Example 1
This code changes a user's password.
(bad code)
Example Language: PHP
$user = $_GET['user'];
$pass = $_GET['pass'];
$checkpass = $_GET['checkpass'];
if ($pass == $checkpass) {
SetUserPassword($user, $pass);
}
While the code confirms that the requesting user typed the same new password twice, it does not confirm that the user requesting the password change is the same user whose password will be changed. An attacker can request a change of another user's password and gain control of the victim's account.
Example 2
The following code reads a password from a properties file and uses the password to connect to a database.
(bad code)
Example Language: Java
...
Properties prop = new Properties();
prop.load(new FileInputStream("config.properties"));
String password = prop.getProperty("password");
DriverManager.getConnection(url, usr, password);
...
This code will run successfully, but anyone who has access to config.properties can read the value of password. If a devious employee has access to this information, they can use it to break into the system.
Example 3
The following code reads a password from the registry and uses the password to create a new network credential.
(bad code)
Example Language: Java
...
String password = regKey.GetValue(passKey).toString();
NetworkCredential netCred = new NetworkCredential(username,password,domain);
...
This code will run successfully, but anyone who has access to the registry key used to store the password can read the value of password. If a devious employee has access to this information, they can use it to break into the system
Example 4
Both of these examples verify a password by comparing it to a stored compressed version.
(bad code)
Example Language: C
int VerifyAdmin(char *password) {
if (strcmp(compress(password), compressed_password)) {
printf("Incorrect Password!\n");
return(0);
}
printf("Entering Diagnostic Mode...\n");
return(1);
}
(bad code)
Example Language: Java
int VerifyAdmin(String password) {
if (passwd.Equals(compress(password), compressed_password)) {
return(0);
}
//Diagnostic Mode
return(1);
}
Because a compression algorithm is used instead of a one way hashing algorithm, an attacker can recover compressed passwords stored in the database.
Example 5
The following examples show a portion of properties and configuration files for Java and ASP.NET applications. The files include username and password information but they are stored in plaintext.
This Java example shows a properties file with a plaintext username / password pair.
(bad code)
Example Language: Java
# Java Web App ResourceBundle properties file
...
webapp.ldap.username=secretUsername
webapp.ldap.password=secretPassword
...
The following example shows a portion of a configuration file for an ASP.Net application. This configuration file includes username and password information for a connection to a database but the pair is stored in plaintext.
(bad code)
Example Language: ASP.NET
...
<connectionStrings>
<add name="ud_DEV" connectionString="connectDB=uDB; uid=db2admin; pwd=password; dbalias=uDB;" providerName="System.Data.Odbc" />
</connectionStrings>
...
Username and password information should not be included in a configuration file or a properties file in plaintext as this will allow anyone who can read the file access to the resource. If possible, encrypt this information and avoid CWE-260 and CWE-13.
Description
Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (CWE-1000)
