is an acceptable remediation for a security finding, as long as all references to the class are removed from the code and replaced with updated, secure implementations. This approach ensures transparency, maintains backward compatibility, and minimizes security risks.

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Question
What is the proper way to deprecate and manage vulnerable or unused global components and classes?
Recommended Answer Update
To properly deprecate and manage vulnerable or unused global components and classes: **For Unused Global Components:** 1. **Remove the Components**: If they're no longer in use, remove them from the managed package. 2. **Eliminate Code References**: Ensure the code is removed from Visualforce pages, Apex classes, or other relevant areas. Simply commenting out the code isn't sufficient. 3. **Document the Deprecation**: Include details in your package's release notes or a dedicated document. Clearly state the components' previous usage and the reason for deprecation. **For Vulnerable Global Classes in Managed Packages:** 1. **Comment Out the Contents**: Retain only the class definition, effectively making it a "dummy" class while keeping it in the package for compatibility. 2. **Create a New Class**: Develop a new class with the required functionality and mark it as `public` instead of `global`. 3. **Update References**: Ensure all references to the deprecated global class are updated to use the new public class. 4. **Document the Deprecation**: Include details in your release notes and communicate the change to users, advising them to transition to the new class. 5. **Submit for Security Review**: Submit the updated package for a security review to ensure compliance with security standards. Deprecating and no longer using a vulnerable global class is an acceptable remediation for a security finding, as long as all references to the class are removed from the code and replaced with updated, secure implementations. This approach ensures transparency, maintains backward compatibility, and minimizes security risks.
Reasoning
The FAQ was reviewed for tone and clarity improvements. The changes made were minor tone adjustments to improve conversational flow: changed 'is not' to the contraction 'isn't' to make the language more conversational and approachable, consistent with the style guidelines. No technical content was changed, no points were added or removed, and the structure remains identical. No security rules were related to this FAQ because it focuses on component lifecycle management and deprecation processes rather than specific security scanning rules. The FAQ discusses procedural aspects of managing global components and classes in managed packages rather than technical security vulnerabilities that would be detected by automated security scanners.