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Home > CWE List > CWE-1465: Improper Session Invalidation after User Logout (5.0)  
ID

CWE-1465: Improper Session Invalidation after User Logout

Weakness ID: 1465
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: Variant Variant - a weakness that is linked to a certain type of product, typically involving a specific language or technology. More specific than a Base weakness. Variant level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 3 to 5 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource.
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+ Description
The product provides a logout functionality or otherwise attempts to end an active session for a user, but it does not properly invalidate the session upon logout.
+ Common Consequences
Section HelpThis table specifies different individual consequences associated with the weakness. The Scope identifies the application security area that is violated, while the Impact describes the negative technical impact that arises if an adversary succeeds in exploiting this weakness. The Likelihood provides information about how likely the specific consequence is expected to be seen relative to the other consequences in the list. For example, there may be high likelihood that a weakness will be exploited to achieve a certain impact, but a low likelihood that it will be exploited to achieve a different impact.
Impact Details

Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Scope: Authentication

Failure to invalidate a session on log out allows an adversary who has compromised the session more time to take action on the compromised session than is necessary.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Ensure that user sessions are invalidated on the server-side after a client logs out or attempts to end their session. It is important that the server-side handles all session invalidation – including multiple tabs or windows, such as within a web browser - and does not rely on the client to remove or delete a session due to the possibility of adversaries capturing session identifiers or cookies for later reuse.
+ Relationships
Section Help This table shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOf and give insight to similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such as PeerOf, Overlaps, and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Complete Weakness Hierarchy" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Base Base - a weakness that is still mostly independent of a resource or technology, but with sufficient details to provide specific methods for detection and prevention. Base level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 2 or 3 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, technology, language, and resource. 1464 Improper Session Invalidation
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Grouping Grouping - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1217 User Session Errors
+ Modes Of Introduction
Section HelpThe different Modes of Introduction provide information about how and when this weakness may be introduced. The Phase identifies a point in the life cycle at which introduction may occur, while the Note provides a typical scenario related to introduction during the given phase.
Phase(s) Note

Architecture and Design

Implementation

+ Applicable Platforms
Section HelpThis listing shows possible areas for which the given weakness could appear. These may be for specific named Languages, Operating Systems, Architectures, Paradigms, Technologies, or a class of such platforms. The platform is listed along with how frequently the given weakness appears for that instance.
Type Applicable Platforms Notes
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Operating Systems

Class: Not OS-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Architectures

Class: Not Architecture-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: Client Server (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: Web Based (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Selected Observed Examples

Note: this is a curated list of examples for users to understand the variety of ways in which this weakness can be introduced. It is not a complete list of all CVEs that are related to this CWE entry.

Reference Description
Chain: auth-token was cleared on the browser after logout (CWE-602), but not revoked on the server-side (CWE-1465)
Chain: log out invalidated the session on the client side (CWE-602), but not the server side (CWE-1465)
+ Memberships
Section HelpThis MemberOf Relationships table shows additional CWE Categories and Views that reference this weakness as a member. This information is often useful in understanding where a weakness fits within the context of external information sources.
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf GroupingGrouping - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Usage ALLOWED
(this CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities)
Reason Acceptable-Use

Rationale

This CWE entry is at the Variant level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.

Comments

Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.
+ Notes

Maintenance

Version: 5.0; Release Date: 2026-10-28

This entry was created in CWE 5.0 to address known gaps in CWE coverage. It is not as complete as other new entries that were published in recent years. The CWE Team plans to work with the CWE community to make this entry more complete in later 5.x releases.
+ References
[REF-1561] OWASP. "OWASP Web Security Testing Guide: 4.6 Session Management Testing".
<https://wstg.owasp.org/v4.2/4-Web_Application_Security_Testing/06-Session_Management_Testing/>. (URL validated: 2026-10-22)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2026-10-23
(CWE 5.0, 2026-10-28)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2023-02-20
(CWE 5.0, 2026-10-28)
Michal Biesiada
Suggested content related to a user not logged out from all tabs when logging out of a single tab. The submission inspired this CWE and added additional content.
Page Last Updated: Oct 28, 2026