Pysa Json Models

Pysa JSON Model Syntax

Overview

Pysa outputs analysis results as newline-delimited JSON (NDJSON). Each line is a self-contained JSON object with "kind" and "data" fields. There are two kinds: "model" (a callable's taint behavior) and "issue" (a detected vulnerability).

Top-Level Wrapper

Every JSON object is wrapped as:

{"kind": "model", "data": { ... }}
{"kind": "issue", "data": { ... }}

Models and issues are separate top-level objects. Issues are never nested inside models.

Model Structure

{
  "callable": "module.function_name",
  "filename": "module.py",
  "callable_line": 42,
  "sources": [ ... ],
  "sinks": [ ... ],
  "tito": [ ... ],
  "parameter_sources": [ ... ],
  "global_sanitizer": { ... },
  "parameters_sanitizer": { ... },
  "sanitizers": [ ... ],
  "modes": [ "Obscure", ... ]
}

All fields except callable are optional. Empty fields are omitted entirely — never include empty arrays [] or objects {}.

Note: "sources" represents *generations* (taint produced by the function). This is distinct from "parameter_sources" which represents sources on parameters.

Callables

• Regular functions: "module.function_name"
• Methods: "module.ClassName.method_name"
• Attribute models: "Obj{module.ClassName.attribute_name}"

Modes

Available modes: Obscure, SkipObscure, SkipAnalysis, SkipOverrides, AnalyzeAllOverrides, Entrypoint, IgnoreDecorator, SkipModelBroadening, InferSelfTito, InferArgumentTito.

Port Entries (sources/sinks/tito/parameter_sources)

Each of sources, sinks, tito, and parameter_sources is a list of port entries:

{
  "port": "<port>",
  "taint": [ <trace_element>, ... ]
}

Port Formats

| Port | Meaning |

|------|---------|

| result | Return value |

| result[field] | Return value with access path |

| formal(name, position=N) | Named parameter at position N |

| formal(name, position=N, positional_only) | Positional-only parameter |

| formal(name, position=N)[field][subfield] | Parameter with access path |

| formal(*args, position=N) | Variadic positional args |

| formal(**kwargs) | Variadic keyword args |

| formal(**kwargs, excluded=[x]) | Kwargs excluding named params |

| formal($global, position=0) | Global/attribute model port |

Key rule: position is always included in formal() ports (e.g., formal(x, position=0), not formal(x)).

For sources/parameter_sources, the port indicates where taint is *produced* (typically result or result[field]).

For sinks, the port indicates where taint is *consumed* (typically formal(...) with optional access path).

For tito, the port indicates the *input* side (always formal(...)). The output side is encoded inside the taint entry via return_paths.

Trace Elements (Call Info)

Each element in a "taint" list is a trace element keyed by its call info. There are four call info variants:

1. Declaration — user-specified taint from .pysa model files

{
  "kinds": [ { "kind": "Test" } ],
  "declaration": null
}

This is the leaf of the trace — the taint is directly declared by the user, not propagated from another function.

2. Origin — taint at a direct call site (first hop)

{
  "kinds": [ { "kind": "Test", "length": 0 } ],
  "origin": { "line": 16, "start": 15, "end": 20 }
}

Represents a call to a function with a user-declared model. The origin location is where the call happens. "call_site" may also be present (e.g., "call_site": "16:4-16:21").

3. Call — taint propagated through a call chain

{
  "kinds": [ { "kind": "Test", "length": 2 } ],
  "call": {
    "position": { "line": 20, "start": 8, "end": 22 },
    "resolves_to": [ "module.callee_function" ],
    "port": "result[a]"
  }
}

Represents a hop: taint flows from callee_function at the given port. resolves_to is a list (can have multiple callees for overrides). "call_site" may also appear inside the "call" object.

4. Tito — taint-in-taint-out propagation

{
  "kinds": [ { "return_paths": { "": 0 }, "kind": "LocalReturn" } ],
  "tito": {}
}

Used in "tito" port entries. The "tito" call info is always {} (empty object, never null).

Kind Entries

Each "kinds" list entry describes a taint kind with optional metadata:

{
  "kind": "Test",
  "length": 2,
  "leaves": [ { "name": "pysa._test_source", "port": "leaf:return" } ],
  "features": [ { "always-via": "special_source" } ],
  "local_features": [ { "always-via": "special_sink" } ],
  "return_paths": { "": 0 }
}

| Field | Description |

|-------|-------------|

| kind | Source/sink kind name (e.g., Test, UserControlled, SQL, RemoteCodeExecution). For TITO: LocalReturn |

| length | Trace length (hops to closest leaf). Omitted when 0 |

| leaves | Set of leaf declarations this taint originates from. Each leaf: {"name": "qualified.name", "port": "leaf:return"} |

| features | Propagated breadcrumbs from callees |

| local_features | Breadcrumbs introduced in this function |

| return_paths | (TITO only) Maps access paths to collapse depths, e.g. {"": 0} (identity), {"[field]": 3} (into field) |

Leaf Ports

• leaf:return — source on return value
• leaf:arg — sink on argument
• leaf:arg[field] — sink on argument field
• producer:N:formal(M) — cross-repository producer
• anchor:formal(M) — cross-repository anchor

Trace-Level Local Features and Tito Positions

Local features and tito positions can appear at the trace element level (outside kinds):

{
  "kinds": [ ... ],
  "local_features": [ { "has": "first-index" }, { "first-index": "<numeric>" } ],
  "tito_positions": [ { "line": 71, "start": 34, "end": 37 } ],
  "origin": { ... }
}

local_features (trace-level): Breadcrumbs introduced at this particular call site within the current function. These describe what happens to the data at this point in the flow — for example, first-index records the first dictionary key or list index used to access tainted data. Unlike kind-level local_features (which are specific to a taint kind), trace-level local features apply across all kinds in the trace element.

tito_positions: Locations in the current function where taint was propagated via taint-in-taint-out. Each entry is a source position (line, start, end) pointing to an expression where tainted data flowed through a TITO function call. This helps trace how data moved through the function before reaching a sink or being returned.

Features (Breadcrumbs)

Features use a prefix to indicate whether they appear on all paths (always-) or some paths (no prefix):

{ "always-via": "special_source" }
{ "via": "tito" }
{ "always-type": "bool" }
{ "has": "first-index" }
{ "first-index": "<numeric>" }
{ "first-index": "arg" }
{ "has": "first-field" }
{ "first-field": "attribute_name" }

Sanitizers

Global Sanitizer (applies to entire function)

"global_sanitizer": {
  "sources": "All",
  "sinks": [ "SQL" ],
  "tito": { "sources": [ "UserControlled" ], "sinks": "All" }
}

Each of sources, sinks, tito is optional. Values are either "All" or a list of kind names. The tito sub-object has its own sources/sinks.

Parameters Sanitizer (applies to all parameters)

Same format as global sanitizer, under key "parameters_sanitizer".

Per-Root Sanitizers

"sanitizers": [
  {
    "port": "formal(x, position=0)",
    "sources": "All",
    "sinks": [ "TestSink" ]
  }
]

Issue Structure

Issues are separate top-level objects, not nested inside models:

{
  "kind": "issue",
  "data": {
    "callable": "module.function_name",
    "callable_line": 19,
    "code": 5002,
    "line": 21,
    "start": 15,
    "end": 16,
    "filename": "module.py",
    "message": "Data from [Test] source(s) may reach [Test] sink(s)",
    "traces": [
      {
        "name": "forward",
        "roots": [ <trace_elements> ]
      },
      {
        "name": "backward",
        "roots": [ <trace_elements> ]
      }
    ],
    "features": [ { "always-via": "special_source" } ],
    "sink_handle": {
      "kind": "Call",
      "callee": "module.sink_function",
      "index": 0,
      "parameter": "formal(arg)"
    },
    "master_handle": "module.function:5002:0:Call|module.sink|0|formal(arg):md5hash"
  }
}

Trace elements in roots use the same format as model trace elements (kinds/call/origin/declaration).

Sink Handle Variants

| Variant | Fields |

|---------|--------|

| Call | callee, index, parameter |

| Global | callee, index |

| Return | (none) |

| LiteralStringSink | sink |

| ConditionalTestSink | sink |

| StringFormat | callee, index, parameter_index |

parameter in sink handle uses the callee's parameter name (e.g., formal(arg) for _test_sink(arg)), not the caller's argument variable name.

Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Correct |

|---------|---------|

| "formal(x)" | "formal(x, position=0)" — always include position |

| "declaration": {} or "decl": null | "declaration": null — exact key and value matter |

| "tito": null (call info) | "tito": {} — empty object, not null |

| TITO port = "result" | TITO port = "formal(...)" — port is the *input* side |

| Issues inside model "errors" | Issues are separate {"kind": "issue"} objects |

| Including "sources": [] | Omit empty fields entirely |

| Leaves: {"kind": "Test", "name": "..."} | Leaves: {"name": "pysa._test_source", "port": "leaf:return"} |

| sink_handle parameter = caller's variable | sink_handle parameter = callee's parameter name |

Complete Example

Given:

# example.py
from pysa import _test_source, _test_sink

def get_source():
    return _test_source()

def flow():
    x = get_source()
    _test_sink(x)

Model for _test_source (user-declared source):

{
  "kind": "model",
  "data": {
    "callable": "pysa._test_source",
    "filename": "pysa/__init__.pyi",
    "callable_line": 5,
    "sources": [
      {
        "port": "result",
        "taint": [
          {
            "kinds": [
              {
                "features": [ { "always-via": "special_source" } ],
                "kind": "Test"
              }
            ],
            "declaration": null
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "modes": [ "Obscure" ]
  }
}

Model for get_source (inferred source via call):

{
  "kind": "model",
  "data": {
    "callable": "example.get_source",
    "filename": "example.py",
    "callable_line": 4,
    "sources": [
      {
        "port": "result",
        "taint": [
          {
            "kinds": [
              {
                "local_features": [ { "always-via": "special_source" } ],
                "leaves": [ { "name": "pysa._test_source", "port": "leaf:return" } ],
                "kind": "Test"
              }
            ],
            "origin": { "line": 5, "start": 11, "end": 25 }
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Issue for flow:

{
  "kind": "issue",
  "data": {
    "callable": "example.flow",
    "callable_line": 7,
    "code": 5002,
    "line": 9,
    "start": 15,
    "end": 16,
    "filename": "example.py",
    "message": "Data from [Test] source(s) may reach [Test] sink(s)",
    "traces": [
      {
        "name": "forward",
        "roots": [
          {
            "kinds": [
              {
                "features": [ { "always-via": "special_source" } ],
                "leaves": [ { "name": "pysa._test_source", "port": "leaf:return" } ],
                "length": 1,
                "kind": "Test"
              }
            ],
            "call": {
              "position": { "line": 8, "start": 8, "end": 20 },
              "resolves_to": [ "example.get_source" ],
              "port": "result"
            }
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "name": "backward",
        "roots": [
          {
            "kinds": [
              {
                "local_features": [ { "always-via": "special_sink" } ],
                "leaves": [ { "name": "pysa._test_sink", "port": "leaf:arg" } ],
                "kind": "Test"
              }
            ],
            "origin": { "line": 9, "start": 15, "end": 16 }
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "features": [
      { "always-via": "special_source" },
      { "always-via": "special_sink" }
    ],
    "sink_handle": {
      "kind": "Call",
      "callee": "pysa._test_sink",
      "index": 0,
      "parameter": "formal(arg)"
    },
    "master_handle": "example.flow:5002:0:Call|pysa._test_sink|0|formal(arg):abcdef1234567890"
  }
}

Reference

• Model types defined in: source/interprocedural_analyses/taint/model.ml
• Call info, frames, taint serialization: source/interprocedural_analyses/taint/domains.ml
• Feature/breadcrumb format: source/interprocedural_analyses/taint/features.ml
• Issue format: source/interprocedural_analyses/taint/issue.ml
• Sanitizer format: source/interprocedural_analyses/taint/sanitize.ml