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Common Weakness Enumeration

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Home > CWE List > VIEW SLICE: CWE-888: Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters (4.19.1)  
ID

CWE VIEW: Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters

View ID: 888
Vulnerability Mapping: PROHIBITED This CWE ID must not be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Type: Graph
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+ Objective
CWE identifiers in this view are associated with clusters of Software Fault Patterns (SFPs).
+ Audience
Stakeholder Description
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+ Relationships
The following graph shows the tree-like relationships between weaknesses that exist at different levels of abstraction. At the highest level, categories and pillars exist to group weaknesses. Categories (which are not technically weaknesses) are special CWE entries used to group weaknesses that share a common characteristic. Pillars are weaknesses that are described in the most abstract fashion. Below these top-level entries are weaknesses are varying levels of abstraction. Classes are still very abstract, typically independent of any specific language or technology. Base level weaknesses are used to present a more specific type of weakness. A variant is a weakness that is described at a very low level of detail, typically limited to a specific language or technology. A chain is a set of weaknesses that must be reachable consecutively in order to produce an exploitable vulnerability. While a composite is a set of weaknesses that must all be present simultaneously in order to produce an exploitable vulnerability.
Show Details:
888 - Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values - (885)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Risky Values cluster (SFP1).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation - (998)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Glitch in Computation cluster (SFP1).
* 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. Wrap-around Error - (128)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 128 (Wrap-around Error)
Wrap around errors occur whenever a value is incremented past the maximum value for its type and therefore "wraps around" to a very small, negative, or undefined value.
* 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. Integer Overflow or Wraparound - (190)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)
The product performs a calculation that can produce an integer overflow or wraparound when the logic assumes that the resulting value will always be larger than the original value. This occurs when an integer value is incremented to a value that is too large to store in the associated representation. When this occurs, the value may become a very small or negative number. Overflow Wraparound wrap, wrap-around, wrap around
* 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. Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound) - (191)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 191 (Integer Underflow (Wrap or Wraparound))
The product subtracts one value from another, such that the result is less than the minimum allowable integer value, which produces a value that is not equal to the correct result. Integer underflow
* 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. Unexpected Sign Extension - (194)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 194 (Unexpected Sign Extension)
The product performs an operation on a number that causes it to be sign extended when it is transformed into a larger data type. When the original number is negative, this can produce unexpected values that lead to resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Signed to Unsigned Conversion Error - (195)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 195 (Signed to Unsigned Conversion Error)
The product uses a signed primitive and performs a cast to an unsigned primitive, which can produce an unexpected value if the value of the signed primitive can not be represented using an unsigned primitive.
* 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. Unsigned to Signed Conversion Error - (196)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 196 (Unsigned to Signed Conversion Error)
The product uses an unsigned primitive and performs a cast to a signed primitive, which can produce an unexpected value if the value of the unsigned primitive can not be represented using a signed primitive.
* 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. Numeric Truncation Error - (197)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 197 (Numeric Truncation Error)
Truncation errors occur when a primitive is cast to a primitive of a smaller size and data is lost in the conversion.
* 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. Divide By Zero - (369)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 369 (Divide By Zero)
The product divides a value by zero.
* 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. Missing Initialization of a Variable - (456)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 456 (Missing Initialization of a Variable)
The product does not initialize critical variables, which causes the execution environment to use unexpected values.
* 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. Use of Uninitialized Variable - (457)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 457 (Use of Uninitialized Variable)
The code uses a variable that has not been initialized, leading to unpredictable or unintended results.
* 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. Return of Pointer Value Outside of Expected Range - (466)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 466 (Return of Pointer Value Outside of Expected Range)
A function can return a pointer to memory that is outside of the buffer that the pointer is expected to reference.
* 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. Incorrect Pointer Scaling - (468)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 468 (Incorrect Pointer Scaling)
In C and C++, one may often accidentally refer to the wrong memory due to the semantics of when math operations are implicitly scaled.
* 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. Undefined Behavior for Input to API - (475)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 475 (Undefined Behavior for Input to API)
The behavior of this function is undefined unless its control parameter is set to a specific value.
* 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. Use of Incorrect Operator - (480)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 480 (Use of Incorrect Operator)
The product accidentally uses the wrong operator, which changes the logic in security-relevant ways.
* 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. Assigning instead of Comparing - (481)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 481 (Assigning instead of Comparing)
The code uses an operator for assignment when the intention was to perform a comparison.
* 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. Comparison of Classes by Name - (486)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 486 (Comparison of Classes by Name)
The product compares classes by name, which can cause it to use the wrong class when multiple classes can have the same name.
* 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. Return of Stack Variable Address - (562)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 562 (Return of Stack Variable Address)
A function returns the address of a stack variable, which will cause unintended program behavior, typically in the form of a crash.
* 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. Expression is Always False - (570)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 570 (Expression is Always False)
The product contains an expression that will always evaluate to false.
* 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. Expression is Always True - (571)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 571 (Expression is Always True)
The product contains an expression that will always evaluate to true.
* 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. J2EE Bad Practices: Non-serializable Object Stored in Session - (579)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 579 (J2EE Bad Practices: Non-serializable Object Stored in Session)
The product stores a non-serializable object as an HttpSession attribute, which can hurt reliability.
* 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. Assignment of a Fixed Address to a Pointer - (587)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 587 (Assignment of a Fixed Address to a Pointer)
The product sets a pointer to a specific address other than NULL or 0.
* 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. J2EE Framework: Saving Unserializable Objects to Disk - (594)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 594 (J2EE Framework: Saving Unserializable Objects to Disk)
When the J2EE container attempts to write unserializable objects to disk there is no guarantee that the process will complete successfully.
* 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. Use of Wrong Operator in String Comparison - (597)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 597 (Use of Wrong Operator in String Comparison)
The product uses the wrong operator when comparing a string, such as using "==" when the .equals() method should be used instead.
* 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. Function Call with Incorrectly Specified Arguments - (628)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 628 (Function Call with Incorrectly Specified Arguments)
The product calls a function, procedure, or routine with arguments that are not correctly specified, leading to always-incorrect behavior and resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Incorrect Conversion between Numeric Types - (681)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 681 (Incorrect Conversion between Numeric Types)
When converting from one data type to another, such as long to integer, data can be omitted or translated in a way that produces unexpected values. If the resulting values are used in a sensitive context, then dangerous behaviors may occur.
* 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. Function Call With Incorrect Order of Arguments - (683)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 683 (Function Call With Incorrect Order of Arguments)
The product calls a function, procedure, or routine, but the caller specifies the arguments in an incorrect order, leading to resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Function Call With Incorrect Number of Arguments - (685)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 685 (Function Call With Incorrect Number of Arguments)
The product calls a function, procedure, or routine, but the caller specifies too many arguments, or too few arguments, which may lead to undefined behavior and resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Function Call With Incorrect Argument Type - (686)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 686 (Function Call With Incorrect Argument Type)
The product calls a function, procedure, or routine, but the caller specifies an argument that is the wrong data type, which may lead to resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Function Call With Incorrect Variable or Reference as Argument - (688)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 688 (Function Call With Incorrect Variable or Reference as Argument)
The product calls a function, procedure, or routine, but the caller specifies the wrong variable or reference as one of the arguments, which may lead to undefined behavior and resultant weaknesses.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast - (704)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 704 (Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast)
The product does not correctly convert an object, resource, or structure from one type to a different type.
* 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. Incorrect Short Circuit Evaluation - (768)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 885 (SFP Primary Cluster: Risky Values) > 998 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation) > 768 (Incorrect Short Circuit Evaluation)
The product contains a conditional statement with multiple logical expressions in which one of the non-leading expressions may produce side effects. This may lead to an unexpected state in the program after the execution of the conditional, because short-circuiting logic may prevent the side effects from occurring.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Unused entities - (886)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 886 (SFP Primary Cluster: Unused entities)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Unused entities cluster (SFP2).
* 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. Comparing instead of Assigning - (482)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 886 (SFP Primary Cluster: Unused entities) > 482 (Comparing instead of Assigning)
The code uses an operator for comparison when the intention was to perform an assignment.
* 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. Dead Code - (561)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 886 (SFP Primary Cluster: Unused entities) > 561 (Dead Code)
The product contains dead code, which can never be executed.
* 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. Assignment to Variable without Use - (563)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 886 (SFP Primary Cluster: Unused entities) > 563 (Assignment to Variable without Use)
The variable's value is assigned but never used, making it a dead store. Unused Variable
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: API - (887)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the API cluster (SFP3).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API - (1001)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Use of an Improper API cluster (SFP3).
* 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. Direct Use of Unsafe JNI - (111)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 111 (Direct Use of Unsafe JNI)
When a Java application uses the Java Native Interface (JNI) to call code written in another programming language, it can expose the application to weaknesses in that code, even if those weaknesses cannot occur in Java.
* Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 7PK - API Abuse - (227)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 227 (7PK - API Abuse)
This category represents one of the phyla in the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms vulnerability classification. It includes weaknesses that involve the software using an API in a manner contrary to its intended use. According to the authors of the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms, "An API is a contract between a caller and a callee. The most common forms of API misuse occurs when the caller does not honor its end of this contract. For example, if a program does not call chdir() after calling chroot(), it violates the contract that specifies how to change the active root directory in a secure fashion. Another good example of library abuse is expecting the callee to return trustworthy DNS information to the caller. In this case, the caller misuses the callee API by making certain assumptions about its behavior (that the return value can be used for authentication purposes). One can also violate the caller-callee contract from the other side. For example, if a coder subclasses SecureRandom and returns a non-random value, the contract is violated."
* 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. Use of Inherently Dangerous Function - (242)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 242 (Use of Inherently Dangerous Function)
The product calls a function that can never be guaranteed to work safely.
* 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. J2EE Bad Practices: Direct Management of Connections - (245)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 245 (J2EE Bad Practices: Direct Management of Connections)
The J2EE application directly manages connections, instead of using the container's connection management facilities.
* 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. J2EE Bad Practices: Direct Use of Sockets - (246)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 246 (J2EE Bad Practices: Direct Use of Sockets)
The J2EE application directly uses sockets instead of using framework method calls.
* 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. J2EE Bad Practices: Use of System.exit() - (382)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 382 (J2EE Bad Practices: Use of System.exit())
A J2EE application uses System.exit(), which also shuts down its container.
* 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. J2EE Bad Practices: Direct Use of Threads - (383)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 383 (J2EE Bad Practices: Direct Use of Threads)
Thread management in a Web application is forbidden in some circumstances and is always highly error prone.
* 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. Dangerous Signal Handler not Disabled During Sensitive Operations - (432)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 432 (Dangerous Signal Handler not Disabled During Sensitive Operations)
The product uses a signal handler that shares state with other signal handlers, but it does not properly mask or prevent those signal handlers from being invoked while the original signal handler is still running.
* 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. Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment - (439)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 439 (Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment)
A's behavior or functionality changes with a new version of A, or a new environment, which is not known (or manageable) by B. Functional change
* 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. Expected Behavior Violation - (440)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 440 (Expected Behavior Violation)
A feature, API, or function does not perform according to its specification.
* 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. Use of Function with Inconsistent Implementations - (474)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 474 (Use of Function with Inconsistent Implementations)
The code uses a function that has inconsistent implementations across operating systems and versions.
* 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. Use of Obsolete Function - (477)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 477 (Use of Obsolete Function)
The code uses deprecated or obsolete functions, which suggests that the code has not been actively reviewed or maintained.
* 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. Signal Handler Use of a Non-reentrant Function - (479)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 479 (Signal Handler Use of a Non-reentrant Function)
The product defines a signal handler that calls a non-reentrant function.
* 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. Use of getlogin() in Multithreaded Application - (558)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 558 (Use of getlogin() in Multithreaded Application)
The product uses the getlogin() function in a multithreaded context, potentially causing it to return incorrect values.
* 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. Call to Thread run() instead of start() - (572)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 572 (Call to Thread run() instead of start())
The product calls a thread's run() method instead of calling start(), which causes the code to run in the thread of the caller instead of the callee.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Following of Specification by Caller - (573)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 573 (Improper Following of Specification by Caller)
The product does not follow or incorrectly follows the specifications as required by the implementation language, environment, framework, protocol, or platform.
* 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. EJB Bad Practices: Use of Synchronization Primitives - (574)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 574 (EJB Bad Practices: Use of Synchronization Primitives)
The product violates the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) specification by using thread synchronization primitives.
* 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. EJB Bad Practices: Use of AWT Swing - (575)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 575 (EJB Bad Practices: Use of AWT Swing)
The product violates the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) specification by using AWT/Swing.
* 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. EJB Bad Practices: Use of Java I/O - (576)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 576 (EJB Bad Practices: Use of Java I/O)
The product violates the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) specification by using the java.io package.
* 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. EJB Bad Practices: Use of Sockets - (577)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 577 (EJB Bad Practices: Use of Sockets)
The product violates the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) specification by using sockets.
* 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. EJB Bad Practices: Use of Class Loader - (578)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 578 (EJB Bad Practices: Use of Class Loader)
The product violates the Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) specification by using the class loader.
* 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. Explicit Call to Finalize() - (586)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 586 (Explicit Call to Finalize())
The product makes an explicit call to the finalize() method from outside the finalizer.
* 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. Call to Non-ubiquitous API - (589)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 589 (Call to Non-ubiquitous API)
The product uses an API function that does not exist on all versions of the target platform. This could cause portability problems or inconsistencies that allow denial of service or other consequences.
* 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. Reachable Assertion - (617)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 617 (Reachable Assertion)
The product contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary. assertion failure
* 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. Use of Potentially Dangerous Function - (676)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 676 (Use of Potentially Dangerous Function)
The product invokes a potentially dangerous function that could introduce a vulnerability if it is used incorrectly, but the function can also be used safely.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Provision of Specified Functionality - (684)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 684 (Incorrect Provision of Specified Functionality)
The code does not function according to its published specifications, potentially leading to incorrect usage.
* 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. Use of Low-Level Functionality - (695)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 695 (Use of Low-Level Functionality)
The product uses low-level functionality that is explicitly prohibited by the framework or specification under which the product is supposed to operate.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Reliance on Undefined, Unspecified, or Implementation-Defined Behavior - (758)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 887 (SFP Primary Cluster: API) > 1001 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API) > 758 (Reliance on Undefined, Unspecified, or Implementation-Defined Behavior)
The product uses an API function, data structure, or other entity in a way that relies on properties that are not always guaranteed to hold for that entity.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management - (889)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Exception Management cluster (SFP4, SFP5, SFP6).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Ambiguous Exception Type - (960)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 960 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Ambiguous Exception Type)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Ambiguous Exception Type cluster (SFP5).
* 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. Declaration of Catch for Generic Exception - (396)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 960 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Ambiguous Exception Type) > 396 (Declaration of Catch for Generic Exception)
Catching overly broad exceptions promotes complex error handling code that is more likely to contain security vulnerabilities.
* 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. Declaration of Throws for Generic Exception - (397)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 960 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Ambiguous Exception Type) > 397 (Declaration of Throws for Generic Exception)
The product throws or raises an overly broad exceptions that can hide important details and produce inappropriate responses to certain conditions.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior - (961)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Incorrect Exception Behavior cluster (SFP6).
* 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. Missing Report of Error Condition - (392)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 392 (Missing Report of Error Condition)
The product encounters an error but does not provide a status code or return value to indicate that an error has occurred.
* 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. Return of Wrong Status Code - (393)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 393 (Return of Wrong Status Code)
A function or operation returns an incorrect return value or status code that does not indicate the true result of execution, causing the product to modify its behavior based on the incorrect result.
* 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. Non-exit on Failed Initialization - (455)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 455 (Non-exit on Failed Initialization)
The product does not exit or otherwise modify its operation when security-relevant errors occur during initialization, such as when a configuration file has a format error or a hardware security module (HSM) cannot be activated, which can cause the product to execute in a less secure fashion than intended by the administrator.
* 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. Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception - (460)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 460 (Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception)
The product does not clean up its state or incorrectly cleans up its state when an exception is thrown, leading to unexpected state or control flow.
* 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. Missing Standardized Error Handling Mechanism - (544)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 544 (Missing Standardized Error Handling Mechanism)
The product does not use a standardized method for handling errors throughout the code, which might introduce inconsistent error handling and resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Return Inside Finally Block - (584)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 584 (Return Inside Finally Block)
The code has a return statement inside a finally block, which will cause any thrown exception in the try block to be discarded.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Not Failing Securely ('Failing Open') - (636)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 636 (Not Failing Securely ('Failing Open'))
When the product encounters an error condition or failure, its design requires it to fall back to a state that is less secure than other options that are available, such as selecting the weakest encryption algorithm or using the most permissive access control restrictions. Failing Open
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions - (703)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 961 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Exception Behavior) > 703 (Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions)
The product does not properly anticipate or handle exceptional conditions that rarely occur during normal operation of the product.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition - (962)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Unchecked Status Condition cluster (SFP4).
* 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. Uncaught Exception - (248)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 248 (Uncaught Exception)
An exception is thrown from a function, but it is not caught.
* 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. Unchecked Return Value - (252)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 252 (Unchecked Return Value)
The product does not check the return value from a method or function, which can prevent it from detecting unexpected states and conditions.
* 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. Incorrect Check of Function Return Value - (253)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 253 (Incorrect Check of Function Return Value)
The product incorrectly checks a return value from a function, which prevents it from detecting errors or exceptional conditions.
* 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. Improper Check for Dropped Privileges - (273)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 273 (Improper Check for Dropped Privileges)
The product attempts to drop privileges but does not check or incorrectly checks to see if the drop succeeded.
* 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. Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges - (280)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 280 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges )
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to access resources or functionality as specified by their permissions. This may cause it to follow unexpected code paths that may leave the product in an invalid state.
* 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. Incomplete Internal State Distinction - (372)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 372 (Incomplete Internal State Distinction)
The product does not properly determine which state it is in, causing it to assume it is in state X when in fact it is in state Y, causing it to perform incorrect operations in a security-relevant manner.
* 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. Detection of Error Condition Without Action - (390)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 390 (Detection of Error Condition Without Action)
The product detects a specific error, but takes no actions to handle the error.
* 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. Unchecked Error Condition - (391)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 391 (Unchecked Error Condition)
[PLANNED FOR DEPRECATION. SEE MAINTENANCE NOTES AND CONSIDER CWE-252, CWE-248, OR CWE-1069.] Ignoring exceptions and other error conditions may allow an attacker to induce unexpected behavior unnoticed.
* 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. Unexpected Status Code or Return Value - (394)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 394 (Unexpected Status Code or Return Value)
The product does not properly check when a function or operation returns a value that is legitimate for the function, but is not expected by the product.
* 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. Use of NullPointerException Catch to Detect NULL Pointer Dereference - (395)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 395 (Use of NullPointerException Catch to Detect NULL Pointer Dereference)
Catching NullPointerException should not be used as an alternative to programmatic checks to prevent dereferencing a null pointer.
* 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. Missing Handler - (431)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 431 (Missing Handler)
A handler is not available or implemented.
* 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. Missing Default Case in Multiple Condition Expression - (478)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 478 (Missing Default Case in Multiple Condition Expression)
The code does not have a default case in an expression with multiple conditions, such as a switch statement.
* 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. Omitted Break Statement in Switch - (484)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 484 (Omitted Break Statement in Switch)
The product omits a break statement within a switch or similar construct, causing code associated with multiple conditions to execute. This can cause problems when the programmer only intended to execute code associated with one condition.
* 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. Uncaught Exception in Servlet - (600)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 600 (Uncaught Exception in Servlet )
The Servlet does not catch all exceptions, which may reveal sensitive debugging information. Missing Catch Block
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Initialization - (665)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 665 (Improper Initialization)
The product does not initialize or incorrectly initializes a resource, which might leave the resource in an unexpected state when it is accessed or used.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions - (754)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 754 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions)
The product does not check or incorrectly checks for unusual or exceptional conditions that are not expected to occur frequently during day to day operation of the product.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions - (755)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 889 (SFP Primary Cluster: Exception Management) > 962 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unchecked Status Condition) > 755 (Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles an exceptional condition.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access - (890)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Memory Access cluster (SFP7, SFP8).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access - (970)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Buffer Access cluster (SFP8).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Access of Indexable Resource ('Range Error') - (118)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 118 (Incorrect Access of Indexable Resource ('Range Error'))
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts operations within the boundaries of a resource that is accessed using an index or pointer, such as memory or files.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer - (119)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)
The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary. This may result in read or write operations on unexpected memory locations that could be linked to other variables, data structures, or internal program data. Buffer Overflow buffer overrun memory safety
* 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. Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') - (120)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow'))
The product copies an input buffer to an output buffer without verifying that the size of the input buffer is less than the size of the output buffer. Classic Buffer Overflow Unbounded Transfer
* 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. Stack-based Buffer Overflow - (121)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)
A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function). Stack Overflow Stack Buffer Overflow
* 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. Heap-based Buffer Overflow - (122)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)
A heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc(). Heap Overflow Heap Buffer Overflow
* 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. Write-what-where Condition - (123)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 123 (Write-what-where Condition)
Any condition where the attacker has the ability to write an arbitrary value to an arbitrary location, often as the result of a buffer overflow.
* 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. Buffer Underwrite ('Buffer Underflow') - (124)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 124 (Buffer Underwrite ('Buffer Underflow'))
The product writes to a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location prior to the beginning of the buffer. buffer underrun
* 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. Out-of-bounds Read - (125)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 125 (Out-of-bounds Read)
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. OOB read
* 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. Buffer Over-read - (126)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 126 (Buffer Over-read)
The product reads from a buffer using buffer access mechanisms such as indexes or pointers that reference memory locations after the targeted buffer.
* 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. Buffer Under-read - (127)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 127 (Buffer Under-read)
The product reads from a buffer using buffer access mechanisms such as indexes or pointers that reference memory locations prior to the targeted buffer.
* 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. Improper Validation of Array Index - (129)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 970 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access) > 129 (Improper Validation of Array Index)
The product uses untrusted input when calculating or using an array index, but the product does not validate or incorrectly validates the index to ensure the index references a valid position within the array. out-of-bounds array index index-out-of-range array index underflow
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Pointer Use - (971)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 971 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Pointer Use)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Pointer Use cluster (SFP7).
* 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. Use of Pointer Subtraction to Determine Size - (469)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 971 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Pointer Use) > 469 (Use of Pointer Subtraction to Determine Size)
The product subtracts one pointer from another in order to determine size, but this calculation can be incorrect if the pointers do not exist in the same memory chunk.
* 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. NULL Pointer Dereference - (476)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 971 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Pointer Use) > 476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL. NPD null deref NPE nil pointer dereference
* 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. Attempt to Access Child of a Non-structure Pointer - (588)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 971 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Pointer Use) > 588 (Attempt to Access Child of a Non-structure Pointer)
Casting a non-structure type to a structure type and accessing a field can lead to memory access errors or data corruption.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty String Expansion - (972)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 972 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty String Expansion)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty String Expansion cluster (SFP9).
* 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. Use of Path Manipulation Function without Maximum-sized Buffer - (785)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 972 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty String Expansion) > 785 (Use of Path Manipulation Function without Maximum-sized Buffer)
The product invokes a function for normalizing paths or file names, but it provides an output buffer that is smaller than the maximum possible size, such as PATH_MAX.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Improper NULL Termination - (973)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 973 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Improper NULL Termination)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Improper NULL Termination cluster (SFP11).
* 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. Improper Null Termination - (170)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 973 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Improper NULL Termination) > 170 (Improper Null Termination)
The product does not terminate or incorrectly terminates a string or array with a null character or equivalent terminator.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Buffer Length Computation - (974)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 974 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Buffer Length Computation)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Incorrect Buffer Length Computation cluster (SFP10).
* 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. Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size - (131)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 974 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Buffer Length Computation) > 131 (Incorrect Calculation of Buffer Size)
The product does not correctly calculate the size to be used when allocating a buffer, which could lead to a buffer overflow.
* 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. Incorrect Calculation of Multi-Byte String Length - (135)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 974 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Buffer Length Computation) > 135 (Incorrect Calculation of Multi-Byte String Length)
The product does not correctly calculate the length of strings that can contain wide or multi-byte characters.
* Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. Often Misused: String Management - (251)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 974 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Buffer Length Computation) > 251 (Often Misused: String Management)
Functions that manipulate strings encourage buffer overflows.
* 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. Use of sizeof() on a Pointer Type - (467)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 890 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Access) > 974 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Buffer Length Computation) > 467 (Use of sizeof() on a Pointer Type)
The code calls sizeof() on a pointer type, which can be an incorrect calculation if the programmer intended to determine the size of the data that is being pointed to.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management - (891)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 891 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Memory Management cluster (SFP38).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Memory Release - (969)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 891 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management) > 969 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Memory Release)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Memory Release cluster (SFP12).
* 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. Double Free - (415)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 891 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management) > 969 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Memory Release) > 415 (Double Free)
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address. Double-free
* 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. Free of Memory not on the Heap - (590)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 891 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management) > 969 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Memory Release) > 590 (Free of Memory not on the Heap)
The product calls free() on a pointer to memory that was not allocated using associated heap allocation functions such as malloc(), calloc(), or realloc().
* 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. Free of Pointer not at Start of Buffer - (761)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 891 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management) > 969 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Memory Release) > 761 (Free of Pointer not at Start of Buffer)
The product calls free() on a pointer to a memory resource that was allocated on the heap, but the pointer is not at the start of the buffer.
* 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. Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference - (763)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 891 (SFP Primary Cluster: Memory Management) > 969 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Memory Release) > 763 (Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference)
The product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management - (892)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Resource Management cluster (SFP37).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource - (982)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Failure to Release Resource cluster (SFP14).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Resource Shutdown or Release - (404)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource) > 404 (Improper Resource Shutdown or Release)
The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use.
* 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. Incomplete Cleanup - (459)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource) > 459 (Incomplete Cleanup)
The product does not properly "clean up" and remove temporary or supporting resources after they have been used. Insufficient Cleanup
* 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. Missing Reference to Active Allocated Resource - (771)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource) > 771 (Missing Reference to Active Allocated Resource)
The product does not properly maintain a reference to a resource that has been allocated, which prevents the resource from being reclaimed.
* 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. Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime - (772)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource) > 772 (Missing Release of Resource after Effective Lifetime)
The product does not release a resource after its effective lifetime has ended, i.e., after the resource is no longer needed.
* 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. Missing Reference to Active File Descriptor or Handle - (773)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource) > 773 (Missing Reference to Active File Descriptor or Handle)
The product does not properly maintain references to a file descriptor or handle, which prevents that file descriptor/handle from being reclaimed.
* 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. Missing Release of File Descriptor or Handle after Effective Lifetime - (775)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 982 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failure to Release Resource) > 775 (Missing Release of File Descriptor or Handle after Effective Lifetime)
The product does not release a file descriptor or handle after its effective lifetime has ended, i.e., after the file descriptor/handle is no longer needed.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Resource Use - (983)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 983 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Resource Use)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Resource Use cluster (SFP15).
* 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. Use After Free - (416)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 983 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Resource Use) > 416 (Use After Free)
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer. Dangling pointer UAF Use-After-Free
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release - (672)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 983 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Resource Use) > 672 (Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release)
The product uses, accesses, or otherwise operates on a resource after that resource has been expired, released, or revoked.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Life Cycle - (984)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 984 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Life Cycle)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Life Cycle cluster.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Improper Control of a Resource Through its Lifetime - (664)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 984 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Life Cycle) > 664 (Improper Control of a Resource Through its Lifetime)
The product does not maintain or incorrectly maintains control over a resource throughout its lifetime of creation, use, and release.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Operation on Resource in Wrong Phase of Lifetime - (666)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 984 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Life Cycle) > 666 (Operation on Resource in Wrong Phase of Lifetime)
The product performs an operation on a resource at the wrong phase of the resource's lifecycle, which can lead to unexpected behaviors.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Multiple Operations on Resource in Single-Operation Context - (675)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 984 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Life Cycle) > 675 (Multiple Operations on Resource in Single-Operation Context)
The product performs the same operation on a resource two or more times, when the operation should only be applied once.
* 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. Use of Multiple Resources with Duplicate Identifier - (694)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 984 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Life Cycle) > 694 (Use of Multiple Resources with Duplicate Identifier)
The product uses multiple resources that can have the same identifier, in a context in which unique identifiers are required.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption - (985)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 985 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Unrestricted Consumption cluster (SFP13).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Uncontrolled Resource Consumption - (400)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 985 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption) > 400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption)
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource. Resource Exhaustion
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Uncontrolled Recursion - (674)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 985 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption) > 674 (Uncontrolled Recursion)
The product does not properly control the amount of recursion that takes place, consuming excessive resources, such as allocated memory or the program stack. Stack Exhaustion
* 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. Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling - (770)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 985 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption) > 770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling)
The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated.
* 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. Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling - (774)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 892 (SFP Primary Cluster: Resource Management) > 985 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption) > 774 (Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling)
The product allocates file descriptors or handles on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on how many descriptors can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. File Descriptor Exhaustion
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution - (893)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Path Resolution cluster (SFP16, SFP17, SFP18).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Failed Chroot Jail - (979)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 979 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failed Chroot Jail)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Failed Chroot Jail cluster (SFP17).
* 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. Creation of chroot Jail Without Changing Working Directory - (243)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 979 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Failed Chroot Jail) > 243 (Creation of chroot Jail Without Changing Working Directory)
The product uses the chroot() system call to create a jail, but does not change the working directory afterward. This does not prevent access to files outside of the jail.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution - (980)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Link in Resource Name Resolution cluster (SFP18).
* 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. Symbolic Name not Mapping to Correct Object - (386)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution) > 386 (Symbolic Name not Mapping to Correct Object)
A constant symbolic reference to an object is used, even though the reference can resolve to a different object over time.
* 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. Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') - (59)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution) > 59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following'))
The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource. insecure temporary file Zip Slip
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Externally Controlled Reference to a Resource in Another Sphere - (610)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution) > 610 (Externally Controlled Reference to a Resource in Another Sphere)
The product uses an externally controlled name or reference that resolves to a resource that is outside of the intended control sphere.
* 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. UNIX Hard Link - (62)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution) > 62 (UNIX Hard Link)
The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the name is associated with a hard link to a target that is outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.
* 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. Windows Shortcut Following (.LNK) - (64)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution) > 64 (Windows Shortcut Following (.LNK))
The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently handle when the file is a Windows shortcut (.LNK) whose target is outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files. Windows symbolic link following symlink
* 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. Windows Hard Link - (65)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 980 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Link in Resource Name Resolution) > 65 (Windows Hard Link)
The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently handle when the name is associated with a hard link to a target that is outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal - (981)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Path Traversal cluster (SFP16).
* 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. Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') - (22)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'))
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. Directory traversal Path traversal
* 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. Relative Path Traversal - (23)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 23 (Relative Path Traversal)
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize sequences such as ".." that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory. Zip Slip
* 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. Path Traversal: '../filedir' - (24)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 24 (Path Traversal: '../filedir')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize "../" sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '/../filedir' - (25)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 25 (Path Traversal: '/../filedir')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize "/../" sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '/dir/../filename' - (26)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 26 (Path Traversal: '/dir/../filename')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize "/dir/../filename" sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: 'dir/../../filename' - (27)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 27 (Path Traversal: 'dir/../../filename')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize multiple internal "../" sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '..\filedir' - (28)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 28 (Path Traversal: '..\filedir')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize "..\" sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '\..\filename' - (29)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 29 (Path Traversal: '\..\filename')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize '\..\filename' (leading backslash dot dot) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '\dir\..\filename' - (30)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 30 (Path Traversal: '\dir\..\filename')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize '\dir\..\filename' (leading backslash dot dot) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: 'dir\..\..\filename' - (31)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 31 (Path Traversal: 'dir\..\..\filename')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize 'dir\..\..\filename' (multiple internal backslash dot dot) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '...' (Triple Dot) - (32)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 32 (Path Traversal: '...' (Triple Dot))
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize '...' (triple dot) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '....' (Multiple Dot) - (33)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 33 (Path Traversal: '....' (Multiple Dot))
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize '....' (multiple dot) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '....//' - (34)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 34 (Path Traversal: '....//')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize '....//' (doubled dot dot slash) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '.../...//' - (35)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 35 (Path Traversal: '.../...//')
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize '.../...//' (doubled triple dot slash) sequences that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Absolute Path Traversal - (36)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 36 (Absolute Path Traversal)
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize absolute path sequences such as "/abs/path" that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
* 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. Path Traversal: '/absolute/pathname/here' - (37)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 37 (Path Traversal: '/absolute/pathname/here')
The product accepts input in the form of a slash absolute path ('/absolute/pathname/here') without appropriate validation, which can allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Traversal: '\absolute\pathname\here' - (38)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 38 (Path Traversal: '\absolute\pathname\here')
The product accepts input in the form of a backslash absolute path ('\absolute\pathname\here') without appropriate validation, which can allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Traversal: 'C:dirname' - (39)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 39 (Path Traversal: 'C:dirname')
The product accepts input that contains a drive letter or Windows volume letter ('C:dirname') that potentially redirects access to an unintended location or arbitrary file.
* 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. Path Traversal: '\\UNC\share\name\' (Windows UNC Share) - (40)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 40 (Path Traversal: '\\UNC\share\name\' (Windows UNC Share))
The product accepts input that identifies a Windows UNC share ('\\UNC\share\name') that potentially redirects access to an unintended location or arbitrary file.
* 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. Improper Resolution of Path Equivalence - (41)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 41 (Improper Resolution of Path Equivalence)
The product is vulnerable to file system contents disclosure through path equivalence. Path equivalence involves the use of special characters in file and directory names. The associated manipulations are intended to generate multiple names for the same object.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'filename.' (Trailing Dot) - (42)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 42 (Path Equivalence: 'filename.' (Trailing Dot))
The product accepts path input in the form of trailing dot ('filedir.') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Unquoted Search Path or Element - (428)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)
The product uses a search path that contains an unquoted element, in which the element contains whitespace or other separators. This can cause the product to access resources in a parent path.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'filename....' (Multiple Trailing Dot) - (43)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 43 (Path Equivalence: 'filename....' (Multiple Trailing Dot))
The product accepts path input in the form of multiple trailing dot ('filedir....') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'file.name' (Internal Dot) - (44)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 44 (Path Equivalence: 'file.name' (Internal Dot))
The product accepts path input in the form of internal dot ('file.ordir') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'file...name' (Multiple Internal Dot) - (45)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 45 (Path Equivalence: 'file...name' (Multiple Internal Dot))
The product accepts path input in the form of multiple internal dot ('file...dir') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'filename ' (Trailing Space) - (46)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 46 (Path Equivalence: 'filename ' (Trailing Space))
The product accepts path input in the form of trailing space ('filedir ') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: ' filename' (Leading Space) - (47)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 47 (Path Equivalence: ' filename' (Leading Space))
The product accepts path input in the form of leading space (' filedir') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'file name' (Internal Whitespace) - (48)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 48 (Path Equivalence: 'file name' (Internal Whitespace))
The product accepts path input in the form of internal space ('file(SPACE)name') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'filename/' (Trailing Slash) - (49)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 49 (Path Equivalence: 'filename/' (Trailing Slash))
The product accepts path input in the form of trailing slash ('filedir/') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: '//multiple/leading/slash' - (50)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 50 (Path Equivalence: '//multiple/leading/slash')
The product accepts path input in the form of multiple leading slash ('//multiple/leading/slash') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: '/multiple//internal/slash' - (51)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 51 (Path Equivalence: '/multiple//internal/slash')
The product accepts path input in the form of multiple internal slash ('/multiple//internal/slash/') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: '/multiple/trailing/slash//' - (52)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 52 (Path Equivalence: '/multiple/trailing/slash//')
The product accepts path input in the form of multiple trailing slash ('/multiple/trailing/slash//') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: '\multiple\\internal\backslash' - (53)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 53 (Path Equivalence: '\multiple\\internal\backslash')
The product accepts path input in the form of multiple internal backslash ('\multiple\trailing\\slash') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'filedir\' (Trailing Backslash) - (54)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 54 (Path Equivalence: 'filedir\' (Trailing Backslash))
The product accepts path input in the form of trailing backslash ('filedir\') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: '/./' (Single Dot Directory) - (55)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 55 (Path Equivalence: '/./' (Single Dot Directory))
The product accepts path input in the form of single dot directory exploit ('/./') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'filedir*' (Wildcard) - (56)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 56 (Path Equivalence: 'filedir*' (Wildcard))
The product accepts path input in the form of asterisk wildcard ('filedir*') without appropriate validation, which can lead to ambiguous path resolution and allow an attacker to traverse the file system to unintended locations or access arbitrary files.
* 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. Path Equivalence: 'fakedir/../realdir/filename' - (57)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 57 (Path Equivalence: 'fakedir/../realdir/filename')
The product contains protection mechanisms to restrict access to 'realdir/filename', but it constructs pathnames using external input in the form of 'fakedir/../realdir/filename' that are not handled by those mechanisms. This allows attackers to perform unauthorized actions against the targeted file.
* 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. Path Equivalence: Windows 8.3 Filename - (58)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 58 (Path Equivalence: Windows 8.3 Filename)
The product contains a protection mechanism that restricts access to a long filename on a Windows operating system, but it does not properly restrict access to the equivalent short "8.3" filename.
* 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. Improper Handling of File Names that Identify Virtual Resources - (66)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 66 (Improper Handling of File Names that Identify Virtual Resources)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles a file name that identifies a "virtual" resource that is not directly specified within the directory that is associated with the file name, causing the product to perform file-based operations on a resource that is not a file.
* 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. Improper Handling of Windows Device Names - (67)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 67 (Improper Handling of Windows Device Names)
The product constructs pathnames from user input, but it does not handle or incorrectly handles a pathname containing a Windows device name such as AUX or CON. This typically leads to denial of service or an information exposure when the application attempts to process the pathname as a regular file.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference - (706)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 706 (Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference)
The product uses a name or reference to access a resource, but the name/reference resolves to a resource that is outside of the intended control sphere.
* 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. Improper Handling of Apple HFS+ Alternate Data Stream Path - (72)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 72 (Improper Handling of Apple HFS+ Alternate Data Stream Path)
The product does not properly handle special paths that may identify the data or resource fork of a file on the HFS+ file system.
* 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. External Control of File Name or Path - (73)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 893 (SFP Primary Cluster: Path Resolution) > 981 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal) > 73 (External Control of File Name or Path)
The product allows user input to control or influence paths or file names that are used in filesystem operations.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization - (894)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Synchronization cluster (SFP19, SFP20, SFP21, SFP22).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock - (986)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Missing Lock cluster (SFP19).
* 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. Signal Handler Race Condition - (364)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 364 (Signal Handler Race Condition)
The product uses a signal handler that introduces a race condition.
* 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. Race Condition within a Thread - (366)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 366 (Race Condition within a Thread)
If two threads of execution use a resource simultaneously, there exists the possibility that resources may be used while invalid, in turn making the state of execution undefined.
* 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. Context Switching Race Condition - (368)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 368 (Context Switching Race Condition)
A product performs a series of non-atomic actions to switch between contexts that cross privilege or other security boundaries, but a race condition allows an attacker to modify or misrepresent the product's behavior during the switch.
* 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. Improper Resource Locking - (413)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 413 (Improper Resource Locking)
The product does not lock or does not correctly lock a resource when the product must have exclusive access to the resource.
* 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. Missing Lock Check - (414)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 414 (Missing Lock Check)
A product does not check to see if a lock is present before performing sensitive operations on a resource.
* 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. Use of Singleton Pattern Without Synchronization in a Multithreaded Context - (543)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 543 (Use of Singleton Pattern Without Synchronization in a Multithreaded Context)
The product uses the singleton pattern when creating a resource within a multithreaded environment.
* 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. Unsynchronized Access to Shared Data in a Multithreaded Context - (567)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 567 (Unsynchronized Access to Shared Data in a Multithreaded Context)
The product does not properly synchronize shared data, such as static variables across threads, which can lead to undefined behavior and unpredictable data changes.
* 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. Double-Checked Locking - (609)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 609 (Double-Checked Locking)
The product uses double-checked locking to access a resource without the overhead of explicit synchronization, but the locking is insufficient.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Synchronization - (662)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 662 (Improper Synchronization)
The product utilizes multiple threads, processes, components, or systems to allow temporary access to a shared resource that can only be exclusive to one process at a time, but it does not properly synchronize these actions, which might cause simultaneous accesses of this resource by multiple threads or processes.
* 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. Use of a Non-reentrant Function in a Concurrent Context - (663)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 663 (Use of a Non-reentrant Function in a Concurrent Context)
The product calls a non-reentrant function in a concurrent context in which a competing code sequence (e.g. thread or signal handler) may have an opportunity to call the same function or otherwise influence its state.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Locking - (667)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 986 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Lock) > 667 (Improper Locking)
The product does not properly acquire or release a lock on a resource, leading to unexpected resource state changes and behaviors.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Locks/Unlocks - (987)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 987 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Locks/Unlocks)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Multiple Locks/Unlocks cluster (SFP21).
* 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. Empty Synchronized Block - (585)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 987 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Locks/Unlocks) > 585 (Empty Synchronized Block)
The product contains an empty synchronized block.
* 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. Multiple Locks of a Critical Resource - (764)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 987 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Locks/Unlocks) > 764 (Multiple Locks of a Critical Resource)
The product locks a critical resource more times than intended, leading to an unexpected state in the system.
* 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. Multiple Unlocks of a Critical Resource - (765)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 987 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Locks/Unlocks) > 765 (Multiple Unlocks of a Critical Resource)
The product unlocks a critical resource more times than intended, leading to an unexpected state in the system.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window - (988)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 988 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Race Condition Window cluster (SFP20).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition') - (362)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 988 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window) > 362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition'))
The product contains a concurrent code sequence that requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence operating concurrently. Race Condition
* 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. Race Condition Enabling Link Following - (363)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 988 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window) > 363 (Race Condition Enabling Link Following)
The product checks the status of a file or directory before accessing it, which produces a race condition in which the file can be replaced with a link before the access is performed, causing the product to access the wrong file.
* 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. Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition - (367)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 988 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window) > 367 (Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition)
The product checks the state of a resource before using that resource, but the resource's state can change between the check and the use in a way that invalidates the results of the check. TOCTTOU TOCCTOU
* 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. Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check - (370)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 988 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window) > 370 (Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check)
The product does not check the revocation status of a certificate after its initial revocation check, which can cause the product to perform privileged actions even after the certificate is revoked at a later time.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Not Using Complete Mediation - (638)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 988 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Race Condition Window) > 638 (Not Using Complete Mediation)
The product does not perform access checks on a resource every time the resource is accessed by an entity, which can create resultant weaknesses if that entity's rights or privileges change over time.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Lock - (989)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 989 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Lock)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Unrestricted Lock cluster (SFP22).
* 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. Unrestricted Externally Accessible Lock - (412)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 894 (SFP Primary Cluster: Synchronization) > 989 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Lock) > 412 (Unrestricted Externally Accessible Lock)
The product properly checks for the existence of a lock, but the lock can be externally controlled or influenced by an actor that is outside of the intended sphere of control.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak - (895)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Information Leak cluster (SFP23).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data - (963)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Exposed Data cluster (SFP23).
* 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. ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Creating Debug Binary - (11)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 11 (ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Creating Debug Binary)
Debugging messages help attackers learn about the system and plan a form of attack.
* 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. Improper Output Neutralization for Logs - (117)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 117 (Improper Output Neutralization for Logs)
The product constructs a log message from external input, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements when the message is written to a log file. Log forging
* 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. ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Page - (12)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 12 (ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Page)
An ASP .NET application must enable custom error pages in order to prevent attackers from mining information from the framework's built-in responses.
* 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. ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File - (13)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 13 (ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File)
Storing a plaintext password in a configuration file allows anyone who can read the file access to the password-protected resource making them an easy target for attackers.
* 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. Compiler Removal of Code to Clear Buffers - (14)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 14 (Compiler Removal of Code to Clear Buffers)
Sensitive memory is cleared according to the source code, but compiler optimizations leave the memory untouched when it is not read from again, aka "dead store removal."
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor - (200)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)
The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information. Information Disclosure Information Leak
* 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. Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data - (201)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 201 (Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data)
The code transmits data to another actor, but a portion of the data includes sensitive information that should not be accessible to that actor.
* 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. Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information - (209)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 209 (Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)
The product generates an error message that includes sensitive information about its environment, users, or associated data.
* 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. Self-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information - (210)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 210 (Self-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)
The product identifies an error condition and creates its own diagnostic or error messages that contain sensitive information.
* 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. Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information - (211)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 211 (Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)
The product performs an operation that triggers an external diagnostic or error message that is not directly generated or controlled by the product, such as an error generated by the programming language interpreter that a software application uses. The error can contain sensitive system information.
* 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. Improper Removal of Sensitive Information Before Storage or Transfer - (212)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 212 (Improper Removal of Sensitive Information Before Storage or Transfer)
The product stores, transfers, or shares a resource that contains sensitive information, but it does not properly remove that information before the product makes the resource available to unauthorized actors.
* 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. Exposure of Sensitive Information Due to Incompatible Policies - (213)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 213 (Exposure of Sensitive Information Due to Incompatible Policies)
The product's intended functionality exposes information to certain actors in accordance with the developer's security policy, but this information is regarded as sensitive according to the intended security policies of other stakeholders such as the product's administrator, users, or others whose information is being processed.
* 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. Invocation of Process Using Visible Sensitive Information - (214)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 214 (Invocation of Process Using Visible Sensitive Information)
A process is invoked with sensitive command-line arguments, environment variables, or other elements that can be seen by other processes on the operating system.
* 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. Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Debugging Code - (215)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 215 (Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Debugging Code)
The product inserts sensitive information into debugging code, which could expose this information if the debugging code is not disabled in production.
* 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. Storage of File with Sensitive Data Under Web Root - (219)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 219 (Storage of File with Sensitive Data Under Web Root)
The product stores sensitive data under the web document root with insufficient access control, which might make it accessible to untrusted parties.
* 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. Storage of File With Sensitive Data Under FTP Root - (220)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 220 (Storage of File With Sensitive Data Under FTP Root)
The product stores sensitive data under the FTP server root with insufficient access control, which might make it accessible to untrusted parties.
* 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. Sensitive Information in Resource Not Removed Before Reuse - (226)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 226 (Sensitive Information in Resource Not Removed Before Reuse)
The product releases a resource such as memory or a file so that it can be made available for reuse, but it does not clear or "zeroize" the information contained in the resource before the product performs a critical state transition or makes the resource available for reuse by other entities.
* 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. Improper Clearing of Heap Memory Before Release ('Heap Inspection') - (244)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 244 (Improper Clearing of Heap Memory Before Release ('Heap Inspection'))
Using realloc() to resize buffers that store sensitive information can leave the sensitive information exposed to attack, because it is not removed from memory.
* 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. Plaintext Storage of a Password - (256)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 256 (Plaintext Storage of a Password)
The product stores a password in plaintext within resources such as memory or files.
* 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. Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format - (257)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 257 (Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format)
The storage of passwords in a recoverable format makes them subject to password reuse attacks by malicious users. In fact, it should be noted that recoverable encrypted passwords provide no significant benefit over plaintext passwords since they are subject not only to reuse by malicious attackers but also by malicious insiders. If a system administrator can recover a password directly, or use a brute force search on the available information, the administrator can use the password on other accounts.
* 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. Password in Configuration File - (260)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 260 (Password in Configuration File)
The product stores a password in a configuration file that might be accessible to actors who do not know the password.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data - (311)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 311 (Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data)
The product does not encrypt sensitive or critical information before storage or transmission.
* 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. Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information - (312)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within a resource that might be accessible to another control sphere.
* 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. Cleartext Storage in a File or on Disk - (313)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 313 (Cleartext Storage in a File or on Disk)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in a file, or on disk.
* 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. Cleartext Storage in the Registry - (314)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 314 (Cleartext Storage in the Registry)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in the registry.
* 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. Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in a Cookie - (315)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 315 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in a Cookie)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in a cookie.
* 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. Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory - (316)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 316 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in memory.
* 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. Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI - (317)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 317 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI.
* 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. Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable - (318)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 318 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable)
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in an executable.
* 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. Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information - (319)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 319 (Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information)
The product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors.
* 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. Passing Mutable Objects to an Untrusted Method - (374)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 374 (Passing Mutable Objects to an Untrusted Method)
The product sends non-cloned mutable data as an argument to a method or function.
* 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. Returning a Mutable Object to an Untrusted Caller - (375)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 375 (Returning a Mutable Object to an Untrusted Caller)
Sending non-cloned mutable data as a return value may result in that data being altered or deleted by the calling function.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Transmission of Private Resources into a New Sphere ('Resource Leak') - (402)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 402 (Transmission of Private Resources into a New Sphere ('Resource Leak'))
The product makes resources available to untrusted parties when those resources are only intended to be accessed by the product. Resource Leak
* 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. Exposure of File Descriptor to Unintended Control Sphere ('File Descriptor Leak') - (403)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 403 (Exposure of File Descriptor to Unintended Control Sphere ('File Descriptor Leak'))
A process does not close sensitive file descriptors before invoking a child process, which allows the child to perform unauthorized I/O operations using those descriptors. File descriptor leak
* 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. Unparsed Raw Web Content Delivery - (433)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 433 (Unparsed Raw Web Content Delivery)
The product stores raw content or supporting code under the web document root with an extension that is not specifically handled by the server.
* 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. Private Data Structure Returned From A Public Method - (495)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 495 (Private Data Structure Returned From A Public Method)
The product has a method that is declared public, but returns a reference to a private data structure, which could then be modified in unexpected ways.
* 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. Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere - (497)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 497 (Exposure of Sensitive System Information to an Unauthorized Control Sphere)
The product does not properly prevent sensitive system-level information from being accessed by unauthorized actors who do not have the same level of access to the underlying system as the product does.
* 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. Cloneable Class Containing Sensitive Information - (498)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 498 (Cloneable Class Containing Sensitive Information)
The code contains a class with sensitive data, but the class is cloneable. The data can then be accessed by cloning the class.
* 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. Serializable Class Containing Sensitive Data - (499)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 499 (Serializable Class Containing Sensitive Data)
The code contains a class with sensitive data, but the class does not explicitly deny serialization. The data can be accessed by serializing the class through another class.
* 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. J2EE Misconfiguration: Data Transmission Without Encryption - (5)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 5 (J2EE Misconfiguration: Data Transmission Without Encryption)
Information sent over a network can be compromised while in transit. An attacker may be able to read or modify the contents if the data are sent in plaintext or are weakly encrypted.
* 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. Trust Boundary Violation - (501)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 501 (Trust Boundary Violation)
The product mixes trusted and untrusted data in the same data structure or structured message.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Insufficiently Protected Credentials - (522)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials)
The product transmits or stores authentication credentials, but it uses an insecure method that is susceptible to unauthorized interception and/or retrieval.
* 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. Unprotected Transport of Credentials - (523)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 523 (Unprotected Transport of Credentials)
Login pages do not use adequate measures to protect the user name and password while they are in transit from the client to the server.
* 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. Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in an Environment Variable - (526)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 526 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in an Environment Variable)
The product uses an environment variable to store unencrypted sensitive information.
* 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. Exposure of Version-Control Repository to an Unauthorized Control Sphere - (527)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 527 (Exposure of Version-Control Repository to an Unauthorized Control Sphere)
The product stores a CVS, git, or other repository in a directory, archive, or other resource that is stored, transferred, or otherwise made accessible to unauthorized actors.
* 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. Exposure of Core Dump File to an Unauthorized Control Sphere - (528)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 528 (Exposure of Core Dump File to an Unauthorized Control Sphere)
The product generates a core dump file in a directory, archive, or other resource that is stored, transferred, or otherwise made accessible to unauthorized actors.
* 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. Exposure of Access Control List Files to an Unauthorized Control Sphere - (529)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 529 (Exposure of Access Control List Files to an Unauthorized Control Sphere)
The product stores access control list files in a directory or other container that is accessible to actors outside of the intended control sphere.
* 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. Exposure of Backup File to an Unauthorized Control Sphere - (530)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 530 (Exposure of Backup File to an Unauthorized Control Sphere)
A backup file is stored in a directory or archive that is made accessible to unauthorized actors.
* 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. Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File - (532)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 532 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File)
The product writes sensitive information to a log file.
* 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. Exposure of Information Through Shell Error Message - (535)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 535 (Exposure of Information Through Shell Error Message)
A command shell error message indicates that there exists an unhandled exception in the web application code. In many cases, an attacker can leverage the conditions that cause these errors in order to gain unauthorized access to the system.
* 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. Servlet Runtime Error Message Containing Sensitive Information - (536)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 536 (Servlet Runtime Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)
A servlet error message indicates that there exists an unhandled exception in the web application code and may provide useful information to an attacker.
* 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. Java Runtime Error Message Containing Sensitive Information - (537)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 537 (Java Runtime Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)
In many cases, an attacker can leverage the conditions that cause unhandled exception errors in order to gain unauthorized access to the system.
* 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. Insertion of Sensitive Information into Externally-Accessible File or Directory - (538)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 538 (Insertion of Sensitive Information into Externally-Accessible File or Directory)
The product places sensitive information into files or directories that are accessible to actors who are allowed to have access to the files, but not to the sensitive information.
* 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. Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information - (539)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 539 (Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information)
The web application uses persistent cookies, but the cookies contain sensitive information.
* 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. Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code - (540)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 540 (Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code)
Source code on a web server or repository often contains sensitive information and should generally not be accessible to users.
* 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. Inclusion of Sensitive Information in an Include File - (541)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 541 (Inclusion of Sensitive Information in an Include File)
If an include file source is accessible, the file can contain usernames and passwords, as well as sensitive information pertaining to the application and system.
* 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. Suspicious Comment - (546)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 546 (Suspicious Comment)
The code contains comments that suggest the presence of bugs, incomplete functionality, or weaknesses.
* 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. Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing - (548)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 548 (Exposure of Information Through Directory Listing)
The product inappropriately exposes a directory listing with an index of all the resources located inside of the directory.
* 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. Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information - (550)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 550 (Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information)
Certain conditions, such as network failure, will cause a server error message to be displayed.
* 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. Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties - (552)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 552 (Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties)
The product makes files or directories accessible to unauthorized actors, even though they should not be.
* 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. J2EE Misconfiguration: Plaintext Password in Configuration File - (555)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 555 (J2EE Misconfiguration: Plaintext Password in Configuration File)
The J2EE application stores a plaintext password in a configuration file.
* 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. Sensitive Data Storage in Improperly Locked Memory - (591)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 591 (Sensitive Data Storage in Improperly Locked Memory)
The product stores sensitive data in memory that is not locked, or that has been incorrectly locked, which might cause the memory to be written to swap files on disk by the virtual memory manager. This can make the data more accessible to external actors.
* 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. Use of GET Request Method With Sensitive Query Strings - (598)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 598 (Use of GET Request Method With Sensitive Query Strings)
The web application uses the HTTP GET method to process a request and includes sensitive information in the query string of that request.
* 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. Public Static Final Field References Mutable Object - (607)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 607 (Public Static Final Field References Mutable Object)
A public or protected static final field references a mutable object, which allows the object to be changed by malicious code, or accidentally from another package.
* 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. Improper Authorization of Index Containing Sensitive Information - (612)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 612 (Improper Authorization of Index Containing Sensitive Information)
The product creates a search index of private or sensitive documents, but it does not properly limit index access to actors who are authorized to see the original information.
* 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. Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments - (615)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 615 (Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments)
While adding general comments is very useful, some programmers tend to leave important data, such as: filenames related to the web application, old links or links which were not meant to be browsed by users, old code fragments, etc.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. External Control of Critical State Data - (642)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 642 (External Control of Critical State Data)
The product stores security-critical state information about its users, or the product itself, in a location that is accessible to unauthorized actors.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere - (668)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 668 (Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere)
The product exposes a resource to the wrong control sphere, providing unintended actors with inappropriate access to the resource.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres - (669)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 669 (Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres)
The product does not properly transfer a resource/behavior to another sphere, or improperly imports a resource/behavior from another sphere, in a manner that provides unintended control over that resource.
* 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. J2EE Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Page - (7)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 7 (J2EE Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Page)
The default error page of a web application should not display sensitive information about the product.
* 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. Missing Custom Error Page - (756)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 756 (Missing Custom Error Page)
The product does not return custom error pages to the user, possibly exposing sensitive information.
* 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. Access to Critical Private Variable via Public Method - (767)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 767 (Access to Critical Private Variable via Public Method)
The product defines a public method that reads or modifies a private variable.
* 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. J2EE Misconfiguration: Entity Bean Declared Remote - (8)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 963 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data) > 8 (J2EE Misconfiguration: Entity Bean Declared Remote)
When an application exposes a remote interface for an entity bean, it might also expose methods that get or set the bean's data. These methods could be leveraged to read sensitive information, or to change data in ways that violate the application's expectations, potentially leading to other vulnerabilities.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposure Temporary File - (964)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 964 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposure Temporary File)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Exposure Temporary File cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Insecure Temporary File - (377)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 964 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposure Temporary File) > 377 (Insecure Temporary File)
Creating and using insecure temporary files can leave application and system data vulnerable to attack.
* 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. Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions - (378)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 964 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposure Temporary File) > 378 (Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions)
Opening temporary files without appropriate measures or controls can leave the file, its contents and any function that it impacts vulnerable to attack.
* 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. Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Insecure Permissions - (379)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 964 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposure Temporary File) > 379 (Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Insecure Permissions)
The product creates a temporary file in a directory whose permissions allow unintended actors to determine the file's existence or otherwise access that file.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Session Management - (965)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 965 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Session Management)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Insecure Session Management cluster.
* 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. Exposure of Data Element to Wrong Session - (488)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 965 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Session Management) > 488 (Exposure of Data Element to Wrong Session)
The product does not sufficiently enforce boundaries between the states of different sessions, causing data to be provided to, or used by, the wrong session.
* 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. Use of Cache Containing Sensitive Information - (524)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 965 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Session Management) > 524 (Use of Cache Containing Sensitive Information)
The code uses a cache that contains sensitive information, but the cache can be read by an actor outside of the intended control sphere.
* 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. J2EE Misconfiguration: Insufficient Session-ID Length - (6)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 965 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Session Management) > 6 (J2EE Misconfiguration: Insufficient Session-ID Length)
The J2EE application is configured to use an insufficient session ID length.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures - (966)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Other Exposures cluster.
* 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. Insecure Default Variable Initialization - (453)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures) > 453 (Insecure Default Variable Initialization)
The product, by default, initializes an internal variable with an insecure or less secure value than is possible.
* 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. Reliance on Package-level Scope - (487)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures) > 487 (Reliance on Package-level Scope)
Java packages are not inherently closed; therefore, relying on them for code security is not a good practice.
* 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. Use of Inner Class Containing Sensitive Data - (492)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures) > 492 (Use of Inner Class Containing Sensitive Data)
Inner classes are translated into classes that are accessible at package scope and may expose code that the programmer intended to keep private to attackers.
* 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. Use of Web Browser Cache Containing Sensitive Information - (525)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures) > 525 (Use of Web Browser Cache Containing Sensitive Information)
The web application does not use an appropriate caching policy that specifies the extent to which each web page and associated form fields should be cached.
* 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. Sensitive Cookie in HTTPS Session Without 'Secure' Attribute - (614)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures) > 614 (Sensitive Cookie in HTTPS Session Without 'Secure' Attribute)
The Secure attribute for sensitive cookies in HTTPS sessions is not set.
* 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. Exposure of WSDL File Containing Sensitive Information - (651)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 966 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Other Exposures) > 651 (Exposure of WSDL File Containing Sensitive Information)
The Web services architecture may require exposing a Web Service Definition Language (WSDL) file that contains information on the publicly accessible services and how callers of these services should interact with them (e.g. what parameters they expect and what types they return).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure - (967)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the State Disclosure cluster.
* 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. Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries - (202)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 202 (Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries)
When trying to keep information confidential, an attacker can often infer some of the information by using statistics.
* 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. Observable Discrepancy - (203)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 203 (Observable Discrepancy)
The product behaves differently or sends different responses under different circumstances in a way that is observable to an unauthorized actor, which exposes security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not. Side Channel Attack
* 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. Observable Response Discrepancy - (204)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 204 (Observable Response Discrepancy)
The product provides different responses to incoming requests in a way that reveals internal state information to an unauthorized actor outside of the intended control sphere.
* 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. Observable Behavioral Discrepancy - (205)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 205 (Observable Behavioral Discrepancy)
The product's behaviors indicate important differences that may be observed by unauthorized actors in a way that reveals (1) its internal state or decision process, or (2) differences from other products with equivalent functionality.
* 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. Observable Internal Behavioral Discrepancy - (206)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 206 (Observable Internal Behavioral Discrepancy)
The product performs multiple behaviors that are combined to produce a single result, but the individual behaviors are observable separately in a way that allows attackers to reveal internal state or internal decision points.
* 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. Observable Behavioral Discrepancy With Equivalent Products - (207)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 207 (Observable Behavioral Discrepancy With Equivalent Products)
The product operates in an environment in which its existence or specific identity should not be known, but it behaves differently than other products with equivalent functionality, in a way that is observable to an attacker.
* 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. Observable Timing Discrepancy - (208)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 895 (SFP Primary Cluster: Information Leak) > 967 (SFP Secondary Cluster: State Disclosure) > 208 (Observable Timing Discrepancy)
Two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input - (896)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Tainted Input cluster (SFP24, SFP25, SFP26, SFP27).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command - (990)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Tainted Input to Command cluster (SFP24).
* 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. Struts: Duplicate Validation Forms - (102)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 102 (Struts: Duplicate Validation Forms)
The product uses multiple validation forms with the same name, which might cause the Struts Validator to validate a form that the programmer does not expect.
* 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. Struts: Incomplete validate() Method Definition - (103)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 103 (Struts: Incomplete validate() Method Definition)
The product has a validator form that either does not define a validate() method, or defines a validate() method but does not call super.validate().
* 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. Struts: Form Bean Does Not Extend Validation Class - (104)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 104 (Struts: Form Bean Does Not Extend Validation Class)
If a form bean does not extend an ActionForm subclass of the Validator framework, it can expose the application to other weaknesses related to insufficient input validation.
* 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. Struts: Form Field Without Validator - (105)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 105 (Struts: Form Field Without Validator)
The product has a form field that is not validated by a corresponding validation form, which can introduce other weaknesses related to insufficient input validation.
* 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. Struts: Plug-in Framework not in Use - (106)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 106 (Struts: Plug-in Framework not in Use)
When an application does not use an input validation framework such as the Struts Validator, there is a greater risk of introducing weaknesses related to insufficient input validation.
* 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. Struts: Unused Validation Form - (107)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 107 (Struts: Unused Validation Form)
An unused validation form indicates that validation logic is not up-to-date.
* 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. Struts: Unvalidated Action Form - (108)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 108 (Struts: Unvalidated Action Form)
Every Action Form must have a corresponding validation form.
* 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. Struts: Validator Turned Off - (109)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 109 (Struts: Validator Turned Off)
Automatic filtering via a Struts bean has been turned off, which disables the Struts Validator and custom validation logic. This exposes the application to other weaknesses related to insufficient input validation.
* 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. Struts: Validator Without Form Field - (110)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 110 (Struts: Validator Without Form Field)
Validation fields that do not appear in forms they are associated with indicate that the validation logic is out of date.
* 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. Missing XML Validation - (112)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 112 (Missing XML Validation)
The product accepts XML from an untrusted source but does not validate the XML against the proper schema.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers ('HTTP Request/Response Splitting') - (113)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 113 (Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences in HTTP Headers ('HTTP Request/Response Splitting'))
The product receives data from an HTTP agent/component (e.g., web server, proxy, browser, etc.), but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes CR and LF characters before the data is included in outgoing HTTP headers. HTTP Request Splitting HTTP Response Splitting
* 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. Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency - (130)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 130 (Improper Handling of Length Parameter Inconsistency)
The product parses a formatted message or structure, but it does not handle or incorrectly handles a length field that is inconsistent with the actual length of the associated data. length manipulation length tampering
* 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. Use of Externally-Controlled Format String - (134)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 134 (Use of Externally-Controlled Format String)
The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Neutralization of Special Elements - (138)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 138 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as control elements or syntactic markers when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Delimiters - (140)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 140 (Improper Neutralization of Delimiters)
The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes delimiters.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Parameter/Argument Delimiters - (141)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 141 (Improper Neutralization of Parameter/Argument Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as parameter or argument delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Value Delimiters - (142)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 142 (Improper Neutralization of Value Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as value delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Record Delimiters - (143)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 143 (Improper Neutralization of Record Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as record delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Line Delimiters - (144)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 144 (Improper Neutralization of Line Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as line delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Section Delimiters - (145)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 145 (Improper Neutralization of Section Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as section delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Expression/Command Delimiters - (146)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 146 (Improper Neutralization of Expression/Command Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as expression or command delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Input Terminators - (147)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 147 (Improper Neutralization of Input Terminators)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as input terminators when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Input Leaders - (148)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 148 (Improper Neutralization of Input Leaders)
The product does not properly handle when a leading character or sequence ("leader") is missing or malformed, or if multiple leaders are used when only one should be allowed.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Quoting Syntax - (149)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 149 (Improper Neutralization of Quoting Syntax)
Quotes injected into a product can be used to compromise a system. As data are parsed, an injected/absent/duplicate/malformed use of quotes may cause the process to take unexpected actions.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences - (150)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 150 (Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as escape, meta, or control character sequences when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Comment Delimiters - (151)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 151 (Improper Neutralization of Comment Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as comment delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Macro Symbols - (152)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 152 (Improper Neutralization of Macro Symbols)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as macro symbols when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Substitution Characters - (153)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 153 (Improper Neutralization of Substitution Characters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as substitution characters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Variable Name Delimiters - (154)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 154 (Improper Neutralization of Variable Name Delimiters)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as variable name delimiters when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Wildcards or Matching Symbols - (155)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 155 (Improper Neutralization of Wildcards or Matching Symbols)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as wildcards or matching symbols when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Whitespace - (156)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 156 (Improper Neutralization of Whitespace)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as whitespace when they are sent to a downstream component. White space
* 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. Failure to Sanitize Paired Delimiters - (157)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 157 (Failure to Sanitize Paired Delimiters)
The product does not properly handle the characters that are used to mark the beginning and ending of a group of entities, such as parentheses, brackets, and braces.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Null Byte or NUL Character - (158)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 158 (Improper Neutralization of Null Byte or NUL Character)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes NUL characters or null bytes when they are sent to a downstream component.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Handling of Invalid Use of Special Elements - (159)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 159 (Improper Handling of Invalid Use of Special Elements)
The product does not properly filter, remove, quote, or otherwise manage the invalid use of special elements in user-controlled input, which could cause adverse effect on its behavior and integrity.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Leading Special Elements - (160)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 160 (Improper Neutralization of Leading Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes leading special elements that could be interpreted in unexpected ways when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Multiple Leading Special Elements - (161)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 161 (Improper Neutralization of Multiple Leading Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes multiple leading special elements that could be interpreted in unexpected ways when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Trailing Special Elements - (162)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 162 (Improper Neutralization of Trailing Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes trailing special elements that could be interpreted in unexpected ways when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Multiple Trailing Special Elements - (163)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 163 (Improper Neutralization of Multiple Trailing Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes multiple trailing special elements that could be interpreted in unexpected ways when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Internal Special Elements - (164)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 164 (Improper Neutralization of Internal Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes internal special elements that could be interpreted in unexpected ways when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Multiple Internal Special Elements - (165)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 165 (Improper Neutralization of Multiple Internal Special Elements)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes multiple internal special elements that could be interpreted in unexpected ways when they are sent to a downstream component.
* 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. Permissive List of Allowed Inputs - (183)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 183 (Permissive List of Allowed Inputs)
The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are explicitly allowed by policy because the inputs are assumed to be safe, but the list is too permissive - that is, it allows an input that is unsafe, leading to resultant weaknesses. Allowlist / Allow List Safelist / Safe List Whitelist / White List
* 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. Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs - (184)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 184 (Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs)
The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete. Denylist / Deny List Blocklist / Block List Blacklist / Black List
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Regular Expression - (185)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 185 (Incorrect Regular Expression)
The product specifies a regular expression in a way that causes data to be improperly matched or compared.
* 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. Overly Restrictive Regular Expression - (186)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 186 (Overly Restrictive Regular Expression)
A regular expression is overly restrictive, which prevents dangerous values from being detected.
* 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. Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request/Response Smuggling') - (444)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 444 (Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request/Response Smuggling'))
The product acts as an intermediary HTTP agent (such as a proxy or firewall) in the data flow between two entities such as a client and server, but it does not interpret malformed HTTP requests or responses in ways that are consistent with how the messages will be processed by those entities that are at the ultimate destination. HTTP Request Smuggling HTTP Response Smuggling HTTP Smuggling
* 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. Command Shell in Externally Accessible Directory - (553)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 553 (Command Shell in Externally Accessible Directory)
A possible shell file exists in /cgi-bin/ or other accessible directories. This is extremely dangerous and can be used by an attacker to execute commands on the web server.
* 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. ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Not Using Input Validation Framework - (554)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 554 (ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Not Using Input Validation Framework)
The ASP.NET application does not use an input validation framework.
* 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. SQL Injection: Hibernate - (564)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 564 (SQL Injection: Hibernate)
Using Hibernate to execute a dynamic SQL statement built with user-controlled input can allow an attacker to modify the statement's meaning or to execute arbitrary SQL commands.
* 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. URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') - (601)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 601 (URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect'))
The web application accepts a user-controlled input that specifies a link to an external site, and uses that link in a redirect. Open Redirect Cross-site Redirect Cross-domain Redirect Unvalidated Redirect Drive-by download
* 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. Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference - (611)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference)
The product processes an XML document that can contain XML entities with URIs that resolve to documents outside of the intended sphere of control, causing the product to embed incorrect documents into its output. XXE
* 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. Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection') - (619)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 619 (Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection'))
If a database cursor is not closed properly, then it could become accessible to other users while retaining the same privileges that were originally assigned, leaving the cursor "dangling."
* 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. Variable Extraction Error - (621)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 621 (Variable Extraction Error)
The product uses external input to determine the names of variables into which information is extracted, without verifying that the names of the specified variables are valid. This could cause the program to overwrite unintended variables. Variable overwrite
* 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. Executable Regular Expression Error - (624)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 624 (Executable Regular Expression Error)
The product uses a regular expression that either (1) contains an executable component with user-controlled inputs, or (2) allows a user to enable execution by inserting pattern modifiers.
* 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. Permissive Regular Expression - (625)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 625 (Permissive Regular Expression)
The product uses a regular expression that does not sufficiently restrict the set of allowed values.
* 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. Null Byte Interaction Error (Poison Null Byte) - (626)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 626 (Null Byte Interaction Error (Poison Null Byte))
The product does not properly handle null bytes or NUL characters when passing data between different representations or components.
* 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. Dynamic Variable Evaluation - (627)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 627 (Dynamic Variable Evaluation)
In a language where the user can influence the name of a variable at runtime, if the variable names are not controlled, an attacker can read or write to arbitrary variables, or access arbitrary functions. Dynamic evaluation
* 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. Improper Restriction of Names for Files and Other Resources - (641)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 641 (Improper Restriction of Names for Files and Other Resources)
The product constructs the name of a file or other resource using input from an upstream component, but it does not restrict or incorrectly restricts the resulting name.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Data within XPath Expressions ('XPath Injection') - (643)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 643 (Improper Neutralization of Data within XPath Expressions ('XPath Injection'))
The product uses external input to dynamically construct an XPath expression used to retrieve data from an XML database, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes that input. This allows an attacker to control the structure of the query.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of HTTP Headers for Scripting Syntax - (644)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 644 (Improper Neutralization of HTTP Headers for Scripting Syntax)
The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes web scripting syntax in HTTP headers that can be used by web browser components that can process raw headers, such as Flash.
* 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. Reliance on File Name or Extension of Externally-Supplied File - (646)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 646 (Reliance on File Name or Extension of Externally-Supplied File)
The product allows a file to be uploaded, but it relies on the file name or extension of the file to determine the appropriate behaviors. This could be used by attackers to cause the file to be misclassified and processed in a dangerous fashion.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Data within XQuery Expressions ('XQuery Injection') - (652)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 652 (Improper Neutralization of Data within XQuery Expressions ('XQuery Injection'))
The product uses external input to dynamically construct an XQuery expression used to retrieve data from an XML database, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes that input. This allows an attacker to control the structure of the query.
* 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. Function Call With Incorrectly Specified Argument Value - (687)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 687 (Function Call With Incorrectly Specified Argument Value)
The product calls a function, procedure, or routine, but the caller specifies an argument that contains the wrong value, which may lead to resultant weaknesses.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Improper Neutralization - (707)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 707 (Improper Neutralization)
The product does not ensure or incorrectly ensures that structured messages or data are well-formed and that certain security properties are met before being read from an upstream component or sent to a downstream component.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection') - (74)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection'))
The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Failure to Sanitize Special Elements into a Different Plane (Special Element Injection) - (75)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 75 (Failure to Sanitize Special Elements into a Different Plane (Special Element Injection))
The product does not adequately filter user-controlled input for special elements with control implications.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Equivalent Special Elements - (76)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 76 (Improper Neutralization of Equivalent Special Elements)
The product correctly neutralizes certain special elements, but it improperly neutralizes equivalent special elements.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') - (77)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection'))
The product constructs all or part of a command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended command when it is sent to a downstream component. Command injection
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') - (78)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection'))
The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component. Shell injection Shell metacharacters OS Command Injection
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') - (79)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'))
The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. XSS HTML Injection Reflected XSS / Non-Persistent XSS / Type 1 XSS Stored XSS / Persistent XSS / Type 2 XSS DOM-Based XSS / Type 0 XSS CSS
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page (Basic XSS) - (80)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 80 (Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page (Basic XSS))
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special characters such as "<", ">", and "&" that could be interpreted as web-scripting elements when they are sent to a downstream component that processes web pages.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Script in an Error Message Web Page - (81)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 81 (Improper Neutralization of Script in an Error Message Web Page)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special characters that could be interpreted as web-scripting elements when they are sent to an error page.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Script in Attributes of IMG Tags in a Web Page - (82)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 82 (Improper Neutralization of Script in Attributes of IMG Tags in a Web Page)
The web application does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes scripting elements within attributes of HTML IMG tags, such as the src attribute.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Script in Attributes in a Web Page - (83)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 83 (Improper Neutralization of Script in Attributes in a Web Page)
The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes "javascript:" or other URIs from dangerous attributes within tags, such as onmouseover, onload, onerror, or style.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Encoded URI Schemes in a Web Page - (84)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 84 (Improper Neutralization of Encoded URI Schemes in a Web Page)
The web application improperly neutralizes user-controlled input for executable script disguised with URI encodings.
* 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. Doubled Character XSS Manipulations - (85)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 85 (Doubled Character XSS Manipulations)
The web application does not filter user-controlled input for executable script disguised using doubling of the involved characters.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Invalid Characters in Identifiers in Web Pages - (86)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 86 (Improper Neutralization of Invalid Characters in Identifiers in Web Pages)
The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes invalid characters or byte sequences in the middle of tag names, URI schemes, and other identifiers.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Alternate XSS Syntax - (87)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 87 (Improper Neutralization of Alternate XSS Syntax)
The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controlled input for alternate script syntax.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection') - (88)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 88 (Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command ('Argument Injection'))
The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') - (89)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 89 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection'))
The product constructs all or part of an SQL command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended SQL command when it is sent to a downstream component. Without sufficient removal or quoting of SQL syntax in user-controllable inputs, the generated SQL query can cause those inputs to be interpreted as SQL instead of ordinary user data. SQL injection SQLi
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an LDAP Query ('LDAP Injection') - (90)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 90 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an LDAP Query ('LDAP Injection'))
The product constructs all or part of an LDAP query using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended LDAP query when it is sent to a downstream component.
* 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. XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection) - (91)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 91 (XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection))
The product does not properly neutralize special elements that are used in XML, allowing attackers to modify the syntax, content, or commands of the XML before it is processed by an end system.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences ('CRLF Injection') - (93)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 93 (Improper Neutralization of CRLF Sequences ('CRLF Injection'))
The product uses CRLF (carriage return line feeds) as a special element, e.g. to separate lines or records, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes CRLF sequences from inputs.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code ('Eval Injection') - (95)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 95 (Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code ('Eval Injection'))
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes code syntax before using the input in a dynamic evaluation call (e.g. "eval").
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Directives in Statically Saved Code ('Static Code Injection') - (96)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 96 (Improper Neutralization of Directives in Statically Saved Code ('Static Code Injection'))
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes code syntax before inserting the input into an executable resource, such as a library, configuration file, or template.
* 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. Improper Neutralization of Server-Side Includes (SSI) Within a Web Page - (97)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 97 (Improper Neutralization of Server-Side Includes (SSI) Within a Web Page)
The product generates a web page, but does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input that could be interpreted as a server-side include (SSI) directive.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Control of Resource Identifiers ('Resource Injection') - (99)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 990 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command) > 99 (Improper Control of Resource Identifiers ('Resource Injection'))
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not restrict or incorrectly restricts the input before it is used as an identifier for a resource that may be outside the intended sphere of control. Insecure Direct Object Reference
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment - (991)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Tainted Input to Environment cluster (SFP27).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Process Control - (114)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 114 (Process Control)
Executing commands or loading libraries from an untrusted source or in an untrusted environment can cause an application to execute malicious commands (and payloads) on behalf of an attacker.
* 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. Uncontrolled Search Path Element - (427)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)
The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors. DLL preloading Binary planting Insecure library loading Dependency confusion
* 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. Use of Externally-Controlled Input to Select Classes or Code ('Unsafe Reflection') - (470)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 470 (Use of Externally-Controlled Input to Select Classes or Code ('Unsafe Reflection'))
The product uses external input with reflection to select which classes or code to use, but it does not sufficiently prevent the input from selecting improper classes or code. Reflection Injection
* 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. Modification of Assumed-Immutable Data (MAID) - (471)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 471 (Modification of Assumed-Immutable Data (MAID))
The product does not properly protect an assumed-immutable element from being modified by an attacker.
* 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. External Control of Assumed-Immutable Web Parameter - (472)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 472 (External Control of Assumed-Immutable Web Parameter)
The web application does not sufficiently verify inputs that are assumed to be immutable but are actually externally controllable, such as hidden form fields. Assumed-Immutable Parameter Tampering
* 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. PHP External Variable Modification - (473)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 473 (PHP External Variable Modification)
A PHP application does not properly protect against the modification of variables from external sources, such as query parameters or cookies. This can expose the application to numerous weaknesses that would not exist otherwise.
* 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. Download of Code Without Integrity Check - (494)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 494 (Download of Code Without Integrity Check)
The product downloads source code or an executable from a remote location and executes the code without sufficiently verifying the origin and integrity of the code.
* 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. Improper Validation of Function Hook Arguments - (622)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 622 (Improper Validation of Function Hook Arguments)
The product adds hooks to user-accessible API functions, but it does not properly validate the arguments. This could lead to resultant vulnerabilities.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. External Influence of Sphere Definition - (673)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 673 (External Influence of Sphere Definition)
The product does not prevent the definition of control spheres from external actors.
* 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. Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') - (94)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 991 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Environment) > 94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection'))
The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment. Code Injection
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation - (992)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Input Transformation cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output - (116)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 116 (Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output)
The product prepares a structured message for communication with another component, but encoding or escaping of the data is either missing or done incorrectly. As a result, the intended structure of the message is not preserved. Output Sanitization Output Validation Output Encoding
* 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. Improper Handling of Missing Special Element - (166)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 166 (Improper Handling of Missing Special Element)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not handle or incorrectly handles when an expected special element is missing.
* 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. Improper Handling of Additional Special Element - (167)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 167 (Improper Handling of Additional Special Element)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not handle or incorrectly handles when an additional unexpected special element is provided.
* 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. Improper Handling of Inconsistent Special Elements - (168)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 168 (Improper Handling of Inconsistent Special Elements)
The product does not properly handle input in which an inconsistency exists between two or more special characters or reserved words.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Encoding Error - (172)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 172 (Encoding Error)
The product does not properly encode or decode the data, resulting in unexpected values.
* 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. Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding - (173)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 173 (Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding)
The product does not properly handle when an input uses an alternate encoding that is valid for the control sphere to which the input is being sent.
* 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. Double Decoding of the Same Data - (174)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 174 (Double Decoding of the Same Data)
The product decodes the same input twice, which can limit the effectiveness of any protection mechanism that occurs in between the decoding operations.
* 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. Improper Handling of Mixed Encoding - (175)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 175 (Improper Handling of Mixed Encoding)
The product does not properly handle when the same input uses several different (mixed) encodings.
* 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. Improper Handling of Unicode Encoding - (176)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 176 (Improper Handling of Unicode Encoding)
The product does not properly handle when an input contains Unicode encoding.
* 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. Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding) - (177)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 177 (Improper Handling of URL Encoding (Hex Encoding))
The product does not properly handle when all or part of an input has been URL encoded.
* 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. Improper Handling of Case Sensitivity - (178)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 178 (Improper Handling of Case Sensitivity)
The product does not properly account for differences in case sensitivity when accessing or determining the properties of a resource, leading to inconsistent results.
* 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. Incorrect Behavior Order: Early Validation - (179)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 179 (Incorrect Behavior Order: Early Validation)
The product validates input before applying protection mechanisms that modify the input, which could allow an attacker to bypass the validation via dangerous inputs that only arise after the modification.
* 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. Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Canonicalize - (180)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 180 (Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Canonicalize)
The product validates input before it is canonicalized, which prevents the product from detecting data that becomes invalid after the canonicalization step.
* 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. Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Filter - (181)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 181 (Incorrect Behavior Order: Validate Before Filter)
The product validates data before it has been filtered, which prevents the product from detecting data that becomes invalid after the filtering step. Validate-before-cleanse
* 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. Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value - (182)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 992 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Input Transformation) > 182 (Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value)
The product filters data in a way that causes it to be reduced or "collapsed" into an unsafe value that violates an expected security property.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling - (993)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Incorrect Input Handling cluster.
* 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. Use of Incorrect Byte Ordering - (198)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 198 (Use of Incorrect Byte Ordering)
The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not account for byte ordering (e.g. big-endian and little-endian) when processing the input, causing an incorrect number or value to be used.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Handling of Syntactically Invalid Structure - (228)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 228 (Improper Handling of Syntactically Invalid Structure)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles input that is not syntactically well-formed with respect to the associated specification.
* 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. Improper Handling of Values - (229)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 229 (Improper Handling of Values)
The product does not properly handle when the expected number of values for parameters, fields, or arguments is not provided in input, or if those values are undefined.
* 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. Improper Handling of Missing Values - (230)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 230 (Improper Handling of Missing Values)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a parameter, field, or argument name is specified, but the associated value is missing, i.e. it is empty, blank, or null.
* 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. Improper Handling of Extra Values - (231)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 231 (Improper Handling of Extra Values)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when more values are provided than expected.
* 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. Improper Handling of Undefined Values - (232)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 232 (Improper Handling of Undefined Values)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a value is not defined or supported for the associated parameter, field, or argument name.
* 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. Improper Handling of Parameters - (233)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 233 (Improper Handling of Parameters)
The product does not properly handle when the expected number of parameters, fields, or arguments is not provided in input, or if those parameters are undefined.
* 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. Failure to Handle Missing Parameter - (234)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 234 (Failure to Handle Missing Parameter)
If too few arguments are sent to a function, the function will still pop the expected number of arguments from the stack. Potentially, a variable number of arguments could be exhausted in a function as well.
* 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. Improper Handling of Extra Parameters - (235)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 235 (Improper Handling of Extra Parameters)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when the number of parameters, fields, or arguments with the same name exceeds the expected amount.
* 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. Improper Handling of Undefined Parameters - (236)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 236 (Improper Handling of Undefined Parameters)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular parameter, field, or argument name is not defined or supported by the product.
* 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. Improper Handling of Structural Elements - (237)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 237 (Improper Handling of Structural Elements)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles inputs that are related to complex structures.
* 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. Improper Handling of Incomplete Structural Elements - (238)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 238 (Improper Handling of Incomplete Structural Elements)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular structural element is not completely specified.
* 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. Failure to Handle Incomplete Element - (239)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 239 (Failure to Handle Incomplete Element)
The product does not properly handle when a particular element is not completely specified.
* 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. Improper Handling of Inconsistent Structural Elements - (240)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 240 (Improper Handling of Inconsistent Structural Elements)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when two or more structural elements should be consistent, but are not.
* 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. Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type - (241)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 241 (Improper Handling of Unexpected Data Type)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular element is not the expected type, e.g. it expects a digit (0-9) but is provided with a letter (A-Z).
* 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. Insufficient Type Distinction - (351)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 351 (Insufficient Type Distinction)
The product does not properly distinguish between different types of elements in a way that leads to insecure behavior.
* 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. Improper Validation of Integrity Check Value - (354)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 993 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Incorrect Input Handling) > 354 (Improper Validation of Integrity Check Value)
The product does not validate or incorrectly validates the integrity check values or "checksums" of a message. This may prevent it from detecting if the data has been modified or corrupted in transmission.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable - (994)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Tainted Input to Variable cluster (SFP25).
* 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. External Control of System or Configuration Setting - (15)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 15 (External Control of System or Configuration Setting)
One or more system settings or configuration elements can be externally controlled by a user.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Input Validation - (20)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 20 (Improper Input Validation)
The product receives input or data, but it does not validate or incorrectly validates that the input has the properties that are required to process the data safely and correctly.
* 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. External Initialization of Trusted Variables or Data Stores - (454)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 454 (External Initialization of Trusted Variables or Data Stores)
The product initializes critical internal variables or data stores using inputs that can be modified by untrusted actors.
* 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. Public Data Assigned to Private Array-Typed Field - (496)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 496 (Public Data Assigned to Private Array-Typed Field)
Assigning public data to a private array is equivalent to giving public access to the array.
* 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. Deserialization of Untrusted Data - (502)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)
The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid. Marshaling, Unmarshaling Pickling, Unpickling PHP Object Injection
* 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. Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled SQL Primary Key - (566)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 566 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled SQL Primary Key)
The product uses a database table that includes records that should not be accessible to an actor, but it executes a SQL statement with a primary key that can be controlled by that actor.
* 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. Unchecked Input for Loop Condition - (606)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 606 (Unchecked Input for Loop Condition)
The product does not properly check inputs that are used for loop conditions, potentially leading to a denial of service or other consequences because of excessive looping.
* 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. Incomplete Identification of Uploaded File Variables (PHP) - (616)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 896 (SFP Primary Cluster: Tainted Input) > 994 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable) > 616 (Incomplete Identification of Uploaded File Variables (PHP))
The PHP application uses an old method for processing uploaded files by referencing the four global variables that are set for each file (e.g. $varname, $varname_size, $varname_name, $varname_type). These variables could be overwritten by attackers, causing the application to process unauthorized files.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points - (897)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Entry Points cluster (SFP28).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points - (1002)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Unexpected Entry Points cluster.
* 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. Active Debug Code - (489)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 489 (Active Debug Code)
The product is released with debugging code still enabled or active. Leftover debug code
* 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. Public cloneable() Method Without Final ('Object Hijack') - (491)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 491 (Public cloneable() Method Without Final ('Object Hijack'))
A class has a cloneable() method that is not declared final, which allows an object to be created without calling the constructor. This can cause the object to be in an unexpected state.
* 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. Critical Public Variable Without Final Modifier - (493)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 493 (Critical Public Variable Without Final Modifier)
The product has a critical public variable that is not final, which allows the variable to be modified to contain unexpected values.
* 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. Public Static Field Not Marked Final - (500)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 500 (Public Static Field Not Marked Final)
An object contains a public static field that is not marked final, which might allow it to be modified in unexpected ways.
* 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. Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Test Code - (531)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 531 (Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Test Code)
Accessible test applications can pose a variety of security risks. Since developers or administrators rarely consider that someone besides themselves would even know about the existence of these applications, it is common for them to contain sensitive information or functions.
* 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. finalize() Method Without super.finalize() - (568)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 568 (finalize() Method Without super.finalize())
The product contains a finalize() method that does not call super.finalize().
* 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. clone() Method Without super.clone() - (580)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 580 (clone() Method Without super.clone())
The product contains a clone() method that does not call super.clone() to obtain the new object.
* 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. Array Declared Public, Final, and Static - (582)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 582 (Array Declared Public, Final, and Static)
The product declares an array public, final, and static, which is not sufficient to prevent the array's contents from being modified.
* 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. finalize() Method Declared Public - (583)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 583 (finalize() Method Declared Public)
The product violates secure coding principles for mobile code by declaring a finalize() method public.
* 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. Struts: Non-private Field in ActionForm Class - (608)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 608 (Struts: Non-private Field in ActionForm Class)
An ActionForm class contains a field that has not been declared private, which can be accessed without using a setter or getter.
* 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. Critical Data Element Declared Public - (766)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 897 (SFP Primary Cluster: Entry Points) > 1002 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points) > 766 (Critical Data Element Declared Public)
The product declares a critical variable, field, or member to be public when intended security policy requires it to be private.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication - (898)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Authentication cluster (SFP29, SFP30, SFP31, SFP32, SFP33, SFP34).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass - (947)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Authentication Bypass cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Authentication - (287)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 287 (Improper Authentication)
When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct. authentification AuthN AuthC
* 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. Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel - (288)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 288 (Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel)
The product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication.
* 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. Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name - (289)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 289 (Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name)
The product performs authentication based on the name of a resource being accessed, or the name of the actor performing the access, but it does not properly check all possible names for that resource or actor.
* 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. Incorrect Implementation of Authentication Algorithm - (303)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 303 (Incorrect Implementation of Authentication Algorithm)
The requirements for the product dictate the use of an established authentication algorithm, but the implementation of the algorithm is incorrect.
* 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. Missing Critical Step in Authentication - (304)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 304 (Missing Critical Step in Authentication)
The product implements an authentication technique, but it skips a step that weakens the technique.
* 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. Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness - (305)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 305 (Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness)
The authentication algorithm is sound, but the implemented mechanism can be bypassed as the result of a separate weakness that is primary to the authentication error.
* 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. Use of Single-factor Authentication - (308)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 308 (Use of Single-factor Authentication)
The product uses an authentication algorithm that uses a single factor (e.g., a password) in a security context that should require more than one factor.
* 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. Use of Password System for Primary Authentication - (309)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 309 (Use of Password System for Primary Authentication)
The use of password systems as the primary means of authentication may be subject to several flaws or shortcomings, each reducing the effectiveness of the mechanism.
* 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. Use of Client-Side Authentication - (603)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 947 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass) > 603 (Use of Client-Side Authentication)
A client/server product performs authentication within client code but not in server code, allowing server-side authentication to be bypassed via a modified client that omits the authentication check.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate - (948)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Digital Certificate cluster.
* 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. Improper Following of a Certificate's Chain of Trust - (296)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate) > 296 (Improper Following of a Certificate's Chain of Trust)
The product does not follow, or incorrectly follows, the chain of trust for a certificate back to a trusted root certificate, resulting in incorrect trust of any resource that is associated with that certificate.
* 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. Improper Validation of Certificate with Host Mismatch - (297)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate) > 297 (Improper Validation of Certificate with Host Mismatch)
The product communicates with a host that provides a certificate, but the product does not properly ensure that the certificate is actually associated with that host.
* 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. Improper Validation of Certificate Expiration - (298)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate) > 298 (Improper Validation of Certificate Expiration)
A certificate expiration is not validated or is incorrectly validated, so trust may be assigned to certificates that have been abandoned due to age.
* 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. Improper Check for Certificate Revocation - (299)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate) > 299 (Improper Check for Certificate Revocation)
The product does not check or incorrectly checks the revocation status of a certificate, which may cause it to use a certificate that has been compromised.
* 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. Authentication Bypass: OpenSSL CTX Object Modified after SSL Objects are Created - (593)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate) > 593 (Authentication Bypass: OpenSSL CTX Object Modified after SSL Objects are Created)
The product modifies the SSL context after connection creation has begun.
* 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. Missing Validation of OpenSSL Certificate - (599)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 948 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate) > 599 (Missing Validation of OpenSSL Certificate)
The product uses OpenSSL and trusts or uses a certificate without using the SSL_get_verify_result() function to ensure that the certificate satisfies all necessary security requirements.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication - (949)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Endpoint Authentication cluster (SFP29).
* 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. Using Referer Field for Authentication - (293)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 293 (Using Referer Field for Authentication)
The referer field in HTTP requests can be easily modified and, as such, is not a valid means of message integrity checking. referrer
* 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. Authentication Bypass by Assumed-Immutable Data - (302)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 302 (Authentication Bypass by Assumed-Immutable Data)
The authentication scheme or implementation uses key data elements that are assumed to be immutable, but can be controlled or modified by the attacker.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity - (345)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 345 (Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity)
The product does not sufficiently verify the origin or authenticity of data, in a way that causes it to accept invalid data.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Origin Validation Error - (346)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 346 (Origin Validation Error)
The product does not properly verify that the source of data or communication is valid.
* 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. Reliance on Reverse DNS Resolution for a Security-Critical Action - (350)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 350 (Reliance on Reverse DNS Resolution for a Security-Critical Action)
The product performs reverse DNS resolution on an IP address to obtain the hostname and make a security decision, but it does not properly ensure that the IP address is truly associated with the hostname.
* 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. Trust of System Event Data - (360)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 360 (Trust of System Event Data)
Security based on event locations are insecure and can be spoofed.
* 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. Incorrect Behavior Order: Authorization Before Parsing and Canonicalization - (551)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 551 (Incorrect Behavior Order: Authorization Before Parsing and Canonicalization)
If a web server does not fully parse requested URLs before it examines them for authorization, it may be possible for an attacker to bypass authorization protection.
* 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. Reliance on Cookies without Validation and Integrity Checking - (565)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 565 (Reliance on Cookies without Validation and Integrity Checking)
The product relies on the existence or values of cookies when performing security-critical operations, but it does not properly ensure that the setting is valid for the associated user.
* 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. Use of Non-Canonical URL Paths for Authorization Decisions - (647)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 949 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication) > 647 (Use of Non-Canonical URL Paths for Authorization Decisions)
The product defines policy namespaces and makes authorization decisions based on the assumption that a URL is canonical. This can allow a non-canonical URL to bypass the authorization.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Hardcoded Sensitive Data - (950)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 950 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Hardcoded Sensitive Data)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Hardcoded Sensitive Data cluster (SFP33).
* 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. Empty Password in Configuration File - (258)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 950 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Hardcoded Sensitive Data) > 258 (Empty Password in Configuration File)
Using an empty string as a password is insecure.
* 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. Use of Hard-coded Password - (259)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 950 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Hardcoded Sensitive Data) > 259 (Use of Hard-coded Password)
The product contains a hard-coded password, which it uses for its own inbound authentication or for outbound communication to external components.
* 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. Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key - (321)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 950 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Hardcoded Sensitive Data) > 321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key)
The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.
* 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. Use of Hard-coded, Security-relevant Constants - (547)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 950 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Hardcoded Sensitive Data) > 547 (Use of Hard-coded, Security-relevant Constants)
The product uses hard-coded constants instead of symbolic names for security-critical values, which increases the likelihood of mistakes during code maintenance or security policy change.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy - (951)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Insecure Authentication Policy cluster.
* 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. Not Using Password Aging - (262)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy) > 262 (Not Using Password Aging)
The product does not have a mechanism in place for managing password aging.
* 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. Password Aging with Long Expiration - (263)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy) > 263 (Password Aging with Long Expiration)
The product supports password aging, but the expiration period is too long.
* 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. Weak Password Requirements - (521)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy) > 521 (Weak Password Requirements)
The product does not require that users should have strong passwords.
* 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. ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Use of Identity Impersonation - (556)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy) > 556 (ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Use of Identity Impersonation)
Configuring an ASP.NET application to run with impersonated credentials may give the application unnecessary privileges.
* 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. Insufficient Session Expiration - (613)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy) > 613 (Insufficient Session Expiration)
According to WASC, "Insufficient Session Expiration is when a web site permits an attacker to reuse old session credentials or session IDs for authorization."
* 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. Overly Restrictive Account Lockout Mechanism - (645)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 951 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy) > 645 (Overly Restrictive Account Lockout Mechanism)
The product contains an account lockout protection mechanism, but the mechanism is too restrictive and can be triggered too easily, which allows attackers to deny service to legitimate users by causing their accounts to be locked out.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Authentication - (952)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 952 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Authentication)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Missing Authentication cluster.
* 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. Missing Authentication for Critical Function - (306)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 952 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Authentication) > 306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function)
The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.
* 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. Unverified Password Change - (620)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 952 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Authentication) > 620 (Unverified Password Change)
When setting a new password for a user, the product does not require knowledge of the original password, or using another form of authentication.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Endpoint Authentication - (953)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 953 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Endpoint Authentication)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Missing Endpoint Authentication cluster (SFP30).
* 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. Unprotected Windows Messaging Channel ('Shatter') - (422)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 953 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Endpoint Authentication) > 422 (Unprotected Windows Messaging Channel ('Shatter'))
The product does not properly verify the source of a message in the Windows Messaging System while running at elevated privileges, creating an alternate channel through which an attacker can directly send a message to the product.
* 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. Direct Request ('Forced Browsing') - (425)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 953 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Missing Endpoint Authentication) > 425 (Direct Request ('Forced Browsing'))
The web application does not adequately enforce appropriate authorization on all restricted URLs, scripts, or files. forced browsing
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Binds to the Same Port - (954)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 954 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Binds to the Same Port)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Multiple Binds to the Same Port cluster (SFP32).
* 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. Multiple Binds to the Same Port - (605)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 954 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Multiple Binds to the Same Port) > 605 (Multiple Binds to the Same Port)
When multiple sockets are allowed to bind to the same port, other services on that port may be stolen or spoofed.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Authentication - (955)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 955 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Authentication)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Unrestricted Authentication cluster (SFP34).
* 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. Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts - (307)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 898 (SFP Primary Cluster: Authentication) > 955 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Authentication) > 307 (Improper Restriction of Excessive Authentication Attempts)
The product does not implement sufficient measures to prevent multiple failed authentication attempts within a short time frame.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control - (899)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Access Control cluster (SFP35).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management - (944)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 944 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Access Management cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Ownership Management - (282)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 944 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management) > 282 (Improper Ownership Management)
The product assigns the wrong ownership, or does not properly verify the ownership, of an object or resource.
* 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. Unverified Ownership - (283)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 944 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management) > 283 (Unverified Ownership)
The product does not properly verify that a critical resource is owned by the proper entity.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Improper Access Control - (284)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 944 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management) > 284 (Improper Access Control)
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor. Authorization
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect User Management - (286)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 944 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management) > 286 (Incorrect User Management)
The product does not properly manage a user within its environment.
* 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. Incorrect Ownership Assignment - (708)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 944 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Access Management) > 708 (Incorrect Ownership Assignment)
The product assigns an owner to a resource, but the owner is outside of the intended control sphere.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access - (945)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 945 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Insecure Resource Access cluster (SFP35).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Authorization - (285)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 945 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access) > 285 (Improper Authorization)
The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. AuthZ
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Protection of Alternate Path - (424)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 945 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access) > 424 (Improper Protection of Alternate Path)
The product does not sufficiently protect all possible paths that a user can take to access restricted functionality or resources.
* 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. Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key - (639)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 945 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access) > 639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key)
The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data. Insecure Direct Object Reference / IDOR Broken Object Level Authorization / BOLA Horizontal Authorization
* 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. Trusting HTTP Permission Methods on the Server Side - (650)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 945 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access) > 650 (Trusting HTTP Permission Methods on the Server Side)
The server contains a protection mechanism that assumes that any URI that is accessed using HTTP GET will not cause a state change to the associated resource. This might allow attackers to bypass intended access restrictions and conduct resource modification and deletion attacks, since some applications allow GET to modify state.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions - (946)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Insecure Resource Permissions cluster.
* 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. Incorrect Default Permissions - (276)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)
During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.
* 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. Insecure Inherited Permissions - (277)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 277 (Insecure Inherited Permissions)
A product defines a set of insecure permissions that are inherited by objects that are created by the program.
* 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. Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions - (278)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 278 (Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions)
A product inherits a set of insecure permissions for an object, e.g. when copying from an archive file, without user awareness or involvement.
* 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. Incorrect Execution-Assigned Permissions - (279)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 279 (Incorrect Execution-Assigned Permissions)
While it is executing, the product sets the permissions of an object in a way that violates the intended permissions that have been specified by the user.
* 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. Improper Preservation of Permissions - (281)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 281 (Improper Preservation of Permissions)
The product does not preserve permissions or incorrectly preserves permissions when copying, restoring, or sharing objects, which can cause them to have less restrictive permissions than intended.
* 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. Use of umask() with chmod-style Argument - (560)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 560 (Use of umask() with chmod-style Argument)
The product calls umask() with an incorrect argument that is specified as if it is an argument to chmod().
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource - (732)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 899 (SFP Primary Cluster: Access Control) > 946 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Permissions) > 732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource)
The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege - (901)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Privilege cluster (SFP36).
* 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. Execution with Unnecessary Privileges - (250)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges)
The product performs an operation at a privilege level that is higher than the minimum level required, which creates new weaknesses or amplifies the consequences of other weaknesses.
* 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. Incorrect Privilege Assignment - (266)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)
A product incorrectly assigns a privilege to a particular actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
* 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. Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions - (267)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 267 (Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions)
A particular privilege, role, capability, or right can be used to perform unsafe actions that were not intended, even when it is assigned to the correct entity.
* 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. Privilege Chaining - (268)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 268 (Privilege Chaining)
Two distinct privileges, roles, capabilities, or rights can be combined in a way that allows an entity to perform unsafe actions that would not be allowed without that combination.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Privilege Management - (269)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 269 (Improper Privilege Management)
The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
* 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. Privilege Context Switching Error - (270)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 270 (Privilege Context Switching Error)
The product does not properly manage privileges while it is switching between different contexts that have different privileges or spheres of control.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Privilege Dropping / Lowering Errors - (271)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 271 (Privilege Dropping / Lowering Errors)
The product does not drop privileges before passing control of a resource to an actor that does not have those privileges.
* 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. Least Privilege Violation - (272)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 272 (Least Privilege Violation)
The elevated privilege level required to perform operations such as chroot() should be dropped immediately after the operation is performed.
* 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. Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges - (274)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 274 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges)
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to perform an operation, leading to resultant weaknesses.
* 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. .NET Misconfiguration: Use of Impersonation - (520)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 520 (.NET Misconfiguration: Use of Impersonation)
Allowing a .NET application to run at potentially escalated levels of access to the underlying operating and file systems can be dangerous and result in various forms of attacks.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization - (653)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 653 (Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization)
The product does not properly compartmentalize or isolate functionality, processes, or resources that require different privilege levels, rights, or permissions. Separation of Privilege
* 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. J2EE Misconfiguration: Weak Access Permissions for EJB Methods - (9)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 901 (SFP Primary Cluster: Privilege) > 9 (J2EE Misconfiguration: Weak Access Permissions for EJB Methods)
If elevated access rights are assigned to EJB methods, then an attacker can take advantage of the permissions to exploit the product.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Channel - (902)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Channel cluster.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack - (956)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Channel Attack cluster.
* 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. Authentication Bypass by Spoofing - (290)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 290 (Authentication Bypass by Spoofing)
This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks.
* 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. Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay - (294)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 294 (Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay)
A capture-replay flaw exists when the design of the product makes it possible for a malicious user to sniff network traffic and bypass authentication by replaying it to the server in question to the same effect as the original message (or with minor changes).
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint - (300)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 300 (Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint)
The product does not adequately verify the identity of actors at both ends of a communication channel, or does not adequately ensure the integrity of the channel, in a way that allows the channel to be accessed or influenced by an actor that is not an endpoint. Adversary-in-the-Middle / AITM Attacker-in-the-Middle / AITM Man-in-the-Middle / MITM Person-in-the-Middle / PITM Monkey-in-the-Middle Monster-in-the-Middle Manipulator-in-the-Middle On-path attack Interception attack
* 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. Reflection Attack in an Authentication Protocol - (301)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 301 (Reflection Attack in an Authentication Protocol)
Simple authentication protocols are subject to reflection attacks if a malicious user can use the target machine to impersonate a trusted user.
* 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. Unprotected Primary Channel - (419)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 419 (Unprotected Primary Channel)
The product uses a primary channel for administration or restricted functionality, but it does not properly protect the channel.
* 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. Unprotected Alternate Channel - (420)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 420 (Unprotected Alternate Channel)
The product protects a primary channel, but it does not use the same level of protection for an alternate channel.
* 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. Race Condition During Access to Alternate Channel - (421)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 421 (Race Condition During Access to Alternate Channel)
The product opens an alternate channel to communicate with an authorized user, but the channel is accessible to other actors.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Unintended Proxy or Intermediary ('Confused Deputy') - (441)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 956 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack) > 441 (Unintended Proxy or Intermediary ('Confused Deputy'))
The product receives a request, message, or directive from an upstream component, but the product does not sufficiently preserve the original source of the request before forwarding the request to an external actor that is outside of the product's control sphere. This causes the product to appear to be the source of the request, leading it to act as a proxy or other intermediary between the upstream component and the external actor. Confused Deputy
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error - (957)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 957 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Protocol Error cluster.
* 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. Missing Support for Integrity Check - (353)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 957 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error) > 353 (Missing Support for Integrity Check)
The product uses a transmission protocol that does not include a mechanism for verifying the integrity of the data during transmission, such as a checksum.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Improper Interaction Between Multiple Correctly-Behaving Entities - (435)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 957 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error) > 435 (Improper Interaction Between Multiple Correctly-Behaving Entities)
An interaction error occurs when two entities have correct behavior when running independently of each other, but when they are integrated as components in a larger system or process, they introduce incorrect behaviors that may cause resultant weaknesses. Interaction Error Emergent Fault
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Interpretation Conflict - (436)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 957 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error) > 436 (Interpretation Conflict)
Product A handles inputs or steps differently than Product B, which causes A to perform incorrect actions based on its perception of B's state.
* 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. Incomplete Model of Endpoint Features - (437)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 957 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error) > 437 (Incomplete Model of Endpoint Features)
A product acts as an intermediary or monitor between two or more endpoints, but it does not have a complete model of an endpoint's features, behaviors, or state, potentially causing the product to perform incorrect actions based on this incomplete model.
* 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. Selection of Less-Secure Algorithm During Negotiation ('Algorithm Downgrade') - (757)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 902 (SFP Primary Cluster: Channel) > 957 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Protocol Error) > 757 (Selection of Less-Secure Algorithm During Negotiation ('Algorithm Downgrade'))
A protocol or its implementation supports interaction between multiple actors and allows those actors to negotiate which algorithm should be used as a protection mechanism such as encryption or authentication, but it does not select the strongest algorithm that is available to both parties.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography - (903)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Cryptography cluster.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography - (958)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 958 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Broken Cryptography cluster.
* 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. Missing Cryptographic Step - (325)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 958 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography) > 325 (Missing Cryptographic Step)
The product does not implement a required step in a cryptographic algorithm, resulting in weaker encryption than advertised by the algorithm.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm - (327)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 958 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography) > 327 (Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm)
The product uses a broken or risky cryptographic algorithm or protocol.
* 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. Use of Weak Hash - (328)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 958 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography) > 328 (Use of Weak Hash)
The product uses an algorithm that produces a digest (output value) that does not meet security expectations for a hash function that allows an adversary to reasonably determine the original input (preimage attack), find another input that can produce the same hash (2nd preimage attack), or find multiple inputs that evaluate to the same hash (birthday attack).
* 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. Use of a One-Way Hash without a Salt - (759)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 958 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography) > 759 (Use of a One-Way Hash without a Salt)
The product uses a one-way cryptographic hash against an input that should not be reversible, such as a password, but the product does not also use a salt as part of the input.
* 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. Use of a One-Way Hash with a Predictable Salt - (760)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 958 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Broken Cryptography) > 760 (Use of a One-Way Hash with a Predictable Salt)
The product uses a one-way cryptographic hash against an input that should not be reversible, such as a password, but the product uses a predictable salt as part of the input.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography - (959)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Weak Cryptography cluster.
* 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. Weak Encoding for Password - (261)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 261 (Weak Encoding for Password)
Obscuring a password with a trivial encoding does not protect the password.
* 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. Key Exchange without Entity Authentication - (322)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 322 (Key Exchange without Entity Authentication)
The product performs a key exchange with an actor without verifying the identity of that actor.
* 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. Reusing a Nonce, Key Pair in Encryption - (323)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 323 (Reusing a Nonce, Key Pair in Encryption)
Nonces should be used for the present occasion and only once.
* 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. Use of a Key Past its Expiration Date - (324)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 324 (Use of a Key Past its Expiration Date)
The product uses a cryptographic key or password past its expiration date, which diminishes its safety significantly by increasing the timing window for cracking attacks against that key.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Inadequate Encryption Strength - (326)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 326 (Inadequate Encryption Strength)
The product stores or transmits sensitive data using an encryption scheme that is theoretically sound, but is not strong enough for the level of protection required.
* 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. Generation of Predictable IV with CBC Mode - (329)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 329 (Generation of Predictable IV with CBC Mode)
The product generates and uses a predictable initialization Vector (IV) with Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) Mode, which causes algorithms to be susceptible to dictionary attacks when they are encrypted under the same key.
* 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. Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature - (347)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature)
The product does not verify, or incorrectly verifies, the cryptographic signature for data.
* 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. Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password - (640)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 903 (SFP Primary Cluster: Cryptography) > 959 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Weak Cryptography) > 640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password)
The product contains a mechanism for users to recover or change their passwords without knowing the original password, but the mechanism is weak.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Malware - (904)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Malware cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Embedded Malicious Code - (506)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 506 (Embedded Malicious Code)
The product contains code that appears to be malicious in nature.
* 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. Trojan Horse - (507)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 507 (Trojan Horse)
The product appears to contain benign or useful functionality, but it also contains code that is hidden from normal operation that violates the intended security policy of the user or the system administrator.
* 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. Non-Replicating Malicious Code - (508)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 508 (Non-Replicating Malicious Code)
Non-replicating malicious code only resides on the target system or product that is attacked; it does not attempt to spread to other systems.
* 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. Replicating Malicious Code (Virus or Worm) - (509)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 509 (Replicating Malicious Code (Virus or Worm))
Replicating malicious code, including viruses and worms, will attempt to attack other systems once it has successfully compromised the target system or the product.
* 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. Trapdoor - (510)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 510 (Trapdoor)
A trapdoor is a hidden piece of code that responds to a special input, allowing its user access to resources without passing through the normal security enforcement mechanism.
* 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. Logic/Time Bomb - (511)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 511 (Logic/Time Bomb)
The product contains code that is designed to disrupt the legitimate operation of the product (or its environment) when a certain time passes, or when a certain logical condition is met.
* 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. Spyware - (512)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 512 (Spyware)
The product collects personally identifiable information about a human user or the user's activities, but the product accesses this information using other resources besides itself, and it does not require that user's explicit approval or direct input into the product.
* 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. Improper Handling of Windows ::DATA Alternate Data Stream - (69)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 69 (Improper Handling of Windows ::DATA Alternate Data Stream)
The product does not properly prevent access to, or detect usage of, alternate data streams (ADS).
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Covert Channel - (968)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 968 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Covert Channel)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Covert Channel cluster.
* 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. Covert Timing Channel - (385)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 968 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Covert Channel) > 385 (Covert Timing Channel)
Covert timing channels convey information by modulating some aspect of system behavior over time, so that the program receiving the information can observe system behavior and infer protected information.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Covert Channel - (514)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 968 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Covert Channel) > 514 (Covert Channel)
A covert channel is a path that can be used to transfer information in a way not intended by the system's designers.
* 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. Covert Storage Channel - (515)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 904 (SFP Primary Cluster: Malware) > 968 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Covert Channel) > 515 (Covert Storage Channel)
A covert storage channel transfers information through the setting of bits by one program and the reading of those bits by another. What distinguishes this case from that of ordinary operation is that the bits are used to convey encoded information.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability - (905)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Predictability cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Use of Insufficiently Random Values - (330)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 330 (Use of Insufficiently Random Values)
The product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers.
* 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. Insufficient Entropy - (331)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 331 (Insufficient Entropy)
The product uses an algorithm or scheme that produces insufficient entropy, leaving patterns or clusters of values that are more likely to occur than others.
* 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. Insufficient Entropy in PRNG - (332)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 332 (Insufficient Entropy in PRNG)
The lack of entropy available for, or used by, a Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) can be a stability and security threat.
* 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. Improper Handling of Insufficient Entropy in TRNG - (333)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 333 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Entropy in TRNG)
True random number generators (TRNG) generally have a limited source of entropy and therefore can fail or block.
* 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. Small Space of Random Values - (334)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 334 (Small Space of Random Values)
The number of possible random values is smaller than needed by the product, making it more susceptible to brute force attacks.
* 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. Incorrect Usage of Seeds in Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) - (335)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 335 (Incorrect Usage of Seeds in Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG))
The product uses a Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) but does not correctly manage seeds.
* 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. Same Seed in Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) - (336)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 336 (Same Seed in Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG))
A Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) uses the same seed each time the product is initialized.
* 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. Predictable Seed in Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) - (337)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 337 (Predictable Seed in Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG))
A Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) is initialized from a predictable seed, such as the process ID or system time.
* 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. Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) - (338)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 338 (Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG))
The product uses a Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) in a security context, but the PRNG's algorithm is not cryptographically strong.
* 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. Small Seed Space in PRNG - (339)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 339 (Small Seed Space in PRNG)
A Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG) uses a relatively small seed space, which makes it more susceptible to brute force attacks.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Generation of Predictable Numbers or Identifiers - (340)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 340 (Generation of Predictable Numbers or Identifiers)
The product uses a scheme that generates numbers or identifiers that are more predictable than required.
* 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. Predictable from Observable State - (341)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 341 (Predictable from Observable State)
A number or object is predictable based on observations that the attacker can make about the state of the system or network, such as time, process ID, etc.
* 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. Predictable Exact Value from Previous Values - (342)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 342 (Predictable Exact Value from Previous Values)
An exact value or random number can be precisely predicted by observing previous values.
* 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. Predictable Value Range from Previous Values - (343)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 343 (Predictable Value Range from Previous Values)
The product's random number generator produces a series of values which, when observed, can be used to infer a relatively small range of possibilities for the next value that could be generated.
* 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. Use of Invariant Value in Dynamically Changing Context - (344)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 905 (SFP Primary Cluster: Predictability) > 344 (Use of Invariant Value in Dynamically Changing Context)
The product uses a constant value, name, or reference, but this value can (or should) vary across different environments.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: UI - (906)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the UI cluster.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature - (995)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Feature cluster.
* 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. Unimplemented or Unsupported Feature in UI - (447)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 447 (Unimplemented or Unsupported Feature in UI)
A UI function for a security feature appears to be supported and gives feedback to the user that suggests that it is supported, but the underlying functionality is not implemented.
* 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. Obsolete Feature in UI - (448)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 448 (Obsolete Feature in UI)
A UI function is obsolete and the product does not warn the user.
* 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. The UI Performs the Wrong Action - (449)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 449 (The UI Performs the Wrong Action)
The UI performs the wrong action with respect to the user's request.
* 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. Multiple Interpretations of UI Input - (450)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 450 (Multiple Interpretations of UI Input)
The UI has multiple interpretations of user input but does not prompt the user when it selects the less secure interpretation.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information - (451)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 451 (User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information)
The user interface (UI) does not properly represent critical information to the user, allowing the information - or its source - to be obscured or spoofed. This is often a component in phishing attacks.
* 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. Missing Password Field Masking - (549)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 549 (Missing Password Field Masking)
The product does not mask passwords during entry, increasing the potential for attackers to observe and capture passwords.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Insufficient Psychological Acceptability - (655)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 995 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Feature) > 655 (Insufficient Psychological Acceptability)
The product has a protection mechanism that is too difficult or inconvenient to use, encouraging non-malicious users to disable or bypass the mechanism, whether by accident or on purpose.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Security - (996)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 996 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Security)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Security cluster.
* 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. Product UI does not Warn User of Unsafe Actions - (356)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 996 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Security) > 356 (Product UI does not Warn User of Unsafe Actions)
The product's user interface does not warn the user before undertaking an unsafe action on behalf of that user. This makes it easier for attackers to trick users into inflicting damage to their system.
* 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. Insufficient UI Warning of Dangerous Operations - (357)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 996 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Security) > 357 (Insufficient UI Warning of Dangerous Operations)
The user interface provides a warning to a user regarding dangerous or sensitive operations, but the warning is not noticeable enough to warrant attention.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. UI Discrepancy for Security Feature - (446)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 996 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Security) > 446 (UI Discrepancy for Security Feature)
The user interface does not correctly enable or configure a security feature, but the interface provides feedback that causes the user to believe that the feature is in a secure state.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Information Loss - (997)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 997 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Information Loss)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Information Loss cluster.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Information Loss or Omission - (221)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 997 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Information Loss) > 221 (Information Loss or Omission)
The product does not record, or improperly records, security-relevant information that leads to an incorrect decision or hampers later analysis.
* 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. Truncation of Security-relevant Information - (222)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 997 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Information Loss) > 222 (Truncation of Security-relevant Information)
The product truncates the display, recording, or processing of security-relevant information in a way that can obscure the source or nature of an attack.
* 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. Omission of Security-relevant Information - (223)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 997 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Information Loss) > 223 (Omission of Security-relevant Information)
The product does not record or display information that would be important for identifying the source or nature of an attack, or determining if an action is safe.
* 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. Obscured Security-relevant Information by Alternate Name - (224)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 906 (SFP Primary Cluster: UI) > 997 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Information Loss) > 224 (Obscured Security-relevant Information by Alternate Name)
The product records security-relevant information according to an alternate name of the affected entity, instead of the canonical name.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Other - (907)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Other cluster.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture - (975)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Architecture cluster.
* 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. Use of Less Trusted Source - (348)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 348 (Use of Less Trusted Source)
The product has two different sources of the same data or information, but it uses the source that has less support for verification, is less trusted, or is less resistant to attack.
* 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. Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor - (359)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 359 (Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor)
The product does not properly prevent a person's private, personal information from being accessed by actors who either (1) are not explicitly authorized to access the information or (2) do not have the implicit consent of the person about whom the information is collected. Privacy violation Privacy leak / Privacy leakage PPI PII PHI
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security - (602)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 602 (Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security)
The product is composed of a server that relies on the client to implement a mechanism that is intended to protect the server.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Unnecessary Complexity in Protection Mechanism (Not Using 'Economy of Mechanism') - (637)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 637 (Unnecessary Complexity in Protection Mechanism (Not Using 'Economy of Mechanism'))
The product uses a more complex mechanism than necessary, which could lead to resultant weaknesses when the mechanism is not correctly understood, modeled, configured, implemented, or used. Unnecessary Complexity
* 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. Reliance on Obfuscation or Encryption of Security-Relevant Inputs without Integrity Checking - (649)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 649 (Reliance on Obfuscation or Encryption of Security-Relevant Inputs without Integrity Checking)
The product uses obfuscation or encryption of inputs that should not be mutable by an external actor, but the product does not use integrity checks to detect if those inputs have been modified.
* 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. Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision - (654)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 654 (Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision)
A protection mechanism relies exclusively, or to a large extent, on the evaluation of a single condition or the integrity of a single object or entity in order to make a decision about granting access to restricted resources or functionality. Separation of Privilege
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Reliance on Security Through Obscurity - (656)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 656 (Reliance on Security Through Obscurity)
The product uses a protection mechanism whose strength depends heavily on its obscurity, such that knowledge of its algorithms or key data is sufficient to defeat the mechanism. Never Assuming your secrets are safe
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Violation of Secure Design Principles - (657)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 657 (Violation of Secure Design Principles)
The product violates well-established principles for secure design.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Lack of Administrator Control over Security - (671)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 671 (Lack of Administrator Control over Security)
The product uses security features in a way that prevents the product's administrator from tailoring security settings to reflect the environment in which the product is being used. This introduces resultant weaknesses or prevents it from operating at a level of security that is desired by the administrator.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Protection Mechanism Failure - (693)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)
The product does not use or incorrectly uses a protection mechanism that provides sufficient defense against directed attacks against the product.
* 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. Exposed Dangerous Method or Function - (749)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 975 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Architecture) > 749 (Exposed Dangerous Method or Function)
The product provides an Applications Programming Interface (API) or similar interface for interaction with external actors, but the interface includes a dangerous method or function that is not properly restricted.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Compiler - (976)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 976 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Compiler)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Compiler cluster.
* 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. Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code - (733)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 976 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Compiler) > 733 (Compiler Optimization Removal or Modification of Security-critical Code)
The developer builds a security-critical protection mechanism into the software, but the compiler optimizes the program such that the mechanism is removed or modified.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Design - (977)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Design cluster.
* 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. Misinterpretation of Input - (115)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 115 (Misinterpretation of Input)
The product misinterprets an input, whether from an attacker or another product, in a security-relevant fashion.
* 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. Partial String Comparison - (187)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 187 (Partial String Comparison)
The product performs a comparison that only examines a portion of a factor before determining whether there is a match, such as a substring, leading to resultant weaknesses.
* 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. Reliance on Data/Memory Layout - (188)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 188 (Reliance on Data/Memory Layout)
The product makes invalid assumptions about how protocol data or memory is organized at a lower level, resulting in unintended program behavior.
* 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. Off-by-one Error - (193)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 193 (Off-by-one Error)
A product calculates or uses an incorrect maximum or minimum value that is 1 more, or 1 less, than the correct value. off-by-five
* 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. Acceptance of Extraneous Untrusted Data With Trusted Data - (349)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 349 (Acceptance of Extraneous Untrusted Data With Trusted Data)
The product, when processing trusted data, accepts any untrusted data that is also included with the trusted data, treating the untrusted data as if it were trusted.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification) - (405)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 405 (Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification))
The product does not properly control situations in which an adversary can cause the product to consume or produce excessive resources without requiring the adversary to invest equivalent work or otherwise prove authorization, i.e., the adversary's influence is "asymmetric."
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification) - (406)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 406 (Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification))
The product does not sufficiently monitor or control transmitted network traffic volume, so that an actor can cause the product to transmit more traffic than should be allowed for that actor.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity - (407)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 407 (Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity)
An algorithm in a product has an inefficient worst-case computational complexity that may be detrimental to system performance and can be triggered by an attacker, typically using crafted manipulations that ensure that the worst case is being reached. Quadratic Complexity
* 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. Incorrect Behavior Order: Early Amplification - (408)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 408 (Incorrect Behavior Order: Early Amplification)
The product allows an entity to perform a legitimate but expensive operation before authentication or authorization has taken place.
* 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. Improper Handling of Highly Compressed Data (Data Amplification) - (409)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 409 (Improper Handling of Highly Compressed Data (Data Amplification))
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles a compressed input with a very high compression ratio that produces a large output.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Insufficient Resource Pool - (410)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 410 (Insufficient Resource Pool)
The product's resource pool is not large enough to handle peak demand, which allows an attacker to prevent others from accessing the resource by using a (relatively) large number of requests for resources.
* 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. Deployment of Wrong Handler - (430)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 430 (Deployment of Wrong Handler)
The wrong "handler" is assigned to process an object.
* 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. Duplicate Key in Associative List (Alist) - (462)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 462 (Duplicate Key in Associative List (Alist))
Duplicate keys in associative lists can lead to non-unique keys being mistaken for an error.
* 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. Deletion of Data Structure Sentinel - (463)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 463 (Deletion of Data Structure Sentinel)
The accidental deletion of a data-structure sentinel can cause serious programming logic problems.
* 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. Addition of Data Structure Sentinel - (464)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 464 (Addition of Data Structure Sentinel)
The accidental addition of a data-structure sentinel can cause serious programming logic problems.
* 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. Incorrect Block Delimitation - (483)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 483 (Incorrect Block Delimitation)
The code does not explicitly delimit a block that is intended to contain 2 or more statements, creating a logic error.
* 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. Object Model Violation: Just One of Equals and Hashcode Defined - (581)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 581 (Object Model Violation: Just One of Equals and Hashcode Defined)
The product does not maintain equal hashcodes for equal objects.
* 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. Comparison of Object References Instead of Object Contents - (595)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 595 (Comparison of Object References Instead of Object Contents)
The product compares object references instead of the contents of the objects themselves, preventing it from detecting equivalent objects.
* 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. Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method - (618)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 618 (Exposed Unsafe ActiveX Method)
An ActiveX control is intended for use in a web browser, but it exposes dangerous methods that perform actions that are outside of the browser's security model (e.g. the zone or domain).
* 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. Incorrect Use of Privileged APIs - (648)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 648 (Incorrect Use of Privileged APIs)
The product does not conform to the API requirements for a function call that requires extra privileges. This could allow attackers to gain privileges by causing the function to be called incorrectly.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation - (670)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 670 (Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation)
The code contains a control flow path that does not reflect the algorithm that the path is intended to implement, leading to incorrect behavior any time this path is navigated.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Incorrect Calculation - (682)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 682 (Incorrect Calculation)
The product performs a calculation that generates incorrect or unintended results that are later used in security-critical decisions or resource management.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Insufficient Control Flow Management - (691)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 691 (Insufficient Control Flow Management)
The code does not sufficiently manage its control flow during execution, creating conditions in which the control flow can be modified in unexpected ways.
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Behavior Order - (696)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 696 (Incorrect Behavior Order)
The product performs multiple related behaviors, but the behaviors are performed in the wrong order in ways that may produce resultant weaknesses.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Incorrect Comparison - (697)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 697 (Incorrect Comparison)
The product compares two entities in a security-relevant context, but the comparison is incorrect.
* 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. Execution After Redirect (EAR) - (698)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 698 (Execution After Redirect (EAR))
The web application sends a redirect to another location, but instead of exiting, it executes additional code. Redirect Without Exit
* Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. Incorrect Control Flow Scoping - (705)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 977 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Design) > 705 (Incorrect Control Flow Scoping)
The product does not properly return control flow to the proper location after it has completed a task or detected an unusual condition.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Secondary Cluster: Implementation - (978)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 978 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Implementation)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Implementation cluster.
* 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. Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard - (358)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 978 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Implementation) > 358 (Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard)
The product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.
* Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 7PK - Code Quality - (398)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 978 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Implementation) > 398 (7PK - Code Quality)
This category represents one of the phyla in the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms vulnerability classification. It includes weaknesses that do not directly introduce a weakness or vulnerability, but indicate that the product has not been carefully developed or maintained. According to the authors of the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms, "Poor code quality leads to unpredictable behavior. From a user's perspective that often manifests itself as poor usability. For an adversary it provides an opportunity to stress the system in unexpected ways."
* 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. Unsafe ActiveX Control Marked Safe For Scripting - (623)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 978 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Implementation) > 623 (Unsafe ActiveX Control Marked Safe For Scripting)
An ActiveX control is intended for restricted use, but it has been marked as safe-for-scripting.
* Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. Improper Adherence to Coding Standards - (710)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 907 (SFP Primary Cluster: Other) > 978 (SFP Secondary Cluster: Implementation) > 710 (Improper Adherence to Coding Standards)
The product does not follow certain coding rules for development, which can lead to resultant weaknesses or increase the severity of the associated vulnerabilities.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Faulty Resource Release - (1237)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 1237 (SFP Primary Cluster: Faulty Resource Release)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Faulty Resource Release cluster (SFP37).
* 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. Double Free - (415)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 1237 (SFP Primary Cluster: Faulty Resource Release) > 415 (Double Free)
The product calls free() twice on the same memory address. Double-free
* 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. Mismatched Memory Management Routines - (762)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 1237 (SFP Primary Cluster: Faulty Resource Release) > 762 (Mismatched Memory Management Routines)
The product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls a release function that is not compatible with the function that was originally used to allocate that resource.
* 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. Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference - (763)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 1237 (SFP Primary Cluster: Faulty Resource Release) > 763 (Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference)
The product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly.
+ Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. SFP Primary Cluster: Failure to Release Memory - (1238)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 1238 (SFP Primary Cluster: Failure to Release Memory)
This category identifies Software Fault Patterns (SFPs) within the Failure to Release Memory cluster (SFP38).
* 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. Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime - (401)
888 (Software Fault Pattern (SFP) Clusters) > 1238 (SFP Primary Cluster: Failure to Release Memory) > 401 (Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime)
The product does not sufficiently track and release allocated memory after it has been used, making the memory unavailable for reallocation and reuse. Memory Leak
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Usage: PROHIBITED

(this CWE ID must not be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities)

Reason: View

Rationale:

This entry is a View. Views are not weaknesses and therefore inappropriate to describe the root causes of vulnerabilities.

Comments:

Use this View or other Views to search and navigate for the appropriate weakness.
+ References
[REF-19] Nikolai Mansourov and Djenana Campara. "System Assurance". 7.3, Software fault patterns. 2010-12-06. <https://www.elsevier.com/books/system-assurance/mansourov/978-0-12-381414-2>.
[REF-20] Ben Calloni, Nikolai Mansourov and Djenana Campara. "Task Order 0006: Vulnerability Path Analysis and Demonstration (VPAD). Volume 2 - White Box Definitions of Software Fault Patterns". 2011-12. <https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADB381215.pdf>. URL validated: 2025-07-29.
+ View Metrics
CWEs in this view Total CWEs
Weaknesses 614 out of 944
Categories 83 out of 385
Views 0 out of 54
Total 697 out of 1383
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2012-03-22
(CWE 2.2, 2012-05-14)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2022-07-21 Djenana Campara KDM Analytics
reported gaps and inconsistencies in this view, leading to changes in taxonomy mappings and relationships in some entries
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, View_Audience
2020-08-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References

View Components

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CWE-36: Absolute Path Traversal

Weakness ID: 36
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize absolute path sequences such as "/abs/path" that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.
+ Extended Description
This allows attackers to traverse the file system to access files or directories that are outside of the restricted directory.
+ 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

Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands

Scope: Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability

The attacker may be able to create or overwrite critical files that are used to execute code, such as programs or libraries.

Modify Files or Directories

Scope: Integrity

The attacker may be able to overwrite or create critical files, such as programs, libraries, or important data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, appending a new account at the end of a password file may allow an attacker to bypass authentication.

Read Files or Directories

Scope: Confidentiality

The attacker may be able read the contents of unexpected files and expose sensitive data. If the targeted file is used for a security mechanism, then the attacker may be able to bypass that mechanism. For example, by reading a password file, the attacker could conduct brute force password guessing attacks in order to break into an account on the system.

DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart

Scope: Availability

The attacker may be able to overwrite, delete, or corrupt unexpected critical files such as programs, libraries, or important data. This may prevent the product from working at all and in the case of a protection mechanisms such as authentication, it has the potential to lockout every user of the product.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Strategy: Input Validation

Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.

When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue."

Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.

When validating filenames, use stringent allowlists that limit the character set to be used. If feasible, only allow a single "." character in the filename to avoid weaknesses such as CWE-23, and exclude directory separators such as "/" to avoid CWE-36. Use a list of allowable file extensions, which will help to avoid CWE-434.

Do not rely exclusively on a filtering mechanism that removes potentially dangerous characters. This is equivalent to a denylist, which may be incomplete (CWE-184). For example, filtering "/" is insufficient protection if the filesystem also supports the use of "\" as a directory separator. Another possible error could occur when the filtering is applied in a way that still produces dangerous data (CWE-182). For example, if "../" sequences are removed from the ".../...//" string in a sequential fashion, two instances of "../" would be removed from the original string, but the remaining characters would still form the "../" string.

Effectiveness: High

Implementation

Strategy: Input Validation

Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.

Operation

Strategy: Firewall

Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth [REF-1481].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note: An application firewall might not cover all possible input vectors. In addition, attack techniques might be available to bypass the protection mechanism, such as using malformed inputs that can still be processed by the component that receives those inputs. Depending on functionality, an application firewall might inadvertently reject or modify legitimate requests. Finally, some manual effort may be required for customization.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
ParentOf 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. 37 Path Traversal: '/absolute/pathname/here'
ParentOf 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. 38 Path Traversal: '\absolute\pathname\here'
ParentOf 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. 39 Path Traversal: 'C:dirname'
ParentOf 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. 40 Path Traversal: '\\UNC\share\name\' (Windows UNC Share)
+ Relevant to the view "CISQ Quality Measures (2020)" (View-1305)
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. 22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
+ Relevant to the view "CISQ Data Protection Measures" (View-1340)
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. 22 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: Web Based (Undetermined Prevalence)

AI/ML (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


In the example below, the path to a dictionary file is read from a system property and used to initialize a File object.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
String filename = System.getProperty("com.domain.application.dictionaryFile");
File dictionaryFile = new File(filename);

However, the path is not validated or modified to prevent it from containing relative or absolute path sequences before creating the File object. This allows anyone who can control the system property to determine what file is used. Ideally, the path should be resolved relative to some kind of application or user home directory.



Example 2


This script intends to read a user-supplied file from the current directory. The user inputs the relative path to the file and the script uses Python's os.path.join() function to combine the path to the current working directory with the provided path to the specified file. This results in an absolute path to the desired file. If the file does not exist when the script attempts to read it, an error is printed to the user.

(bad code)
Example Language: Python 
import os
import sys
def main():
filename = sys.argv[1]
path = os.path.join(os.getcwd(), filename)
try:
with open(path, 'r') as f:
file_data = f.read()
except FileNotFoundError as e:
print("Error - file not found")
main()

However, if the user supplies an absolute path, the os.path.join() function will discard the path to the current working directory and use only the absolute path provided. For example, if the current working directory is /home/user/documents, but the user inputs /etc/passwd, os.path.join() will use only /etc/passwd, as it is considered an absolute path. In the above scenario, this would cause the script to access and read the /etc/passwd file.

(good code)
Example Language: Python 
import os
import sys
def main():
filename = sys.argv[1]
path = os.path.normpath(f"{os.getcwd()}{os.sep}{filename}")
if path.startswith("/home/cwe/documents/"):
try:
with open(path, 'r') as f:
file_data = f.read()
except FileNotFoundError as e:
print("Error - file not found")
main()

The constructed path string uses os.sep to add the appropriate separation character for the given operating system (e.g. '\' or '/') and the call to os.path.normpath() removes any additional slashes that may have been entered - this may occur particularly when using a Windows path. The path is checked against an expected directory (/home/cwe/documents); otherwise, an attacker could provide relative path sequences like ".." to cause normpath() to generate paths that are outside the intended directory (CWE-23). By putting the pieces of the path string together in this fashion, the script avoids a call to os.path.join() and any potential issues that might arise if an absolute path is entered. With this version of the script, if the current working directory is /home/cwe/documents, and the user inputs /etc/passwd, the resulting path will be /home/cwe/documents/etc/passwd. The user is therefore contained within the current working directory as intended.



+ 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
Product for managing datasets for AI model training and evaluation allows both relative (CWE-23) and absolute (CWE-36) path traversal to overwrite files via the Content-Disposition header
Python package constructs filenames using an unsafe os.path.join call on untrusted input, allowing absolute path traversal because os.path.join resets the pathname to an absolute path that is specified as part of the input.
Multiple FTP clients write arbitrary files via absolute paths in server responses
ZIP file extractor allows full path
Path traversal using absolute pathname
Path traversal using absolute pathname
Path traversal using absolute pathname
Arbitrary files may be overwritten via compressed attachments that specify absolute path names for the decompressed output.
Mail client allows remote attackers to overwrite arbitrary files via an e-mail message containing a uuencoded attachment that specifies the full pathname for the file to be modified.
Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via a full pathname to the target file in config parameter.
Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via an absolute pathname.
Remote attackers can read arbitrary files by specifying the drive letter in the requested URL.
FTP server allows remote attackers to list arbitrary directories by using the "ls" command and including the drive letter name (e.g. C:) in the requested pathname.
FTP server allows remote attackers to list the contents of arbitrary drives via a ls command that includes the drive letter as an argument.
Server allows remote attackers to browse arbitrary directories via a full pathname in the arguments to certain dynamic pages.
Remote attackers can read arbitrary files via an HTTP request whose argument is a filename of the form "C:" (Drive letter), "//absolute/path", or ".." .
FTP server read/access arbitrary files using "C:\" filenames
FTP server allows a remote attacker to retrieve privileged web server system information by specifying arbitrary paths in the UNC format (\\computername\sharename).
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ Functional Areas
  • File Processing
+ Affected Resources
  • File or Directory
+ 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 ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 981 SFP Secondary Cluster: Path Traversal
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1404 Comprehensive Categorization: File Handling
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1436 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A01:2025 - Broken 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Absolute Path Traversal
Software Fault Patterns SFP16 Path Traversal
+ References
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 9, "Filenames and Paths", Page 503. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
[REF-1448] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. "Secure by Design Alert: Eliminating Directory Traversal Vulnerabilities in Software". 2024-05-02.
<https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/secure-design-alert-eliminating-directory-traversal-vulnerabilities-software>. (URL validated: 2024-07-14)
[REF-1481] D3FEND. "D3FEND: Application Layer Firewall".
<https://d3fend.mitre.org/dao/artifact/d3f:ApplicationLayerFirewall/>. (URL validated: 2025-09-06)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Affected_Resources, Applicable_Platforms, Functional_Areas, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References
2024-11-19
(CWE 4.16, 2024-11-19)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2024-07-16
(CWE 4.15, 2024-07-16)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2020-12-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-08-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms
2017-01-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, References, Relationships
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2010-06-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description
2010-02-16 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
2008-07-01 Sean Eidemiller Cigital
added/updated demonstrative examples

CWE-349: Acceptance of Extraneous Untrusted Data With Trusted Data

Weakness ID: 349
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
The product, when processing trusted data, accepts any untrusted data that is also included with the trusted data, treating the untrusted data as if it were trusted.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism; Modify Application Data

Scope: Access Control, Integrity

An attacker could package untrusted data with trusted data to bypass protection mechanisms to gain access to and possibly modify sensitive data.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 345 Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
PeerOf 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. 501 Trust Boundary Violation
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1214 Data Integrity Issues
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1019 Validate Inputs
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (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
Does not verify that trusted entity is authoritative for all entities in its response.
use of extra data in a signature allows certificate signature forging
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 860 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 17 - Runtime Environment (ENV)
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 977 SFP Secondary Cluster: Design
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1150 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 16. Runtime Environment (ENV)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1365 ICS Communications: Unreliability
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1366 ICS Communications: Frail Security in Protocols
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1373 ICS Engineering (Construction/Deployment): Trust Model Problems
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1411 Comprehensive Categorization: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity
+ 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Untrusted Data Appended with Trusted Data
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) ENV01-J Place all security-sensitive code in a single JAR and sign and seal it
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2022-04-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Untrusted Data Appended with Trusted Data

CWE-767: Access to Critical Private Variable via Public Method

Weakness ID: 767
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product defines a public method that reads or modifies a private variable.
+ Extended Description
If an attacker modifies the variable to contain unexpected values, this could violate assumptions from other parts of the code. Additionally, if an attacker can read the private variable, it may expose sensitive information or make it easier to launch further attacks.
+ 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

Modify Application Data; Other

Scope: Integrity, Other

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Use class accessor and mutator methods appropriately. Perform validation when accepting data from a public method that is intended to modify a critical private variable. Also be sure that appropriate access controls are being applied when a public method interfaces with critical data.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 668 Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 275 Permission Issues
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

C# (Undetermined Prevalence)

Java (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following example declares a critical variable to be private, and then allows the variable to be modified by public methods.

(bad code)
Example Language: C++ 
private: float price;
public: void changePrice(float newPrice) {
price = newPrice;
}


Example 2


The following example could be used to implement a user forum where a single user (UID) can switch between multiple profiles (PID).

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
public class Client {
private int UID;
public int PID;
private String userName;
public Client(String userName){
PID = getDefaultProfileID();
UID = mapUserNametoUID( userName );
this.userName = userName;
}
public void setPID(int ID) {
UID = ID;
}
}

The programmer implemented setPID with the intention of modifying the PID variable, but due to a typo. accidentally specified the critical variable UID instead. If the program allows profile IDs to be between 1 and 10, but a UID of 1 means the user is treated as an admin, then a user could gain administrative privileges as a result of this typo.



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 963 SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1184 SEI CERT Perl Coding Standard - Guidelines 06. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1403 Comprehensive Categorization: Exposed Resource
+ 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 Base 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

This entry is closely associated with access control for public methods. If the public methods are restricted with proper access controls, then the information in the private variable will not be exposed to unexpected parties. There may be chaining or composite relationships between improper access controls and this weakness.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
CLASP Failure to protect stored data from modification
Software Fault Patterns SFP23 Exposed Data
SEI CERT Perl Coding Standard OOP31-PL Imprecise Do not access private variables or subroutines in other packages
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2009-03-03
(CWE 1.4, 2009-05-27)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction, Type
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Likelihood_of_Exploit, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences

CWE-489: Active Debug Code

Weakness ID: 489
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product is released with debugging code still enabled or active. Diagram for CWE-489
+ Alternate Terms
Leftover debug code
This term originates from Seven Pernicious Kingdoms
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism; Read Application Data; Gain Privileges or Assume Identity; Varies by Context

Scope: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability, Access Control, Other

Active debug code can create unintended entry points or expose sensitive information. The severity of the exposed debug code will depend on the particular instance. At the least, it will give an attacker sensitive information about the settings and mechanics of web applications on the server. At worst, as is often the case, the debug code will allow an attacker complete control over the web application and server, as well as confidential information that either of these access.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Build and Compilation; Distribution

Remove debug code before deploying the application.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. 710 Improper Adherence to Coding Standards
ParentOf 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. 11 ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Creating Debug Binary
CanPrecede 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. 215 Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Debugging Code
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1006 Bad Coding Practices
+ 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 Note
Implementation In web-based applications, debug code is used to test and modify web application properties, configuration information, and functions. If a debug application is left on a production server, this oversight during the "software process" allows attackers access to debug functionality.
Implementation A common development practice is to add "back door" code specifically designed for debugging or testing purposes that is not intended to be shipped or deployed with the product. These back door entry points create security risks because they are not considered during design or testing and fall outside of the expected operating conditions of the product.
Build and Compilation
Operation
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: ICS/OT (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


Debug code can be used to bypass authentication. For example, suppose an application has a login script that receives a username and a password. Assume also that a third, optional, parameter, called "debug", is interpreted by the script as requesting a switch to debug mode, and that when this parameter is given the username and password are not checked. In such a case, it is very simple to bypass the authentication process if the special behavior of the application regarding the debug parameter is known. In a case where the form is:

(bad code)
Example Language: HTML 
<FORM ACTION="/authenticate_login.cgi">
<INPUT TYPE=TEXT name=username>
<INPUT TYPE=PASSWORD name=password>
<INPUT TYPE=SUBMIT>
</FORM>

Then a conforming link will look like:

(informative)
 
http://TARGET/authenticate_login.cgi?username=...&password=...

An attacker can change this to:

(attack code)
 
http://TARGET/authenticate_login.cgi?username=&password=&debug=1

Which will grant the attacker access to the site, bypassing the authentication process.



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Indirect
(where the weakness is a quality issue that might indirectly make it easier to introduce security-relevant weaknesses or make them more difficult to detect)
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 485 7PK - Encapsulation
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 731 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1002 SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1371 ICS Supply Chain: Poorly Documented or Undocumented Features
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1412 Comprehensive Categorization: Poor Coding Practices
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1437 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A02:2025 - Security Misconfiguration
+ 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 Base 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

Other

In J2EE a main method may be a good indicator that debug code has been left in the application, although there may not be any direct security impact.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
7 Pernicious Kingdoms Leftover Debug Code
OWASP Top Ten 2004 A10 CWE More Specific Insecure Configuration Management
Software Fault Patterns SFP28 Unexpected access points
+ References
[REF-6] Katrina Tsipenyuk, Brian Chess and Gary McGraw. "Seven Pernicious Kingdoms: A Taxonomy of Software Security Errors". NIST Workshop on Software Security Assurance Tools Techniques and Metrics. NIST. 2005-11-07.
<https://samate.nist.gov/SSATTM_Content/papers/Seven%20Pernicious%20Kingdoms%20-%20Taxonomy%20of%20Sw%20Security%20Errors%20-%20Tsipenyuk%20-%20Chess%20-%20McGraw.pdf>.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
7 Pernicious Kingdoms
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram, Modes_of_Introduction
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Relationships
2021-07-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Name, References, Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, White_Box_Definitions
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-06-23 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Modes_of_Introduction, Other_Notes, Time_of_Introduction
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-08-01 KDM Analytics
added/updated white box definitions
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2020-02-24 Leftover Debug Code

CWE-464: Addition of Data Structure Sentinel

Weakness ID: 464
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
The accidental addition of a data-structure sentinel can cause serious programming logic problems.
+ Extended Description
Data-structure sentinels are often used to mark the structure of data. A common example of this is the null character at the end of strings or a special sentinel to mark the end of a linked list. It is dangerous to allow this type of control data to be easily accessible. Therefore, it is important to protect from the addition or modification of sentinels.
+ 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

Modify Application Data

Scope: Integrity

Generally this error will cause the data structure to not work properly by truncating the data.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation; Architecture and Design

Encapsulate the user from interacting with data sentinels. Validate user input to verify that sentinels are not present.

Implementation

Proper error checking can reduce the risk of inadvertently introducing sentinel values into data. For example, if a parsing function fails or encounters an error, it might return a value that is the same as the sentinel.

Architecture and Design

Use an abstraction library to abstract away risky APIs. This is not a complete solution.

Operation

Use OS-level preventative functionality. This is not a complete solution.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 138 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements
PeerOf 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. 170 Improper Null Termination
PeerOf 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. 463 Deletion of Data Structure Sentinel
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 137 Data Neutralization Issues
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
High
+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following example assigns some character values to a list of characters and prints them each individually, and then as a string. The third character value is intended to be an integer taken from user input and converted to an int. The first print statement will print each character separated by a space.

(bad code)
Example Language:
char *foo;
foo=malloc(sizeof(char)*5);
foo[0]='a';
foo[1]='a';
foo[2]=fgetc(stdin);
foo[3]='c';
foo[4]='\0';
printf("%c %c %c %c %c \n",foo[0],foo[1],foo[2],foo[3],foo[4]);
printf("%s\n",foo);

However, if a NULL byte is read from stdin by fgetc, then it will return 0. When foo is printed as a string, the 0 at character foo[2] will act as a NULL terminator, and the second printf() statement will not print foo[3].



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 741 CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 8 - Characters and Strings (STR)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 875 CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 07 - Characters and Strings (STR)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 977 SFP Secondary Cluster: Design
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1407 Comprehensive Categorization: Improper Neutralization
+ 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
CLASP Addition of data-structure sentinel
CERT C Secure Coding STR03-C Do not inadvertently truncate a null-terminated byte string
CERT C Secure Coding STR06-C Do not assume that strtok() leaves the parse string unchanged
+ References
[REF-18] Secure Software, Inc.. "The CLASP Application Security Process". 2005.
<https://cwe.mitre.org/documents/sources/TheCLASPApplicationSecurityProcess.pdf>. (URL validated: 2024-11-17)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
CLASP
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2024-07-20
(CWE 4.17, 2025-04-03)
Jason Xu
Reported compilation error with demonstrative example.
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Weakness_Ordinalities
2025-04-03
(CWE 4.17, 2025-04-03)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Likelihood_of_Exploit, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Addition of Data-structure Sentinel

CWE-774: Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling

Weakness ID: 774
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product allocates file descriptors or handles on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on how many descriptors can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor.
+ Extended Description
This can cause the product to consume all available file descriptors or handles, which can prevent other processes from performing critical file processing operations.
+ Alternate Terms
File Descriptor Exhaustion
+ 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

DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)

Scope: Availability

When allocating resources without limits, an attacker could prevent all other processes from accessing the same type of resource.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Operation; Architecture and Design

Strategy: Resource Limitation

Use resource-limiting settings provided by the operating system or environment. For example, when managing system resources in POSIX, setrlimit() can be used to set limits for certain types of resources, and getrlimit() can determine how many resources are available. However, these functions are not available on all operating systems.

When the current levels get close to the maximum that is defined for the application (see CWE-770), then limit the allocation of further resources to privileged users; alternately, begin releasing resources for less-privileged users. While this mitigation may protect the system from attack, it will not necessarily stop attackers from adversely impacting other users.

Ensure that the application performs the appropriate error checks and error handling in case resources become unavailable (CWE-703).

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 770 Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
+ 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 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
Low
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 985 SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1416 Comprehensive Categorization: Resource Lifecycle Management
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
Software Fault Patterns SFP13 Unrestricted Consumption
+ References
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 10, "Resource Limits", Page 574. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2009-05-13
(CWE 1.4, 2009-05-27)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Relationships, Theoretical_Notes
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Likelihood_of_Exploit, Relationships
2015-12-07 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2010-04-05 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations

CWE-770: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling

Weakness ID: 770
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated. Diagram for CWE-770
+ 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

DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU); DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)

Scope: Availability

When allocating resources without limits, an attacker could prevent other systems, applications, or processes from accessing the same type of resource. It can be easy for an attacker to consume many resources by rapidly making many requests or causing larger resources to be used than is needed.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Requirements

Clearly specify the minimum and maximum expectations for capabilities, and dictate which behaviors are acceptable when resource allocation reaches limits.

Architecture and Design

Limit the amount of resources that are accessible to unprivileged users. Set per-user limits for resources. Allow the system administrator to define these limits. Be careful to avoid CWE-410.

Architecture and Design

Design throttling mechanisms into the system architecture. The best protection is to limit the amount of resources that an unauthorized user can cause to be expended. A strong authentication and access control model will help prevent such attacks from occurring in the first place, and it will help the administrator to identify who is committing the abuse. The login application should be protected against DoS attacks as much as possible. Limiting the database access, perhaps by caching result sets, can help minimize the resources expended. To further limit the potential for a DoS attack, consider tracking the rate of requests received from users and blocking requests that exceed a defined rate threshold.

Implementation

Strategy: Input Validation

Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.

When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue."

Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.

Note: This will only be applicable to cases where user input can influence the size or frequency of resource allocations.

Architecture and Design

For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.

Architecture and Design

Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:

  • recognizes the attack and denies that user further access for a given amount of time, typically by using increasing time delays
  • uniformly throttles all requests in order to make it more difficult to consume resources more quickly than they can again be freed.

The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.

The second solution can be difficult to effectively institute -- and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply requires more resources on the part of the attacker.

Architecture and Design

Ensure that protocols have specific limits of scale placed on them.

Architecture and Design; Implementation

If the program must fail, ensure that it fails gracefully (fails closed). There may be a temptation to simply let the program fail poorly in cases such as low memory conditions, but an attacker may be able to assert control before the software has fully exited. Alternately, an uncontrolled failure could cause cascading problems with other downstream components; for example, the program could send a signal to a downstream process so the process immediately knows that a problem has occurred and has a better chance of recovery.

Ensure that all failures in resource allocation place the system into a safe posture.

Operation; Architecture and Design

Strategy: Resource Limitation

Use quotas or other resource-limiting settings provided by the operating system or environment. For example, when managing system resources in POSIX, setrlimit() can be used to set limits for certain types of resources, and getrlimit() can determine how many resources are available. However, these functions are not available on all operating systems.

When the current levels get close to the maximum that is defined for the application (see CWE-770), then limit the allocation of further resources to privileged users; alternately, begin releasing resources for less-privileged users. While this mitigation may protect the system from attack, it will not necessarily stop attackers from adversely impacting other users.

Ensure that the application performs the appropriate error checks and error handling in case resources become unavailable (CWE-703).

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 400 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 665 Improper Initialization
ParentOf 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. 774 Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling
ParentOf 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. 789 Memory Allocation with Excessive Size Value
ParentOf 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. 1325 Improperly Controlled Sequential Memory Allocation
CanFollow Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 20 Improper Input Validation
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 399 Resource Management Errors
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 840 Business Logic Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 400 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1011 Authorize Actors
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.
Implementation
Operation
System Configuration
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Often Prevalent)

Technologies

Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
High
+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


This code allocates a socket and forks each time it receives a new connection.

(bad code)
Example Language:
sock=socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
while (1) {
newsock=accept(sock, ...);
printf("A connection has been accepted\n");
pid = fork();
}

The program does not track how many connections have been made, and it does not limit the number of connections. Because forking is a relatively expensive operation, an attacker would be able to cause the system to run out of CPU, processes, or memory by making a large number of connections. Alternatively, an attacker could consume all available connections, preventing others from accessing the system remotely.



Example 2


In the following example a server socket connection is used to accept a request to store data on the local file system using a specified filename. The method openSocketConnection establishes a server socket to accept requests from a client. When a client establishes a connection to this service the getNextMessage method is first used to retrieve from the socket the name of the file to store the data, the openFileToWrite method will validate the filename and open a file to write to on the local file system. The getNextMessage is then used within a while loop to continuously read data from the socket and output the data to the file until there is no longer any data from the socket.

(bad code)
Example Language:
int writeDataFromSocketToFile(char *host, int port)
{

char filename[FILENAME_SIZE];
char buffer[BUFFER_SIZE];
int socket = openSocketConnection(host, port);

if (socket < 0) {
printf("Unable to open socket connection");
return(FAIL);
}
if (getNextMessage(socket, filename, FILENAME_SIZE) > 0) {
if (openFileToWrite(filename) > 0) {
while (getNextMessage(socket, buffer, BUFFER_SIZE) > 0){
if (!(writeToFile(buffer) > 0))
break;
}
}
closeFile();
}
closeSocket(socket);
}

This example creates a situation where data can be dumped to a file on the local file system without any limits on the size of the file. This could potentially exhaust file or disk resources and/or limit other clients' ability to access the service.



Example 3


In the following example, the processMessage method receives a two dimensional character array containing the message to be processed. The two-dimensional character array contains the length of the message in the first character array and the message body in the second character array. The getMessageLength method retrieves the integer value of the length from the first character array. After validating that the message length is greater than zero, the body character array pointer points to the start of the second character array of the two-dimensional character array and memory is allocated for the new body character array.

(bad code)
Example Language:

/* process message accepts a two-dimensional character array of the form [length][body] containing the message to be processed */
int processMessage(char **message)
{
char *body;

int length = getMessageLength(message[0]);

if (length > 0) {
body = &message[1][0];
processMessageBody(body);
return(SUCCESS);
}
else {
printf("Unable to process message; invalid message length");
return(FAIL);
}
}

This example creates a situation where the length of the body character array can be very large and will consume excessive memory, exhausting system resources. This can be avoided by restricting the length of the second character array with a maximum length check

Also, consider changing the type from 'int' to 'unsigned int', so that you are always guaranteed that the number is positive. This might not be possible if the protocol specifically requires allowing negative values, or if you cannot control the return value from getMessageLength(), but it could simplify the check to ensure the input is positive, and eliminate other errors such as signed-to-unsigned conversion errors (CWE-195) that may occur elsewhere in the code.

(good code)
Example Language:
unsigned int length = getMessageLength(message[0]);
if ((length > 0) && (length < MAX_LENGTH)) {...}


Example 4


In the following example, a server object creates a server socket and accepts client connections to the socket. For every client connection to the socket a separate thread object is generated using the ClientSocketThread class that handles request made by the client through the socket.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
public void acceptConnections() {
try {
ServerSocket serverSocket = new ServerSocket(SERVER_PORT);
int counter = 0;
boolean hasConnections = true;
while (hasConnections) {
Socket client = serverSocket.accept();
Thread t = new Thread(new ClientSocketThread(client));
t.setName(client.getInetAddress().getHostName() + ":" + counter++);
t.start();
}
serverSocket.close();


} catch (IOException ex) {...}
}

In this example there is no limit to the number of client connections and client threads that are created. Allowing an unlimited number of client connections and threads could potentially overwhelm the system and system resources.

The server should limit the number of client connections and the client threads that are created. This can be easily done by creating a thread pool object that limits the number of threads that are generated.

(good code)
Example Language: Java 
public static final int SERVER_PORT = 4444;
public static final int MAX_CONNECTIONS = 10;
...

public void acceptConnections() {
try {
ServerSocket serverSocket = new ServerSocket(SERVER_PORT);
int counter = 0;
boolean hasConnections = true;
while (hasConnections) {
hasConnections = checkForMoreConnections();
Socket client = serverSocket.accept();
Thread t = new Thread(new ClientSocketThread(client));
t.setName(client.getInetAddress().getHostName() + ":" + counter++);
ExecutorService pool = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(MAX_CONNECTIONS);
pool.execute(t);
}
serverSocket.close();


} catch (IOException ex) {...}
}


Example 5


An unnamed web site allowed a user to purchase tickets for an event. A menu option allowed the user to purchase up to 10 tickets, but the back end did not restrict the actual number of tickets that could be purchased.

Example 5 References:
[REF-667] Rafal Los. "Real-Life Example of a 'Business Logic Defect' (Screen Shots!)". 2011. <http://h30501.www3.hp.com/t5/Following-the-White-Rabbit-A/Real-Life-Example-of-a-Business-Logic-Defect-Screen-Shots/ba-p/22581>.


Example 6


Here the problem is that every time a connection is made, more memory is allocated. So if one just opened up more and more connections, eventually the machine would run out of memory.

(bad code)
Example Language:
bar connection() {
foo = malloc(1024);
return foo;
}

endConnection(bar foo) {
free(foo);
}

int main() {
while(1) {
foo=connection();
}

endConnection(foo)
}


+ 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: Python library does not limit the resources used to process images that specify a very large number of bands (CWE-1284), leading to excessive memory consumption (CWE-789) or an integer overflow (CWE-190).
Language interpreter does not restrict the number of temporary files being created when handling a MIME request with a large number of parts..
Driver does not use a maximum width when invoking sscanf style functions, causing stack consumption.
Large integer value for a length property in an object causes a large amount of memory allocation.
Product allows exhaustion of file descriptors when processing a large number of TCP packets.
Communication product allows memory consumption with a large number of SIP requests, which cause many sessions to be created.
Product allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a large number of directives, each of which opens a separate window.
CMS does not restrict the number of searches that can occur simultaneously, leading to resource exhaustion.
web application scanner attempts to read an excessively large file created by a user, causing process termination
Go-based workload orchestrator does not limit resource usage with unauthenticated connections, allowing a DoS by flooding the service
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Manual Static Analysis

Manual static analysis can be useful for finding this weakness, but it might not achieve desired code coverage within limited time constraints. If denial-of-service is not considered a significant risk, or if there is strong emphasis on consequences such as code execution, then manual analysis may not focus on this weakness at all.

Fuzzing

While fuzzing is typically geared toward finding low-level implementation bugs, it can inadvertently find uncontrolled resource allocation problems. This can occur when the fuzzer generates a large number of test cases but does not restart the targeted product in between test cases. If an individual test case produces a crash, but it does not do so reliably, then an inability to limit resource allocation may be the cause.

When the allocation is directly affected by numeric inputs, then fuzzing may produce indications of this weakness.

Effectiveness: Opportunistic

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Certain automated dynamic analysis techniques may be effective in producing side effects of uncontrolled resource allocation problems, especially with resources such as processes, memory, and connections. The technique may involve generating a large number of requests to the product within a short time frame. Manual analysis is likely required to interpret the results.

Automated Static Analysis

Specialized configuration or tuning may be required to train automated tools to recognize this weakness.

Automated static analysis typically has limited utility in recognizing unlimited allocation problems, except for the missing release of program-independent system resources such as files, sockets, and processes, or unchecked arguments to memory. For system resources, automated static analysis may be able to detect circumstances in which resources are not released after they have expired, or if too much of a resource is requested at once, as can occur with memory. Automated analysis of configuration files may be able to detect settings that do not specify a maximum value.

Automated static analysis tools will not be appropriate for detecting exhaustion of custom resources, such as an intended security policy in which a bulletin board user is only allowed to make a limited number of posts per day.

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 802 2010 Top 25 - Risky Resource Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 857 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 14 - Input Output (FIO)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 858 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 15 - Serialization (SER)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 861 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 18 - Miscellaneous (MSC)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 867 2011 Top 25 - Weaknesses On the Cusp
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 876 CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 08 - Memory Management (MEM)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 877 CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 09 - Input Output (FIO)
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 985 SFP Secondary Cluster: Unrestricted Consumption
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1147 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 13. Input Output (FIO)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1148 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 14. Serialization (SER)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1152 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 49. Miscellaneous (MSC)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1416 Comprehensive Categorization: Resource Lifecycle Management
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 1435 Weaknesses in the 2025 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses
+ 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 Base 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

Relationship

This entry is different from uncontrolled resource consumption (CWE-400) in that there are other weaknesses that are related to inability to control resource consumption, such as holding on to a resource too long after use, or not correctly keeping track of active resources so that they can be managed and released when they are finished (CWE-771).

Theoretical

Vulnerability theory is largely about how behaviors and resources interact. "Resource exhaustion" can be regarded as either a consequence or an attack, depending on the perspective. This entry is an attempt to reflect one of the underlying weaknesses that enable these attacks (or consequences) to take place.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) FIO04-J Close resources when they are no longer needed
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) SER12-J Avoid memory and resource leaks during serialization
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) MSC05-J Do not exhaust heap space
ISA/IEC 62443 Part 4-2 Req CR 7.2
ISA/IEC 62443 Part 4-2 Req CR 2.7
ISA/IEC 62443 Part 4-1 Req SI-1
ISA/IEC 62443 Part 4-1 Req SI-2
ISA/IEC 62443 Part 3-3 Req SR 7.2
ISA/IEC 62443 Part 3-3 Req SR 2.7
+ References
[REF-386] Joao Antunes, Nuno Ferreira Neves and Paulo Verissimo. "Detection and Prediction of Resource-Exhaustion Vulnerabilities". Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering (ISSRE). 2008-11.
<https://www.di.fc.ul.pt/~nuno/PAPERS/ISSRE08.pdf>. (URL validated: 2025-07-24)
[REF-387] D.J. Bernstein. "Resource exhaustion".
<http://cr.yp.to/docs/resources.html>.
[REF-388] Pascal Meunier. "Resource exhaustion". Secure Programming Educational Material. 2004.
<http://homes.cerias.purdue.edu/~pmeunier/secprog/sanitized/class1/6.resource%20exhaustion.ppt>.
[REF-7] Michael Howard and David LeBlanc. "Writing Secure Code". Chapter 17, "Protecting Against Denial of Service Attacks" Page 517. 2nd Edition. Microsoft Press. 2002-12-04.
<https://www.microsoftpressstore.com/store/writing-secure-code-9780735617223>.
[REF-667] Rafal Los. "Real-Life Example of a 'Business Logic Defect' (Screen Shots!)". 2011.
<http://h30501.www3.hp.com/t5/Following-the-White-Rabbit-A/Real-Life-Example-of-a-Business-Logic-Defect-Screen-Shots/ba-p/22581>.
[REF-672] Frank Kim. "Top 25 Series - Rank 22 - Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling". SANS Software Security Institute. 2010-03-23.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20170113055136/https://software-security.sans.org/blog/2010/03/23/top-25-series-rank-22-allocation-of-resources-without-limits-or-throttling/>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 10, "Resource Limits", Page 574. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2009-05-13
(CWE 1.4, 2009-05-27)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2023-11-14
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
participants in the CWE ICS/OT SIG 62443 Mapping Fall Workshop
Contributed or reviewed taxonomy mappings for ISA/IEC 62443
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Detection_Factors
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples, References
2021-07-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2020-12-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Maintenance_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, Relationship_Notes, Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2018-03-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Likelihood_of_Exploit, Modes_of_Introduction, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2015-12-07 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-06-23 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2014-02-18 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, References, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Relationships
2010-09-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations
2010-06-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Potential_Mitigations, References
2010-04-05 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Related_Attack_Patterns
2010-02-16 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Detection_Factors, Potential_Mitigations, References, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2009-12-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Observed_Examples, References, Time_of_Introduction
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns

CWE-670: Always-Incorrect Control Flow Implementation

Weakness ID: 670
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review (with careful review of mapping notes)
Abstraction: Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
View customized information:
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+ Description
The code contains a control flow path that does not reflect the algorithm that the path is intended to implement, leading to incorrect behavior any time this path is navigated.
+ Extended Description
This weakness captures cases in which a particular code segment is always incorrect with respect to the algorithm that it is implementing. For example, if a C programmer intends to include multiple statements in a single block but does not include the enclosing braces (CWE-483), then the logic is always incorrect. This issue is in contrast to most weaknesses in which the code usually behaves correctly, except when it is externally manipulated in malicious ways.
+ 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

Other; Alter Execution Logic

Scope: Other

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. 691 Insufficient Control Flow Management
ParentOf 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. 480 Use of Incorrect Operator
ParentOf 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. 483 Incorrect Block Delimitation
ParentOf 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. 484 Omitted Break Statement in Switch
ParentOf 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. 698 Execution After Redirect (EAR)
ParentOf 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. 783 Operator Precedence Logic Error
+ Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf View View - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 1003 Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities
ParentOf 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. 617 Reachable Assertion
+ 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 Note
Implementation This issue typically appears in rarely-tested code, since the "always-incorrect" nature will be detected as a bug during normal usage.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


This code queries a server and displays its status when a request comes from an authorized IP address.

(bad code)
Example Language: PHP 
$requestingIP = $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'];
if(!in_array($requestingIP,$ipAllowList)){
echo "You are not authorized to view this page";
http_redirect($errorPageURL);
}
$status = getServerStatus();
echo $status;
...

This code redirects unauthorized users, but continues to execute code after calling http_redirect(). This means even unauthorized users may be able to access the contents of the page or perform a DoS attack on the server being queried. Also, note that this code is vulnerable to an IP address spoofing attack (CWE-212).



Example 2


In this example, the programmer has indented the statements to call Do_X() and Do_Y(), as if the intention is that these functions are only called when the condition is true. However, because there are no braces to signify the block, Do_Y() will always be executed, even if the condition is false.

(bad code)
Example Language:
if (condition==true)
Do_X();
Do_Y();

This might not be what the programmer intended. When the condition is critical for security, such as in making a security decision or detecting a critical error, this may produce a vulnerability.



Example 3


In both of these examples, a message is printed based on the month passed into the function:

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
public void printMessage(int month){
switch (month) {

case 1: print("January");
case 2: print("February");
case 3: print("March");
case 4: print("April");
case 5: print("May");
case 6: print("June");
case 7: print("July");
case 8: print("August");
case 9: print("September");
case 10: print("October");
case 11: print("November");
case 12: print("December");
}
println(" is a great month");
}
(bad code)
Example Language:
void printMessage(int month){
switch (month) {

case 1: printf("January");
case 2: printf("February");
case 3: printf("March");
case 4: printf("April");
case 5: printff("May");
case 6: printf("June");
case 7: printf("July");
case 8: printf("August");
case 9: printf("September");
case 10: printf("October");
case 11: printf("November");
case 12: printf("December");
}
printf(" is a great month");
}

Both examples do not use a break statement after each case, which leads to unintended fall-through behavior. For example, calling "printMessage(10)" will result in the text "OctoberNovemberDecember is a great month" being printed.



Example 4


In the excerpt below, an AssertionError (an unchecked exception) is thrown if the user hasn't entered an email address in an HTML form.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
String email = request.getParameter("email_address");
assert email != null;


+ 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
virtual interrupt controller in a virtualization product allows crash of host by writing a certain invalid value to a register, which triggers a fatal error instead of returning an error code
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 977 SFP Secondary Cluster: Design
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1410 Comprehensive Categorization: Insufficient Control Flow Management
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Usage ALLOWED-WITH-REVIEW
(this CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review)
Reason Abstraction

Rationale

This CWE entry is a Class and might have Base-level children that would be more appropriate

Comments

Examine children of this entry to see if there is a better fit
+ Notes

Maintenance

This node could possibly be split into lower-level nodes. "Early Return" is for returning control to the caller too soon (e.g., CWE-584). "Excess Return" is when control is returned too far up the call stack (CWE-600, CWE-395). "Improper control limitation" occurs when the product maintains control at a lower level of execution, when control should be returned "further" up the call stack (CWE-455). "Incorrect syntax" covers code that's "just plain wrong" such as CWE-484 and CWE-483.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2008-04-11
(CWE Draft 9, 2008-04-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-01-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Maintenance_Notes, Modes_of_Introduction, Other_Notes, Relationships
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships, Other_Notes
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-582: Array Declared Public, Final, and Static

Weakness ID: 582
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product declares an array public, final, and static, which is not sufficient to prevent the array's contents from being modified.
+ Extended Description
Because arrays are mutable objects, the final constraint requires that the array object itself be assigned only once, but makes no guarantees about the values of the array elements. Since the array is public, a malicious program can change the values stored in the array. As such, in most cases an array declared public, final and static is a bug.
+ 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

Modify Application Data

Scope: Integrity

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

In most situations the array should be made private.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 668 Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere
+ Background Details
Mobile code, in this case a Java Applet, is code that is transmitted across a network and executed on a remote machine. Because mobile code developers have little if any control of the environment in which their code will execute, special security concerns become relevant. One of the biggest environmental threats results from the risk that the mobile code will run side-by-side with other, potentially malicious, mobile code. Because all of the popular web browsers execute code from multiple sources together in the same JVM, many of the security guidelines for mobile code are focused on preventing manipulation of your objects' state and behavior by adversaries who have access to the same virtual machine where your product is running.
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Java (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following Java Applet code mistakenly declares an array public, final and static.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
public final class urlTool extends Applet {
public final static URL[] urls;
...
}


+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 849 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 6 - Object Orientation (OBJ)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1002 SFP Secondary Cluster: Unexpected Entry Points
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1403 Comprehensive Categorization: Exposed Resource
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) OBJ10-J Do not use public static nonfinal variables
Software Fault Patterns SFP28 Unexpected Access Points
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-12-15
(CWE Draft 5, 2006-12-15)
CWE Community
Submitted by members of the CWE community to extend early CWE versions
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Background_Details, Description
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Background_Details, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Other_Notes
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships, Other_Notes, Weakness_Ordinalities
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Mobile Code: Unsafe Array Declaration

CWE-11: ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Creating Debug Binary

Weakness ID: 11
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
Debugging messages help attackers learn about the system and plan a form of attack.
+ Extended Description
ASP .NET applications can be configured to produce debug binaries. These binaries give detailed debugging messages and should not be used in production environments. Debug binaries are meant to be used in a development or testing environment and can pose a security risk if they are deployed to production.
+ 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

Read Application Data

Scope: Confidentiality

Attackers can leverage the additional information they gain from debugging output to mount attacks targeted on the framework, database, or other resources used by the application.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

System Configuration

Avoid releasing debug binaries into the production environment. Change the debug mode to false when the application is deployed into production.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 489 Active Debug Code
+ Background Details
The debug attribute of the <compilation> tag defines whether compiled binaries should include debugging information. The use of debug binaries causes an application to provide as much information about itself as possible to the user.
+ 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 Note
Implementation
Build and Compilation
+ 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.
Languages

ASP.NET (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The file web.config contains the debug mode setting. Setting debug to "true" will let the browser display debugging information.

(bad code)
Example Language: XML 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<system.web>
<compilation
defaultLanguage="c#"
debug="true"
/>
...
</system.web>
</configuration>

Change the debug mode to false when the application is deployed into production.



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 2 7PK - Environment
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 731 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 963 SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1349 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A05:2021 - Security Misconfiguration
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1412 Comprehensive Categorization: Poor Coding Practices
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1437 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A02:2025 - Security Misconfiguration
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
7 Pernicious Kingdoms ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Creating Debug Binary
+ References
[REF-6] Katrina Tsipenyuk, Brian Chess and Gary McGraw. "Seven Pernicious Kingdoms: A Taxonomy of Software Security Errors". NIST Workshop on Software Security Assurance Tools Techniques and Metrics. NIST. 2005-11-07.
<https://samate.nist.gov/SSATTM_Content/papers/Seven%20Pernicious%20Kingdoms%20-%20Taxonomy%20of%20Sw%20Security%20Errors%20-%20Tsipenyuk%20-%20Chess%20-%20McGraw.pdf>.
[REF-1513] CodeQL. "Creating an ASP.NET debug binary may reveal sensitive information".
<https://codeql.github.com/codeql-query-help/csharp/cs-web-debug-binary/>. (URL validated: 2025-12-07)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
7 Pernicious Kingdoms
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2013-02-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Background_Details, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Other_Notes
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Other_Notes
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Demonstrative_Example, Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction

CWE-12: ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Page

Weakness ID: 12
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
×

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+ Description
An ASP .NET application must enable custom error pages in order to prevent attackers from mining information from the framework's built-in responses.
+ 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

Read Application Data

Scope: Confidentiality

Default error pages gives detailed information about the error that occurred, and should not be used in production environments. Attackers can leverage the additional information provided by a default error page to mount attacks targeted on the framework, database, or other resources used by the application.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

System Configuration

Handle exceptions appropriately in source code. ASP .NET applications should be configured to use custom error pages instead of the framework default page.

Architecture and Design

Do not attempt to process an error or attempt to mask it.

Implementation

Verify return values are correct and do not supply sensitive information about the system.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 756 Missing Custom Error Page
+ Background Details
The mode attribute of the <customErrors> tag defines whether custom or default error pages are used.
+ 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 Note
Implementation
Operation
+ 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.
Languages

ASP.NET (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The mode attribute of the <customErrors> tag in the Web.config file defines whether custom or default error pages are used.

In the following insecure ASP.NET application setting, custom error message mode is turned off. An ASP.NET error message with detailed stack trace and platform versions will be returned.

(bad code)
Example Language: ASP.NET 
<customErrors mode="Off" />

A more secure setting is to set the custom error message mode for remote users only. No defaultRedirect error page is specified. The local user on the web server will see a detailed stack trace. For remote users, an ASP.NET error message with the server customError configuration setting and the platform version will be returned.

(good code)
Example Language: ASP.NET 
<customErrors mode="RemoteOnly" />

Another secure option is to set the mode attribute of the <customErrors> tag to use a custom page as follows:

(good code)
Example Language: ASP.NET 
<customErrors mode="On" defaultRedirect="YourErrorPage.htm" />


+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 2 7PK - Environment
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 731 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 963 SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1405 Comprehensive Categorization: Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
7 Pernicious Kingdoms ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Handling
+ References
[REF-6] Katrina Tsipenyuk, Brian Chess and Gary McGraw. "Seven Pernicious Kingdoms: A Taxonomy of Software Security Errors". NIST Workshop on Software Security Assurance Tools Techniques and Metrics. NIST. 2005-11-07.
<https://samate.nist.gov/SSATTM_Content/papers/Seven%20Pernicious%20Kingdoms%20-%20Taxonomy%20of%20Sw%20Security%20Errors%20-%20Tsipenyuk%20-%20Chess%20-%20McGraw.pdf>.
[REF-65] M. Howard, D. LeBlanc and J. Viega. "19 Deadly Sins of Software Security". McGraw-Hill/Osborne. 2005-07-26.
[REF-66] OWASP, Fortify Software. "ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Handling".
<https://www.owasp.org/index.php/ASP.NET_Misconfiguration:_Missing_Custom_Error_Handling>.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
7 Pernicious Kingdoms
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2013-02-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Background_Details, Common_Consequences, Other_Notes
2009-03-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Name, Relationships
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes, References, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated References, Demonstrative_Example, Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2009-03-10 ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Missing Custom Error Handling

CWE-554: ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Not Using Input Validation Framework

Weakness ID: 554
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
×

Edit Custom Filter


+ Description
The ASP.NET application does not use an input validation framework.
+ 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

Unexpected State

Scope: Integrity

Unchecked input leads to cross-site scripting, process control, and SQL injection vulnerabilities, among others.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

Use the ASP.NET validation framework to check all program input before it is processed by the application. Example uses of the validation framework include checking to ensure that:

  • Phone number fields contain only valid characters in phone numbers
  • Boolean values are only "T" or "F"
  • Free-form strings are of a reasonable length and composition
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 1173 Improper Use of Validation Framework
+ 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 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.
Languages

ASP.NET (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Indirect
(where the weakness is a quality issue that might indirectly make it easier to introduce security-relevant weaknesses or make them more difficult to detect)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 731 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 990 SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Command
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1406 Comprehensive Categorization: Improper Input Validation
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
Software Fault Patterns SFP24 Tainted input to command
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
Anonymous Tool Vendor (under NDA)
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-01-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Potential_Mitigations
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Other_Notes
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings, Type
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Input Validation

CWE-13: ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File

Weakness ID: 13
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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
Storing a plaintext password in a configuration file allows anyone who can read the file access to the password-protected resource making them an easy target for attackers.
+ 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: Access Control

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Credentials stored in configuration files should be encrypted, Use standard APIs and industry accepted algorithms to encrypt the credentials stored in configuration files.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 260 Password in Configuration File
+ 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 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.
Languages

ASP.NET (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


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.



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 2 7PK - Environment
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 731 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 963 SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1349 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A05:2021 - Security Misconfiguration
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1437 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A02:2025 - Security Misconfiguration
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
7 Pernicious Kingdoms ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File
+ References
[REF-6] Katrina Tsipenyuk, Brian Chess and Gary McGraw. "Seven Pernicious Kingdoms: A Taxonomy of Software Security Errors". NIST Workshop on Software Security Assurance Tools Techniques and Metrics. NIST. 2005-11-07.
<https://samate.nist.gov/SSATTM_Content/papers/Seven%20Pernicious%20Kingdoms%20-%20Taxonomy%20of%20Sw%20Security%20Errors%20-%20Tsipenyuk%20-%20Chess%20-%20McGraw.pdf>.
[REF-103] Microsoft Corporation. "How To: Encrypt Configuration Sections in ASP.NET 2.0 Using DPAPI".
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/msp-n-p/ff647398(v=pandp.10)?redirectedfrom=MSDN>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-104] Microsoft Corporation. "How To: Encrypt Configuration Sections in ASP.NET 2.0 Using RSA".
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/msp-n-p/ff650304(v=pandp.10)?redirectedfrom=MSDN>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-105] Microsoft Corporation. ".NET Framework Developer's Guide - Securing Connection Strings".
<http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/89211k9b(VS.80).aspx>.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
7 Pernicious Kingdoms
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2018-03-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2013-02-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, References, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated References, Demonstrative_Example, Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction

CWE-556: ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Use of Identity Impersonation

Weakness ID: 556
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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
Configuring an ASP.NET application to run with impersonated credentials may give the application unnecessary privileges.
+ Extended Description
The use of impersonated credentials allows an ASP.NET application to run with either the privileges of the client on whose behalf it is executing or with arbitrary privileges granted in its configuration.
+ 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: Access Control

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

Use the least privilege principle.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 266 Incorrect Privilege Assignment
+ 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 Note
Implementation
Operation
+ 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.
Languages

ASP.NET (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 723 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A2 - Broken Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 731 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 951 SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Authentication Policy
MemberOf CategoryCategory - 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.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
Anonymous Tool Vendor (under NDA)
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-03-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Identity Impersonation

CWE-481: Assigning instead of Comparing

Weakness ID: 481
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The code uses an operator for assignment when the intention was to perform a comparison.
+ Extended Description
In many languages the compare statement is very close in appearance to the assignment statement and are often confused. This bug is generally the result of a typo and usually causes obvious problems with program execution. If the comparison is in an if statement, the if statement will usually evaluate the value of the right-hand side of the predicate.
+ 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

Alter Execution Logic

Scope: Other

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Testing

Many IDEs and static analysis products will detect this problem.

Implementation

Place constants on the left. If one attempts to assign a constant with a variable, the compiler will produce an error.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 480 Use of Incorrect Operator
CanPrecede Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. 697 Incorrect Comparison
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

Java (Undetermined Prevalence)

C# (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
Low
+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following C/C++ and C# examples attempt to validate an int input parameter against the integer value 100.

(bad code)
Example Language:
int isValid(int value) {
if (value=100) {
printf("Value is valid\n");
return(1);
}
printf("Value is not valid\n");
return(0);
}
(bad code)
Example Language: C# 
bool isValid(int value) {
if (value=100) {
Console.WriteLine("Value is valid.");
return true;
}
Console.WriteLine("Value is not valid.");
return false;
}

However, the expression to be evaluated in the if statement uses the assignment operator "=" rather than the comparison operator "==". The result of using the assignment operator instead of the comparison operator causes the int variable to be reassigned locally and the expression in the if statement will always evaluate to the value on the right hand side of the expression. This will result in the input value not being properly validated, which can cause unexpected results.



Example 2


In this example, we show how assigning instead of comparing can impact code when values are being passed by reference instead of by value. Consider a scenario in which a string is being processed from user input. Assume the string has already been formatted such that different user inputs are concatenated with the colon character. When the processString function is called, the test for the colon character will result in an insertion of the colon character instead, adding new input separators. Since the string was passed by reference, the data sentinels will be inserted in the original string (CWE-464), and further processing of the inputs will be altered, possibly malformed..

(bad code)
Example Language:
void processString (char *str) {
int i;

for(i=0; i<strlen(str); i++) {
if (isalnum(str[i])){
processChar(str[i]);
}
else if (str[i] = ':') {
movingToNewInput();}
}
}
}


Example 3


The following Java example attempts to perform some processing based on the boolean value of the input parameter. However, the expression to be evaluated in the if statement uses the assignment operator "=" rather than the comparison operator "==". As with the previous examples, the variable will be reassigned locally and the expression in the if statement will evaluate to true and unintended processing may occur.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
public void checkValid(boolean isValid) {
if (isValid = true) {
System.out.println("Performing processing");
doSomethingImportant();
}
else {
System.out.println("Not Valid, do not perform processing");
return;
}
}

While most Java compilers will catch the use of an assignment operator when a comparison operator is required, for boolean variables in Java the use of the assignment operator within an expression is allowed. If possible, try to avoid using comparison operators on boolean variables in java. Instead, let the values of the variables stand for themselves, as in the following code.

(good code)
Example Language: Java 
public void checkValid(boolean isValid) {
if (isValid) {
System.out.println("Performing processing");
doSomethingImportant();
}
else {
System.out.println("Not Valid, do not perform processing");
return;
}
}

Alternatively, to test for false, just use the boolean NOT operator.

(good code)
Example Language: Java 
public void checkValid(boolean isValid) {
if (!isValid) {
System.out.println("Not Valid, do not perform processing");
return;
}
System.out.println("Performing processing");
doSomethingImportant();
}


Example 4


The following example demonstrates the weakness.

(bad code)
Example Language:
void called(int foo){
if (foo=1) printf("foo\n");
}
int main() {

called(2);
return 0;
}


+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 998 SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1157 SEI CERT C Coding Standard - Guidelines 03. Expressions (EXP)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1410 Comprehensive Categorization: Insufficient Control Flow Management
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
CLASP Assigning instead of comparing
Software Fault Patterns SFP1 Glitch in computation
CERT C Secure Coding EXP45-C CWE More Abstract Do not perform assignments in selection statements
+ References
[REF-18] Secure Software, Inc.. "The CLASP Application Security Process". 2005.
<https://cwe.mitre.org/documents/sources/TheCLASPApplicationSecurityProcess.pdf>. (URL validated: 2024-11-17)
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 6, "Typos", Page 289. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
CLASP
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-01-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Other_Notes
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-587: Assignment of a Fixed Address to a Pointer

Weakness ID: 587
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product sets a pointer to a specific address other than NULL or 0.
+ Extended Description
Using a fixed address is not portable, because that address will probably not be valid in all environments or platforms.
+ 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

Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands

Scope: Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability

If one executes code at a known location, an attacker might be able to inject code there beforehand.

DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; Reduce Maintainability; Reduce Reliability

Scope: Availability

If the code is ported to another platform or environment, the pointer is likely to be invalid and cause a crash.

Read Memory; Modify Memory

Scope: Confidentiality, Integrity

The data at a known pointer location can be easily read or influenced by an attacker.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Never set a pointer to a fixed address.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 344 Use of Invariant Value in Dynamically Changing Context
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 758 Reliance on Undefined, Unspecified, or Implementation-Defined Behavior
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 465 Pointer Issues
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Class: Memory-Unsafe (Undetermined Prevalence)

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

C# (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: Assembly (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


This code assumes a particular function will always be found at a particular address. It assigns a pointer to that address and calls the function.

(bad code)
Example Language:
int (*pt2Function) (float, char, char)=0x08040000;
int result2 = (*pt2Function) (12, 'a', 'b');
// Here we can inject code to execute.

The same function may not always be found at the same memory address. This could lead to a crash, or an attacker may alter the memory at the expected address, leading to arbitrary code execution.



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Indirect
(where the weakness is a quality issue that might indirectly make it easier to introduce security-relevant weaknesses or make them more difficult to detect)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Use tools that are integrated during compilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanisms related to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer (ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note:Crafted inputs are necessary to reach the code containing the error, such as generated by fuzzers. Also, these tools may reduce performance, and they only report the error condition - not the original mistake that led to the error.
+ Functional Areas
  • Memory Management
+ Affected Resources
  • Memory
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 738 CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 5 - Integers (INT)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 872 CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 04 - Integers (INT)
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 998 SFP Secondary Cluster: Glitch in Computation
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1158 SEI CERT C Coding Standard - Guidelines 04. Integers (INT)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1399 Comprehensive Categorization: Memory Safety
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
CERT C Secure Coding INT36-C Imprecise Converting a pointer to integer or integer to pointer
Software Fault Patterns SFP1 Glitch in computation
+ References
[REF-1518] "AddressSanitizer".
<https://clang.llvm.org/docs/AddressSanitizer.html>. (URL validated: 2025-12-10)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-12-15
(CWE Draft 5, 2006-12-15)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, References
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Affected_Resources, Functional_Areas
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction, Type
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Weakness_Ordinalities
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Taxonomy_Mappings, White_Box_Definitions
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Other_Notes
2009-03-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Relationships, Other_Notes, Weakness_Ordinalities
2008-08-01 KDM Analytics
added/updated white box definitions
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-563: Assignment to Variable without Use

Weakness ID: 563
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The variable's value is assigned but never used, making it a dead store.
+ Extended Description
After the assignment, the variable is either assigned another value or goes out of scope. It is likely that the variable is simply vestigial, but it is also possible that the unused variable points out a bug.
+ Alternate Terms
Unused Variable
+ 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

Quality Degradation; Varies by Context

Scope: Other

This weakness could be an indication of a bug in the program or a deprecated variable that was not removed and is an indication of poor quality. This could lead to further bugs and the introduction of weaknesses.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Remove unused variables from the code.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1164 Irrelevant Code
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1006 Bad Coding Practices
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following code excerpt assigns to the variable r and then overwrites the value without using it.

(bad code)
Example Language:
r = getName();
r = getNewBuffer(buf);


+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Indirect
(where the weakness is a quality issue that might indirectly make it easier to introduce security-relevant weaknesses or make them more difficult to detect)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 747 CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 14 - Miscellaneous (MSC)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 883 CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 49 - Miscellaneous (MSC)
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 886 SFP Primary Cluster: Unused entities
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1186 SEI CERT Perl Coding Standard - Guidelines 50. Miscellaneous (MSC)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1412 Comprehensive Categorization: Poor Coding Practices
+ 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
CERT C Secure Coding MSC00-C Compile cleanly at high warning levels
SEI CERT Perl Coding Standard MSC01-PL Imprecise Detect and remove unused variables
Software Fault Patterns SFP2 Unused Entities
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
Anonymous Tool Vendor (under NDA)
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships, Type
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Name, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-06-23 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Name, Other_Notes
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2014-06-23 Unused Variable
2017-11-08 Assignment to Variable without Use ('Unused Variable')

CWE-405: Asymmetric Resource Consumption (Amplification)

Weakness ID: 405
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review (with careful review of mapping notes)
Abstraction: Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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Edit Custom Filter


+ Description
The product does not properly control situations in which an adversary can cause the product to consume or produce excessive resources without requiring the adversary to invest equivalent work or otherwise prove authorization, i.e., the adversary's influence is "asymmetric."
+ Extended Description
This can lead to poor performance due to "amplification" of resource consumption, typically in a non-linear fashion. This situation is worsened if the product allows malicious users or attackers to consume more resources than their access level permits.
+ 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

DoS: Amplification; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU); DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory); DoS: Resource Consumption (Other)

Scope: Availability

Likelihood: High

Sometimes this is a factor in "flood" attacks, but other types of amplification exist.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

An application must make resources available to a client commensurate with the client's access level.

Architecture and Design

An application must, at all times, keep track of allocated resources and meter their usage appropriately.

System Configuration

Consider disabling resource-intensive algorithms on the server side, such as Diffie-Hellman key exchange.

Effectiveness: High

Note: Business requirements may prevent disabling resource-intensive algorithms.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 400 Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
ParentOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 406 Insufficient Control of Network Message Volume (Network Amplification)
ParentOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 407 Inefficient Algorithmic Complexity
ParentOf 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. 408 Incorrect Behavior Order: Early Amplification
ParentOf 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. 409 Improper Handling of Highly Compressed Data (Data Amplification)
ParentOf 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. 776 Improper Restriction of Recursive Entity References in DTDs ('XML Entity Expansion')
ParentOf 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. 1050 Excessive Platform Resource Consumption within a Loop
ParentOf 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. 1072 Data Resource Access without Use of Connection Pooling
ParentOf 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. 1073 Non-SQL Invokable Control Element with Excessive Number of Data Resource Accesses
ParentOf 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. 1084 Invokable Control Element with Excessive File or Data Access Operations
ParentOf 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. 1089 Large Data Table with Excessive Number of Indices
ParentOf 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. 1094 Excessive Index Range Scan for a Data Resource
ParentOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1176 Inefficient CPU Computation
PeerOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 404 Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design
Implementation
Operation
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Operating Systems

Class: Not OS-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Architectures

Class: Not Architecture-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: Client Server (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


This code listens on a port for DNS requests and sends the result to the requesting address.

(bad code)
Example Language: Python 
sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
sock.bind( (UDP_IP,UDP_PORT) )
while true:
data = sock.recvfrom(1024)
if not data:
break

(requestIP, nameToResolve) = parseUDPpacket(data)
record = resolveName(nameToResolve)
sendResponse(requestIP,record)

This code sends a DNS record to a requesting IP address. UDP allows the source IP address to be easily changed ('spoofed'), thus allowing an attacker to redirect responses to a target, which may be then be overwhelmed by the network traffic.



Example 2


This function prints the contents of a specified file requested by a user.

(bad code)
Example Language: PHP 
function printFile($username,$filename){

//read file into string
$file = file_get_contents($filename);
if ($file && isOwnerOf($username,$filename)){
echo $file;
return true;
}
else{
echo 'You are not authorized to view this file';
}
return false;
}

This code first reads a specified file into memory, then prints the file if the user is authorized to see its contents. The read of the file into memory may be resource intensive and is unnecessary if the user is not allowed to see the file anyway.



Example 3


The DTD and the very brief XML below illustrate what is meant by an XML bomb. The ZERO entity contains one character, the letter A. The choice of entity name ZERO is being used to indicate length equivalent to that exponent on two, that is, the length of ZERO is 2^0. Similarly, ONE refers to ZERO twice, therefore the XML parser will expand ONE to a length of 2, or 2^1. Ultimately, we reach entity THIRTYTWO, which will expand to 2^32 characters in length, or 4 GB, probably consuming far more data than expected.

(attack code)
Example Language: XML 
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE MaliciousDTD [
<!ENTITY ZERO "A">
<!ENTITY ONE "&ZERO;&ZERO;">
<!ENTITY TWO "&ONE;&ONE;">
...
<!ENTITY THIRTYTWO "&THIRTYONE;&THIRTYONE;">
]>
<data>&THIRTYTWO;</data>


Example 4


This example attempts to check if an input string is a "sentence" [REF-1164].

(bad code)
Example Language: JavaScript 
var test_string = "Bad characters: $@#";
var bad_pattern = /^(\w+\s?)*$/i;
var result = test_string.search(bad_pattern);

The regular expression has a vulnerable backtracking clause inside (\w+\s?)*$ which can be triggered to cause a Denial of Service by processing particular phrases.

To fix the backtracking problem, backtracking is removed with the ?= portion of the expression which changes it to a lookahead and the \2 which prevents the backtracking. The modified example is:

(good code)
Example Language: JavaScript 
var test_string = "Bad characters: $@#";
var good_pattern = /^((?=(\w+))\2\s?)*$/i;
var result = test_string.search(good_pattern);

Note that [REF-1164] has a more thorough (and lengthy) explanation of everything going on within the RegEx.



Example 5


An adversary can cause significant resource consumption on a server by filtering the cryptographic algorithms offered by the client to the ones that are the most resource-intensive on the server side. After discovering which cryptographic algorithms are supported by the server, a malicious client can send the initial cryptographic handshake messages that contains only the resource-intensive algorithms. For some cryptographic protocols, these messages can be completely prefabricated, as the resource-intensive part of the handshake happens on the server-side first (such as TLS), rather than on the client side. In the case of cryptographic protocols where the resource-intensive part should happen on the client-side first (such as SSH), a malicious client can send a forged/precalculated computation result, which seems correct to the server, so the resource-intensive part of the handshake is going to happen on the server side. A malicious client is required to send only the initial messages of a cryptographic handshake to initiate the resource-consuming part of the cryptographic handshake. These messages are usually small, and generating them requires minimal computational effort, enabling a denial-of-service attack. An additional risk is the fact that higher key size increases the effectiveness of the attack. Cryptographic protocols where the clients have influence over the size of the used key (such as TLS 1.3 or SSH) are most at risk, as the client can enforce the highest key size supported by the server.



+ 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
Classic "Smurf" attack, using spoofed ICMP packets to broadcast addresses.
Parsing library allows XML bomb
Tool creates directories before authenticating user.
Python has "quadratic complexity" issue when converting string to int with many digits in unexpected bases
server allows ReDOS with crafted User-Agent strings, due to overlapping capture groups that cause excessive backtracking.
composite: NTP feature generates large responses (high amplification factor) with spoofed UDP source addresses.
Diffie-Hellman (DHE) Key Agreement Protocol allows attackers to send arbitrary numbers that are not public keys, which causes the server to perform expensive, unnecessary computation of modular exponentiation.
The Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement Protocol allows use of long exponents, which are more computationally expensive than using certain "short exponents" with particular properties.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 730 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A9 - Denial of Service
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 855 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 12 - Thread Pools (TPS)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 857 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 14 - Input Output (FIO)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 977 SFP Secondary Cluster: Design
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1145 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 11. Thread Pools (TPS)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1147 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 13. Input Output (FIO)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1416 Comprehensive Categorization: Resource Lifecycle Management
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Usage ALLOWED-WITH-REVIEW
(this CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review)
Reason Abstraction

Rationale

This CWE entry is a Class and might have Base-level children that would be more appropriate

Comments

Examine children of this entry to see if there is a better fit
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Asymmetric resource consumption (amplification)
OWASP Top Ten 2004 A9 CWE More Specific Denial of Service
WASC 41 XML Attribute Blowup
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) TPS00-J Use thread pools to enable graceful degradation of service during traffic bursts
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) FIO04-J Release resources when they are no longer needed
+ References
[REF-1164] Ilya Kantor. "Catastrophic backtracking". 2020-12-13.
<https://javascript.info/regexp-catastrophic-backtracking>.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2021-11-11 Szilárd Pfeiffer Balasys IT Security
Submitted content that led to modifications in applicable platforms, common consequences, potential mitigations, demonstrative examples, observed examples.
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, References, Time_of_Introduction
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Functional_Areas
2015-12-07 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2010-12-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2010-02-16 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Other_Notes
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-588: Attempt to Access Child of a Non-structure Pointer

Weakness ID: 588
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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
Casting a non-structure type to a structure type and accessing a field can lead to memory access errors or data corruption.
+ 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

Modify Memory

Scope: Integrity

Adjacent variables in memory may be corrupted by assignments performed on fields after the cast.

DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart

Scope: Availability

Execution may end due to a memory access error.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Requirements

The choice could be made to use a language that is not susceptible to these issues.

Implementation

Review of type casting operations can identify locations where incompatible types are cast.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 704 Incorrect Type Conversion or Cast
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 758 Reliance on Undefined, Unspecified, or Implementation-Defined Behavior
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following example demonstrates the weakness.

(bad code)
Example Language:
struct foo
{
int i;
}
...
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
*foo = (struct foo *)main;
foo->i = 2;
return foo->i;
}


+ 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
JSON decoder accesses a C union using an invalid offset to an object
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 971 SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Pointer Use
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1416 Comprehensive Categorization: Resource Lifecycle Management
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
Software Fault Patterns SFP7 Faulty Pointer Use
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-12-15
(CWE Draft 5, 2006-12-15)
CWE Community
Submitted by members of the CWE community to extend early CWE versions
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Other_Notes
2009-03-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-289: Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name

Weakness ID: 289
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product performs authentication based on the name of a resource being accessed, or the name of the actor performing the access, but it does not properly check all possible names for that resource or actor.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Access Control

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

Strategy: Input Validation

Avoid making decisions based on names of resources (e.g. files) if those resources can have alternate names.

Implementation

Strategy: Input Validation

Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.

When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue."

Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.

Implementation

Strategy: Input Validation

Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1390 Weak Authentication
CanFollow 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. 46 Path Equivalence: 'filename ' (Trailing Space)
CanFollow 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. 52 Path Equivalence: '/multiple/trailing/slash//'
CanFollow 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. 173 Improper Handling of Alternate Encoding
CanFollow 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. 178 Improper Handling of Case Sensitivity
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1211 Authentication Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design COMMISSION: This weakness refers to an incorrect design related to an architectural security tactic.
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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (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
Protection mechanism that restricts URL access can be bypassed using URL encoding.
web framework for .NET allows remote attackers to bypass authentication for .aspx files in restricted directories via a request containing a (1) "\" (backslash) or (2) "%5C" (encoded backslash)
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 845 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 2 - Input Validation and Data Sanitization (IDS)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 947 SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1134 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 00. Input Validation and Data Sanitization (IDS)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ 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 Base 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

Relationship

Overlaps equivalent encodings, canonicalization, authorization, multiple trailing slash, trailing space, mixed case, and other equivalence issues.

Theoretical

Alternate names are useful in data driven manipulation attacks, not just for authentication.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Authentication bypass by alternate name
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) IDS01-J CWE More Specific Normalize strings before validating them
SEI CERT Oracle Coding Standard for Java IDS01-J CWE More Specific Normalize strings before validating them
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Observed_Examples, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Type
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, Theoretical_Notes
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships, Other_Notes, Relationship_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction

CWE-302: Authentication Bypass by Assumed-Immutable Data

Weakness ID: 302
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The authentication scheme or implementation uses key data elements that are assumed to be immutable, but can be controlled or modified by the attacker.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Access Control

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design; Operation; Implementation

Implement proper protection for immutable data (e.g. environment variable, hidden form fields, etc.)
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 807 Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1390 Weak Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design COMMISSION: This weakness refers to an incorrect design related to an architectural security tactic.
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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: Web Based (Sometimes Prevalent)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


In the following example, an "authenticated" cookie is used to determine whether or not a user should be granted access to a system.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
boolean authenticated = new Boolean(getCookieValue("authenticated")).booleanValue();
if (authenticated) {
...
}

Modifying the value of a cookie on the client-side is trivial, but many developers assume that cookies are essentially immutable.



+ 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
DebPloit
Web auth
Authentication bypass by setting certain cookies to "true".
Authentication bypass by setting certain cookies to "true".
Admin access by setting a cookie.
Gain privileges by setting cookie.
Product trusts authentication information in cookie.
Authentication bypass by setting admin-testing variable to true.
Bypass auth and gain privileges by setting a variable.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 724 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A3 - Broken Authentication and Session Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 859 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 16 - Platform Security (SEC)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 949 SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Endpoint Authentication
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1353 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A07:2021 - Identification and Authentication Failures
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Authentication Bypass via Assumed-Immutable Data
OWASP Top Ten 2004 A1 CWE More Specific Unvalidated Input
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) SEC02-J Do not base security checks on untrusted sources
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Type
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2010-04-05 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2010-02-16 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2009-03-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
2008-07-01 Sean Eidemiller Cigital
added/updated demonstrative examples

CWE-294: Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay

Weakness ID: 294
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
A capture-replay flaw exists when the design of the product makes it possible for a malicious user to sniff network traffic and bypass authentication by replaying it to the server in question to the same effect as the original message (or with minor changes).
+ Extended Description
Capture-replay attacks are common and can be difficult to defeat without cryptography. They are a subset of network injection attacks that rely on observing previously-sent valid commands, then changing them slightly if necessary and resending the same commands to the server.
+ 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: Access Control

Messages sent with a capture-relay attack allow access to resources which are not otherwise accessible without proper authentication.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

Utilize some sequence or time stamping functionality along with a checksum which takes this into account in order to ensure that messages can be parsed only once.

Architecture and Design

Since any attacker who can listen to traffic can see sequence numbers, it is necessary to sign messages with some kind of cryptography to ensure that sequence numbers are not simply doctored along with content.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1390 Weak Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1211 Authentication Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 287 Improper Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design COMMISSION: This weakness refers to an incorrect design related to an architectural security tactic.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
High
+ 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
product authentication succeeds if user-provided MD5 hash matches the hash in its database; this can be subjected to replay attacks.
Chain: cleartext transmission of the MD5 hash of password (CWE-319) enables attacks against a server that is susceptible to replay (CWE-294).
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 956 SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1353 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A07:2021 - Identification and Authentication Failures
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Authentication bypass by replay
CLASP Capture-replay
+ References
[REF-18] Secure Software, Inc.. "The CLASP Application Security Process". 2005.
<https://cwe.mitre.org/documents/sources/TheCLASPApplicationSecurityProcess.pdf>. (URL validated: 2024-11-17)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Related_Attack_Patterns
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-08-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE-305: Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness

Weakness ID: 305
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
The authentication algorithm is sound, but the implemented mechanism can be bypassed as the result of a separate weakness that is primary to the authentication error.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Access Control

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1390 Weak Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1211 Authentication Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ 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 Note
Implementation REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (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
The provided password is only compared against the first character of the real password.
The password is not properly checked, which allows remote attackers to bypass access controls by sending a 1-byte password that matches the first character of the real password.
Chain: Forum software does not properly initialize an array, which inadvertently sets the password to a single character, allowing remote attackers to easily guess the password and gain administrative privileges.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 947 SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ 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 Base 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

Relationship

Most "authentication bypass" errors are resultant, not primary.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Relationship_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-290: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing

Weakness ID: 290
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
This attack-focused weakness is caused by incorrectly implemented authentication schemes that are subject to spoofing attacks.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism; Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Scope: Access Control

This weakness can allow an attacker to access resources which are not otherwise accessible without proper authentication.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1390 Weak Authentication
ParentOf 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. 291 Reliance on IP Address for Authentication
ParentOf 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. 293 Using Referer Field for Authentication
ParentOf 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. 350 Reliance on Reverse DNS Resolution for a Security-Critical Action
PeerOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 602 Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1211 Authentication Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 287 Improper Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ 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 Note
Implementation
Architecture and Design
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following code authenticates users.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
String sourceIP = request.getRemoteAddr();
if (sourceIP != null && sourceIP.equals(APPROVED_IP)) {
authenticated = true;
}

The authentication mechanism implemented relies on an IP address for source validation. If an attacker is able to spoof the IP, they may be able to bypass the authentication mechanism.



Example 2


Both of these examples check if a request is from a trusted address before responding to the request.

(bad code)
Example Language:
sd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
serv.sin_family = AF_INET;
serv.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
servr.sin_port = htons(1008);
bind(sd, (struct sockaddr *) & serv, sizeof(serv));

while (1) {
memset(msg, 0x0, MAX_MSG);
clilen = sizeof(cli);
if (inet_ntoa(cli.sin_addr)==getTrustedAddress()) {
n = recvfrom(sd, msg, MAX_MSG, 0, (struct sockaddr *) & cli, &clilen);
}
}
(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
while(true) {
DatagramPacket rp=new DatagramPacket(rData,rData.length);
outSock.receive(rp);
String in = new String(p.getData(),0, rp.getLength());
InetAddress clientIPAddress = rp.getAddress();
int port = rp.getPort();

if (isTrustedAddress(clientIPAddress) & secretKey.equals(in)) {
out = secret.getBytes();
DatagramPacket sp =new DatagramPacket(out,out.length, IPAddress, port); outSock.send(sp);
}
}

The code only verifies the address as stored in the request packet. An attacker can spoof this address, thus impersonating a trusted client.



Example 3


The following code samples use a DNS lookup in order to decide whether or not an inbound request is from a trusted host. If an attacker can poison the DNS cache, they can gain trusted status.

(bad code)
Example Language:
struct hostent *hp;struct in_addr myaddr;
char* tHost = "trustme.example.com";
myaddr.s_addr=inet_addr(ip_addr_string);

hp = gethostbyaddr((char *) &myaddr, sizeof(struct in_addr), AF_INET);
if (hp && !strncmp(hp->h_name, tHost, sizeof(tHost))) {
trusted = true;
} else {
trusted = false;
}
(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
String ip = request.getRemoteAddr();
InetAddress addr = InetAddress.getByName(ip);
if (addr.getCanonicalHostName().endsWith("trustme.com")) {
trusted = true;
}
(bad code)
Example Language: C# 
IPAddress hostIPAddress = IPAddress.Parse(RemoteIpAddress);
IPHostEntry hostInfo = Dns.GetHostByAddress(hostIPAddress);
if (hostInfo.HostName.EndsWith("trustme.com")) {
trusted = true;
}

IP addresses are more reliable than DNS names, but they can also be spoofed. Attackers can easily forge the source IP address of the packets they send, but response packets will return to the forged IP address. To see the response packets, the attacker has to sniff the traffic between the victim machine and the forged IP address. In order to accomplish the required sniffing, attackers typically attempt to locate themselves on the same subnet as the victim machine. Attackers may be able to circumvent this requirement by using source routing, but source routing is disabled across much of the Internet today. In summary, IP address verification can be a useful part of an authentication scheme, but it should not be the single factor required for authentication.



+ 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
S-bus functionality in a home automation product performs access control using an IP allowlist, which can be bypassed by a forged IP address.
VOIP product allows authentication bypass using 127.0.0.1 in the Host header.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 956 SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1353 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A07:2021 - Identification and Authentication Failures
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1366 ICS Communications: Frail Security in Protocols
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ 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 Base 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

Relationship

This can be resultant from insufficient verification.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Authentication bypass by spoofing
+ References
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 3, "Spoofing and Identification", Page 72. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-07-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2014-02-18 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2013-07-17 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, References, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationship_Notes
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships, Relationship_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
2008-07-01 Sean Eidemiller Cigital
added/updated demonstrative examples

CWE-288: Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel

Weakness ID: 288
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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Edit Custom Filter


+ Description
The product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication. Diagram for CWE-288
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Access Control

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

Funnel all access through a single choke point to simplify how users can access a resource. For every access, perform a check to determine if the user has permissions to access the resource.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 306 Missing Authentication for Critical Function
ParentOf 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. 425 Direct Request ('Forced Browsing')
ParentOf 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. 1299 Missing Protection Mechanism for Alternate Hardware Interface
PeerOf 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. 420 Unprotected Alternate Channel
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ Relevant to the view "CISQ Data Protection Measures" (View-1340)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. 284 Improper Access Control
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design COMMISSION: This weakness refers to an incorrect design related to an architectural security tactic.
Architecture and Design This is often seen in web applications that assume that access to a particular CGI program can only be obtained through a "front" screen, when the supporting programs are directly accessible. But this problem is not just in web apps.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Technologies

Class: Not Technology-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

Class: Web Based (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


Register SECURE_ME is located at address 0xF00. A mirror of this register called COPY_OF_SECURE_ME is at location 0x800F00. The register SECURE_ME is protected from malicious agents and only allows access to select, while COPY_OF_SECURE_ME is not.

Access control is implemented using an allowlist (as indicated by acl_oh_allowlist). The identity of the initiator of the transaction is indicated by the one hot input, incoming_id. This is checked against the acl_oh_allowlist (which contains a list of initiators that are allowed to access the asset).

Though this example is shown in Verilog, it will apply to VHDL as well.

(informative)
Example Language: Verilog 
module foo_bar(data_out, data_in, incoming_id, address, clk, rst_n);
output [31:0] data_out;
input [31:0] data_in, incoming_id, address;
input clk, rst_n;
wire write_auth, addr_auth;
reg [31:0] data_out, acl_oh_allowlist, q;
assign write_auth = | (incoming_id & acl_oh_allowlist) ? 1 : 0;
always @*
acl_oh_allowlist <= 32'h8312;
assign addr_auth = (address == 32'hF00) ? 1: 0;
always @ (posedge clk or negedge rst_n)
if (!rst_n)
begin
q <= 32'h0;
data_out <= 32'h0;
end
else
begin
q <= (addr_auth & write_auth) ? data_in: q;
data_out <= q;
end
end
endmodule
(bad code)
Example Language: Verilog 
assign addr_auth = (address == 32'hF00) ? 1: 0;

The bugged line of code is repeated in the Bad example above. Weakness arises from the fact that the SECURE_ME register can be modified by writing to the shadow register COPY_OF_SECURE_ME, the address of COPY_OF_SECURE_ME should also be included in the check. That buggy line of code should instead be replaced as shown in the Good Code Snippet below.

(good code)
Example Language: Verilog 
assign addr_auth = (address == 32'hF00 || address == 32'h800F00) ? 1: 0;


+ 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
Router allows remote attackers to read system logs without authentication by directly connecting to the login screen and typing certain control characters.
Attackers with physical access to the machine may bypass the password prompt by pressing the ESC (Escape) key.
OS allows local attackers to bypass the password protection of idled sessions via the programmer's switch or CMD-PWR keyboard sequence, which brings up a debugger that the attacker can use to disable the lock.
Direct request of installation file allows attacker to create administrator accounts.
Attackers may gain additional privileges by directly requesting the web management URL.
Bypass authentication via direct request to named pipe.
User can avoid lockouts by using an API instead of the GUI to conduct brute force password guessing.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 721 OWASP Top Ten 2007 Category A10 - Failure to Restrict URL Access
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 947 SFP Secondary Cluster: Authentication Bypass
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1353 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A07:2021 - Identification and Authentication Failures
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1364 ICS Communications: Zone Boundary Failures
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ 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 Base 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

Relationship

overlaps Unprotected Alternate Channel
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Authentication Bypass by Alternate Path/Channel
OWASP Top Ten 2007 A10 CWE More Specific Failure to Restrict URL Access
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2024-09-29
(CWE 4.16, 2024-11-19)
Abhi Balakrishnan
Contributed usability diagram concepts used by the CWE team
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2024-11-19
(CWE 4.16, 2024-11-19)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Diagram
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes, Relationships
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-07-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2020-12-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-08-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Modes_of_Introduction, Name, Relationships, Observed_Example, Relationship_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings, Type
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-09-09 Authentication Bypass by Alternate Path/Channel

CWE-593: Authentication Bypass: OpenSSL CTX Object Modified after SSL Objects are Created

Weakness ID: 593
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product modifies the SSL context after connection creation has begun.
+ Extended Description
If the program modifies the SSL_CTX object after creating SSL objects from it, there is the possibility that older SSL objects created from the original context could all be affected by that change.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Access Control

No authentication takes place in this process, bypassing an assumed protection of encryption.

Read Application Data

Scope: Confidentiality

The encrypted communication between a user and a trusted host may be subject to a sniffing attack.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

Use a language or a library that provides a cryptography framework at a higher level of abstraction.

Implementation

Most SSL_CTX functions have SSL counterparts that act on SSL-type objects.

Implementation

Applications should set up an SSL_CTX completely, before creating SSL objects from it.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 666 Operation on Resource in Wrong Phase of Lifetime
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 1390 Weak Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1010 Authenticate Actors
+ 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 Note
Implementation REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following example demonstrates the weakness.

(bad code)
Example Language:
#define CERT "secret.pem"
#define CERT2 "secret2.pem"

int main(){
SSL_CTX *ctx;
SSL *ssl;
init_OpenSSL();
seed_prng();

ctx = SSL_CTX_new(SSLv23_method());

if (SSL_CTX_use_certificate_chain_file(ctx, CERT) != 1)
int_error("Error loading certificate from file");


if (SSL_CTX_use_PrivateKey_file(ctx, CERT, SSL_FILETYPE_PEM) != 1)
int_error("Error loading private key from file");


if (!(ssl = SSL_new(ctx)))
int_error("Error creating an SSL context");


if ( SSL_CTX_set_default_passwd_cb(ctx, "new default password" != 1))
int_error("Doing something which is dangerous to do anyways");


if (!(ssl2 = SSL_new(ctx)))
int_error("Error creating an SSL context");
}


+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 948 SFP Secondary Cluster: Digital Certificate
MemberOf CategoryCategory - 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.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-12-15
(CWE Draft 5, 2006-12-15)
CWE Community
Submitted by members of the CWE community to extend early CWE versions
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2017-05-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE-639: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key

Weakness ID: 639
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The system's authorization functionality does not prevent one user from gaining access to another user's data or record by modifying the key value identifying the data.
+ Extended Description

Retrieval of a user record occurs in the system based on some key value that is under user control. The key would typically identify a user-related record stored in the system and would be used to lookup that record for presentation to the user. It is likely that an attacker would have to be an authenticated user in the system. However, the authorization process would not properly check the data access operation to ensure that the authenticated user performing the operation has sufficient entitlements to perform the requested data access, hence bypassing any other authorization checks present in the system.

For example, attackers can look at places where user specific data is retrieved (e.g. search screens) and determine whether the key for the item being looked up is controllable externally. The key may be a hidden field in the HTML form field, might be passed as a URL parameter or as an unencrypted cookie variable, then in each of these cases it will be possible to tamper with the key value.

One manifestation of this weakness is when a system uses sequential or otherwise easily-guessable session IDs that would allow one user to easily switch to another user's session and read/modify their data.

+ Alternate Terms
Insecure Direct Object Reference / IDOR
The "Insecure Direct Object Reference" term, as described in the OWASP Top Ten, is broader than this CWE because it also covers path traversal (CWE-22). Within the context of vulnerability theory, there is a similarity between the OWASP concept and CWE-706: Use of Incorrectly-Resolved Name or Reference.
Broken Object Level Authorization / BOLA
BOLA is used in the 2019 OWASP API Security Top 10 and is said to be the same as IDOR.
Horizontal Authorization
"Horizontal Authorization" is used to describe situations in which two users have the same privilege level, but must be prevented from accessing each other's resources. This is fairly common when using key-based access to resources in a multi-user context.
+ 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

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Access Control

Access control checks for specific user data or functionality can be bypassed.

Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Scope: Access Control

Horizontal escalation of privilege is possible (one user can view/modify information of another user).

Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Scope: Access Control

Vertical escalation of privilege is possible if the user-controlled key is actually a flag that indicates administrator status, allowing the attacker to gain administrative access.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Architecture and Design

For each and every data access, ensure that the user has sufficient privilege to access the record that is being requested.

Architecture and Design; Implementation

Make sure that the key that is used in the lookup of a specific user's record is not controllable externally by the user or that any tampering can be detected.

Architecture and Design

Use encryption in order to make it more difficult to guess other legitimate values of the key or associate a digital signature with the key so that the server can verify that there has been no tampering.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 863 Incorrect Authorization
ParentOf 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. 566 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled SQL Primary Key
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 840 Business Logic Errors
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1212 Authorization Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 863 Incorrect Authorization
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1011 Authorize Actors
+ Relevant to the view "CISQ Data Protection Measures" (View-1340)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. 284 Improper Access Control
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
High
+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following code uses a parameterized statement, which escapes metacharacters and prevents SQL injection vulnerabilities, to construct and execute a SQL query that searches for an invoice matching the specified identifier [1]. The identifier is selected from a list of all invoices associated with the current authenticated user.

(bad code)
Example Language: C# 
...
conn = new SqlConnection(_ConnectionString);
conn.Open();
int16 id = System.Convert.ToInt16(invoiceID.Text);
SqlCommand query = new SqlCommand( "SELECT * FROM invoices WHERE id = @id", conn);
query.Parameters.AddWithValue("@id", id);
SqlDataReader objReader = objCommand.ExecuteReader();
...

The problem is that the developer has not considered all of the possible values of id. Although the interface generates a list of invoice identifiers that belong to the current user, an attacker can bypass this interface to request any desired invoice. Because the code in this example does not check to ensure that the user has permission to access the requested invoice, it will display any invoice, even if it does not belong to the current user.



+ 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
An educational application does not appropriately restrict file IDs to a particular user. The attacker can brute-force guess IDs, indicating IDOR.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 715 OWASP Top Ten 2007 Category A4 - Insecure Direct Object Reference
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 723 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A2 - Broken Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 813 OWASP Top Ten 2010 Category A4 - Insecure Direct Object References
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 932 OWASP Top Ten 2013 Category A4 - Insecure Direct Object References
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 945 SFP Secondary Cluster: Insecure Resource Access
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1031 OWASP Top Ten 2017 Category A5 - Broken Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1345 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A01:2021 - Broken Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 1435 Weaknesses in the 2025 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1436 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A01:2025 - Broken 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 Base 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.
+ References
[REF-1496] OWASP. "Insecure Direct Object Reference Prevention Cheat Sheet". 2025.
<https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/Insecure_Direct_Object_Reference_Prevention_Cheat_Sheet.html>. (URL validated: 2025-11-30)
[REF-1497] MDN. "Insecure Direct Object Reference (IDOR)". 2025-09-30.
<https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Security/Attacks/IDOR>. (URL validated: 2025-11-30)
[REF-1498] Imperva. "Insecure Direct Object Reference".
<https://www.imperva.com/learn/application-security/insecure-direct-object-reference-idor/>. (URL validated: 2025-11-30)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2008-01-30
(CWE Draft 8, 2008-01-30)
Evgeny Lebanidze Cigital
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms
2020-12-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2018-03-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Enabling_Factors_for_Exploitation, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2013-07-17 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2013-02-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Common_Consequences
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Applicable_Platforms, Description, Name, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2010-06-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2009-03-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Type
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2011-03-29 Access Control Bypass Through User-Controlled Key

CWE-566: Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled SQL Primary Key

Weakness ID: 566
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 uses a database table that includes records that should not be accessible to an actor, but it executes a SQL statement with a primary key that can be controlled by that actor.
+ Extended Description

When a user can set a primary key to any value, then the user can modify the key to point to unauthorized records.

Database access control errors occur when:

  • Data enters a program from an untrusted source.
  • The data is used to specify the value of a primary key in a SQL query.
  • The untrusted source does not have the permissions to be able to access all rows in the associated table.
+ 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

Read Application Data; Modify Application Data; Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Confidentiality, Integrity, Access Control

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Assume all input is malicious. Use a standard input validation mechanism to validate all input for length, type, syntax, and business rules before accepting the data. Use an "accept known good" validation strategy.

Implementation

Use a parameterized query AND make sure that the accepted values conform to the business rules. Construct your SQL statement accordingly.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 639 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1011 Authorize Actors
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design COMMISSION: This weakness refers to an incorrect design related to an architectural security tactic.
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.
Languages

SQL (Often Prevalent)

Technologies

Database Server (Often Prevalent)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following code uses a parameterized statement, which escapes metacharacters and prevents SQL injection vulnerabilities, to construct and execute a SQL query that searches for an invoice matching the specified identifier [1]. The identifier is selected from a list of all invoices associated with the current authenticated user.

(bad code)
Example Language: C# 
...
conn = new SqlConnection(_ConnectionString);
conn.Open();
int16 id = System.Convert.ToInt16(invoiceID.Text);
SqlCommand query = new SqlCommand( "SELECT * FROM invoices WHERE id = @id", conn);
query.Parameters.AddWithValue("@id", id);
SqlDataReader objReader = objCommand.ExecuteReader();
...

The problem is that the developer has not considered all of the possible values of id. Although the interface generates a list of invoice identifiers that belong to the current user, an attacker can bypass this interface to request any desired invoice. Because the code in this example does not check to ensure that the user has permission to access the requested invoice, it will display any invoice, even if it does not belong to the current user.



+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 994 SFP Secondary Cluster: Tainted Input to Variable
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1345 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A01:2021 - Broken Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1436 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A01:2025 - Broken 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
Software Fault Patterns SFP25 Tainted input to variable
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
Anonymous Tool Vendor (under NDA)
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2025-04-03
(CWE 4.17, 2025-04-03)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Name
2010-06-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2011-03-29 Access Control Bypass Through User-Controlled SQL Primary Key

CWE-439: Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment

Weakness ID: 439
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
A's behavior or functionality changes with a new version of A, or a new environment, which is not known (or manageable) by B.
+ Alternate Terms
Functional change
+ 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

Quality Degradation; Varies by Context

Scope: Other

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Pillar Pillar - a weakness that is the most abstract type of weakness and represents a theme for all class/base/variant weaknesses related to it. A Pillar is different from a Category as a Pillar is still technically a type of weakness that describes a mistake, while a Category represents a common characteristic used to group related things. 435 Improper Interaction Between Multiple Correctly-Behaving Entities
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 438 Behavioral Problems
+ 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 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (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
Linux kernel 2.2 and above allow promiscuous mode using a different method than previous versions, and ifconfig is not aware of the new method (alternate path property).
Product uses defunct method from another product that does not return an error code and allows detection avoidance.
chain: Code was ported from a case-sensitive Unix platform to a case-insensitive Windows platform where filetype handlers treat .jsp and .JSP as different extensions. JSP source code may be read because .JSP defaults to the filetype "text".
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1001 SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1398 Comprehensive Categorization: Component Interaction
+ 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 Base 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER CHANGE Behavioral Change
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Observed_Example, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Behavioral Change

CWE-120: Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')

Weakness ID: 120
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review (with careful review of mapping notes)
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product copies an input buffer to an output buffer without verifying that the size of the input buffer is less than the size of the output buffer. Diagram for CWE-120
+ Alternate Terms
Classic Buffer Overflow
This term was frequently used by vulnerability researchers during approximately 1995 to 2005 to differentiate buffer copies without length checks (which had been known about for decades) from other emerging weaknesses that still involved invalid accesses of buffers, as vulnerability researchers began to develop advanced exploitation techniques.
Unbounded Transfer
+ 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

Modify Memory; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands

Scope: Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability

Buffer overflows often can be used to execute arbitrary code, which is usually outside the scope of the product's implicit security policy. This can often be used to subvert any other security service.

Modify Memory; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)

Scope: Availability

Buffer overflows generally lead to crashes. Other attacks leading to lack of availability are possible, including putting the product into an infinite loop.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Requirements

Strategy: Language Selection

Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.

For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer.

Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.

Architecture and Design

Strategy: Libraries or Frameworks

Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.

Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega [REF-57], and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft [REF-56]. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.

Note: This is not a complete solution, since many buffer overflows are not related to strings.

Operation; Build and Compilation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking.

D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND [REF-1334] discusses canary-based detection in detail.

Effectiveness: Defense in Depth

Note:

This is not necessarily a complete solution, since these mechanisms only detect certain types of overflows. In addition, the result is still a denial of service, since the typical response is to exit the application.

Implementation

Consider adhering to the following rules when allocating and managing an application's memory:

  • Double check that your buffer is as large as you specify.
  • When using functions that accept a number of bytes to copy, such as strncpy(), be aware that if the destination buffer size is equal to the source buffer size, it may not NULL-terminate the string.
  • Check buffer boundaries if accessing the buffer in a loop and make sure there is no danger of writing past the allocated space.
  • If necessary, truncate all input strings to a reasonable length before passing them to the copy and concatenation functions.

Implementation

Strategy: Input Validation

Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does.

When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue."

Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.

Architecture and Design

For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.

Operation; Build and Compilation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

Run or compile the software using features or extensions that randomly arrange the positions of a program's executable and libraries in memory. Because this makes the addresses unpredictable, it can prevent an attacker from reliably jumping to exploitable code.

Examples include Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) [REF-58] [REF-60] and Position-Independent Executables (PIE) [REF-64]. Imported modules may be similarly realigned if their default memory addresses conflict with other modules, in a process known as "rebasing" (for Windows) and "prelinking" (for Linux) [REF-1332] using randomly generated addresses. ASLR for libraries cannot be used in conjunction with prelink since it would require relocating the libraries at run-time, defeating the whole purpose of prelinking.

For more information on these techniques see D3-SAOR (Segment Address Offset Randomization) from D3FEND [REF-1335].

Effectiveness: Defense in Depth

Note: These techniques do not provide a complete solution. For instance, exploits frequently use a bug that discloses memory addresses in order to maximize reliability of code execution [REF-1337]. It has also been shown that a side-channel attack can bypass ASLR [REF-1333].

Operation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

Use a CPU and operating system that offers Data Execution Protection (using hardware NX or XD bits) or the equivalent techniques that simulate this feature in software, such as PaX [REF-60] [REF-61]. These techniques ensure that any instruction executed is exclusively at a memory address that is part of the code segment.

For more information on these techniques see D3-PSEP (Process Segment Execution Prevention) from D3FEND [REF-1336].

Effectiveness: Defense in Depth

Note: This is not a complete solution, since buffer overflows could be used to overwrite nearby variables to modify the software's state in dangerous ways. In addition, it cannot be used in cases in which self-modifying code is required. Finally, an attack could still cause a denial of service, since the typical response is to exit the application.

Build and Compilation; Operation

Most mitigating technologies at the compiler or OS level to date address only a subset of buffer overflow problems and rarely provide complete protection against even that subset. It is good practice to implement strategies to increase the workload of an attacker, such as leaving the attacker to guess an unknown value that changes every program execution.

Implementation

Replace unbounded copy functions with analogous functions that support length arguments, such as strcpy with strncpy. Create these if they are not available.

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note: This approach is still susceptible to calculation errors, including issues such as off-by-one errors (CWE-193) and incorrectly calculating buffer lengths (CWE-131).

Architecture and Design

Strategy: Enforcement by Conversion

When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.

Architecture and Design; Operation

Strategy: Environment Hardening

Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks [REF-76]. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.

Architecture and Design; Operation

Strategy: Sandbox or Jail

Run the code in a "jail" or similar sandbox environment that enforces strict boundaries between the process and the operating system. This may effectively restrict which files can be accessed in a particular directory or which commands can be executed by the software.

OS-level examples include the Unix chroot jail, AppArmor, and SELinux. In general, managed code may provide some protection. For example, java.io.FilePermission in the Java SecurityManager allows the software to specify restrictions on file operations.

This may not be a feasible solution, and it only limits the impact to the operating system; the rest of the application may still be subject to compromise.

Be careful to avoid CWE-243 and other weaknesses related to jails.

Effectiveness: Limited

Note: The effectiveness of this mitigation depends on the prevention capabilities of the specific sandbox or jail being used and might only help to reduce the scope of an attack, such as restricting the attacker to certain system calls or limiting the portion of the file system that can be accessed.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 787 Out-of-bounds Write
ParentOf 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. 785 Use of Path Manipulation Function without Maximum-sized Buffer
CanFollow 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. 170 Improper Null Termination
CanFollow 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. 231 Improper Handling of Extra Values
CanFollow 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. 416 Use After Free
CanFollow 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. 456 Missing Initialization of a Variable
CanPrecede 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. 123 Write-what-where Condition
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1218 Memory Buffer Errors
+ Relevant to the view "Weaknesses for Simplified Mapping of Published Vulnerabilities" (View-1003)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
+ Relevant to the view "CISQ Quality Measures (2020)" (View-1305)
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. 787 Out-of-bounds Write
+ Relevant to the view "CISQ Data Protection Measures" (View-1340)
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. 787 Out-of-bounds Write
+ Relevant to the view "Seven Pernicious Kingdoms" (View-700)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 20 Improper Input Validation
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Class: Memory-Unsafe (Undetermined Prevalence)

C (Often Prevalent)

C++ (Often Prevalent)

Class: Assembly (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
High
+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following code asks the user to enter their last name and then attempts to store the value entered in the last_name array.

(bad code)
Example Language:
char last_name[20];
printf ("Enter your last name: ");
scanf ("%s", last_name);

The problem with the code above is that it does not restrict or limit the size of the name entered by the user. If the user enters "Very_very_long_last_name" which is 24 characters long, then a buffer overflow will occur since the array can only hold 20 characters total.



Example 2


The following code attempts to create a local copy of a buffer to perform some manipulations to the data.

(bad code)
Example Language:
void manipulate_string(char * string){
char buf[24];
strcpy(buf, string);
...
}

However, the programmer does not ensure that the size of the data pointed to by string will fit in the local buffer and copies the data with the potentially dangerous strcpy() function. This may result in a buffer overflow condition if an attacker can influence the contents of the string parameter.



Example 3


The code below calls the gets() function to read in data from the command line.

(bad code)
Example Language:
char buf[24];
printf("Please enter your name and press <Enter>\n");
gets(buf);
...
}

However, gets() is inherently unsafe, because it copies all input from STDIN to the buffer without checking size. This allows the user to provide a string that is larger than the buffer size, resulting in an overflow condition.



Example 4


In the following example, a server accepts connections from a client and processes the client request. After accepting a client connection, the program will obtain client information using the gethostbyaddr method, copy the hostname of the client that connected to a local variable and output the hostname of the client to a log file.

(bad code)
Example Language:
...
struct hostent *clienthp;
char hostname[MAX_LEN];

// create server socket, bind to server address and listen on socket
...

// accept client connections and process requests
int count = 0;
for (count = 0; count < MAX_CONNECTIONS; count++) {

int clientlen = sizeof(struct sockaddr_in);
int clientsocket = accept(serversocket, (struct sockaddr *)&clientaddr, &clientlen);

if (clientsocket >= 0) {
clienthp = gethostbyaddr((char*) &clientaddr.sin_addr.s_addr, sizeof(clientaddr.sin_addr.s_addr), AF_INET);
strcpy(hostname, clienthp->h_name);
logOutput("Accepted client connection from host ", hostname);

// process client request
...
close(clientsocket);
}
}
close(serversocket);

...

However, the hostname of the client that connected may be longer than the allocated size for the local hostname variable. This will result in a buffer overflow when copying the client hostname to the local variable using the strcpy method.



+ 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
buffer overflow using command with long argument
buffer overflow in local program using long environment variable
buffer overflow in comment characters, when product increments a counter for a ">" but does not decrement for "<"
By replacing a valid cookie value with an extremely long string of characters, an attacker may overflow the application's buffers.
By replacing a valid cookie value with an extremely long string of characters, an attacker may overflow the application's buffers.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

This weakness can often be detected using automated static analysis tools. Many modern tools use data flow analysis or constraint-based techniques to minimize the number of false positives.

Automated static analysis generally does not account for environmental considerations when reporting out-of-bounds memory operations. This can make it difficult for users to determine which warnings should be investigated first. For example, an analysis tool might report buffer overflows that originate from command line arguments in a program that is not expected to run with setuid or other special privileges.

Effectiveness: High

Note:Detection techniques for buffer-related errors are more mature than for most other weakness types.

Automated Dynamic Analysis

This weakness can be detected using dynamic tools and techniques that interact with the software using large test suites with many diverse inputs, such as fuzz testing (fuzzing), robustness testing, and fault injection. The software's operation may slow down, but it should not become unstable, crash, or generate incorrect results.

Manual Analysis

Manual analysis can be useful for finding this weakness, but it might not achieve desired code coverage within limited time constraints. This becomes difficult for weaknesses that must be considered for all inputs, since the attack surface can be too large.

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Use tools that are integrated during compilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanisms related to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer (ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note:Crafted inputs are necessary to reach the code containing the error, such as generated by fuzzers. Also, these tools may reduce performance, and they only report the error condition - not the original mistake that led to the error.

Automated Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Highly cost effective:
  • Bytecode Weakness Analysis - including disassembler + source code weakness analysis
  • Binary Weakness Analysis - including disassembler + source code weakness analysis

Effectiveness: High

Manual Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:
  • Binary / Bytecode disassembler - then use manual analysis for vulnerabilities & anomalies

Effectiveness: SOAR Partial

Dynamic Analysis with Automated Results Interpretation

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:
  • Web Application Scanner
  • Web Services Scanner
  • Database Scanners

Effectiveness: SOAR Partial

Dynamic Analysis with Manual Results Interpretation

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:
  • Fuzz Tester
  • Framework-based Fuzzer

Effectiveness: SOAR Partial

Manual Static Analysis - Source Code

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Cost effective for partial coverage:
  • Focused Manual Spotcheck - Focused manual analysis of source
  • Manual Source Code Review (not inspections)

Effectiveness: SOAR Partial

Automated Static Analysis - Source Code

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Highly cost effective:
  • Source code Weakness Analyzer
  • Context-configured Source Code Weakness Analyzer

Effectiveness: High

Architecture or Design Review

According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful:

Highly cost effective:
  • Formal Methods / Correct-By-Construction
Cost effective for partial coverage:
  • Inspection (IEEE 1028 standard) (can apply to requirements, design, source code, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ Functional Areas
  • Memory Management
+ Affected Resources
  • Memory
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 722 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A1 - Unvalidated Input
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 726 OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A5 - Buffer Overflows
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 741 CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 8 - Characters and Strings (STR)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 802 2010 Top 25 - Risky Resource Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 865 2011 Top 25 - Risky Resource Management
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 875 CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 07 - Characters and Strings (STR)
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 970 SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1129 CISQ Quality Measures (2016) - Reliability
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1131 CISQ Quality Measures (2016) - Security
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1161 SEI CERT C Coding Standard - Guidelines 07. Characters and Strings (STR)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1399 Comprehensive Categorization: Memory Safety
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 1435 Weaknesses in the 2025 CWE Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Weaknesses
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Usage ALLOWED-WITH-REVIEW
(this CWE ID could be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities in limited situations requiring careful review)
Reason Frequent Misuse

Rationale

There are some indications that this CWE ID might be misused and selected simply because it mentions "buffer overflow" - an increasingly vague term. This CWE entry is only appropriate for "Buffer Copy" operations (not buffer reads), in which where there is no "Checking [the] Size of Input", and (by implication of the copy) writing past the end of the buffer.

Comments

If the vulnerability being analyzed involves out-of-bounds reads, then consider CWE-125 or descendants. For root cause analysis: if there is any input validation, consider children of CWE-20 such as CWE-1284. If there is a calculation error for buffer sizes, consider CWE-131 or similar.
+ Notes

Relationship

At the code level, stack-based and heap-based overflows do not differ significantly, so there usually is not a need to distinguish them. From the attacker perspective, they can be quite different, since different techniques are required to exploit them.

Terminology

There is significant inconsistency regarding the "buffer overflow" term, which can have multiple interpretations and uses. Many people mean "writing past the end of a buffer." Others mean "writing past the end of a buffer, or before the beginning of a buffer." Still others might include "read" in the term.

Other

A buffer overflow condition exists when a product attempts to put more data in a buffer than it can hold, or when it attempts to put data in a memory area outside of the boundaries of a buffer. The simplest type of error, and the most common cause of buffer overflows, is the "classic" case in which the product copies the buffer without restricting how much data is copied. Other variants exist, but the existence of a classic overflow strongly suggests that the programmer is not considering even the most basic of security protections.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Unbounded Transfer ('classic overflow')
7 Pernicious Kingdoms Buffer Overflow
CLASP Buffer overflow
OWASP Top Ten 2004 A1 CWE More Specific Unvalidated Input
OWASP Top Ten 2004 A5 CWE More Specific Buffer Overflows
CERT C Secure Coding STR31-C Exact Guarantee that storage for strings has sufficient space for character data and the null terminator
WASC 7 Buffer Overflow
Software Fault Patterns SFP8 Faulty Buffer Access
OMG ASCSM ASCSM-CWE-120
OMG ASCRM ASCRM-CWE-120
+ References
[REF-7] Michael Howard and David LeBlanc. "Writing Secure Code". Chapter 5, "Public Enemy #1: The Buffer Overrun" Page 127. 2nd Edition. Microsoft Press. 2002-12-04.
<https://www.microsoftpressstore.com/store/writing-secure-code-9780735617223>.
[REF-44] Michael Howard, David LeBlanc and John Viega. "24 Deadly Sins of Software Security". "Sin 5: Buffer Overruns." Page 89. McGraw-Hill. 2010.
[REF-56] Microsoft. "Using the Strsafe.h Functions".
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/menurc/strsafe-ovw?redirectedfrom=MSDN>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-57] Matt Messier and John Viega. "Safe C String Library v1.0.3".
<http://www.gnu-darwin.org/www001/ports-1.5a-CURRENT/devel/safestr/work/safestr-1.0.3/doc/safestr.html>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-58] Michael Howard. "Address Space Layout Randomization in Windows Vista".
<https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/michael_howard/address-space-layout-randomization-in-windows-vista>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-59] Arjan van de Ven. "Limiting buffer overflows with ExecShield".
<https://archive.is/saAFo>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-60] "PaX".
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable_space_protection#PaX>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-74] Jason Lam. "Top 25 Series - Rank 3 - Classic Buffer Overflow". SANS Software Security Institute. 2010-03-02.
<https://www.sans.org/blog/top-25-series-rank-3-classic-buffer-overflow>. (URL validated: 2025-07-29)
[REF-61] Microsoft. "Understanding DEP as a mitigation technology part 1".
<https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2009/06/understanding-dep-as-a-mitigation-technology-part-1/>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-76] Sean Barnum and Michael Gegick. "Least Privilege". 2005-09-14.
<https://web.archive.org/web/20211209014121/https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/bsi/articles/knowledge/principles/least-privilege>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 3, "Nonexecutable Stack", Page 76. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 5, "Protection Mechanisms", Page 189. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
[REF-62] Mark Dowd, John McDonald and Justin Schuh. "The Art of Software Security Assessment". Chapter 8, "C String Handling", Page 388. 1st Edition. Addison Wesley. 2006.
[REF-64] Grant Murphy. "Position Independent Executables (PIE)". Red Hat. 2012-11-28.
<https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/position-independent-executables-pie>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-961] Object Management Group (OMG). "Automated Source Code Reliability Measure (ASCRM)". ASCRM-CWE-120. 2016-01.
<http://www.omg.org/spec/ASCRM/1.0/>.
[REF-962] Object Management Group (OMG). "Automated Source Code Security Measure (ASCSM)". ASCSM-CWE-120. 2016-01.
<http://www.omg.org/spec/ASCSM/1.0/>.
[REF-1332] John Richard Moser. "Prelink and address space randomization". 2006-07-05.
<https://lwn.net/Articles/190139/>. (URL validated: 2023-04-26)
[REF-1333] Dmitry Evtyushkin, Dmitry Ponomarev, Nael Abu-Ghazaleh. "Jump Over ASLR: Attacking Branch Predictors to Bypass ASLR". 2016.
<http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~nael/pubs/micro16.pdf>. (URL validated: 2023-04-26)
[REF-1334] D3FEND. "Stack Frame Canary Validation (D3-SFCV)". 2023.
<https://d3fend.mitre.org/technique/d3f:StackFrameCanaryValidation/>. (URL validated: 2023-04-26)
[REF-1335] D3FEND. "Segment Address Offset Randomization (D3-SAOR)". 2023.
<https://d3fend.mitre.org/technique/d3f:SegmentAddressOffsetRandomization/>. (URL validated: 2023-04-26)
[REF-1336] D3FEND. "Process Segment Execution Prevention (D3-PSEP)". 2023.
<https://d3fend.mitre.org/technique/d3f:ProcessSegmentExecutionPrevention/>. (URL validated: 2023-04-26)
[REF-1337] Alexander Sotirov and Mark Dowd. "Bypassing Browser Memory Protections: Setting back browser security by 10 years". Memory information leaks. 2008.
<https://www.blackhat.com/presentations/bh-usa-08/Sotirov_Dowd/bh08-sotirov-dowd.pdf>. (URL validated: 2023-04-26)
[REF-1479] Gregory Larsen, E. Kenneth Hong Fong, David A. Wheeler and Rama S. Moorthy. "State-of-the-Art Resources (SOAR) for Software Vulnerability Detection, Test, and Evaluation". 2014-07.
<https://www.ida.org/-/media/feature/publications/s/st/stateoftheart-resources-soar-for-software-vulnerability-detection-test-and-evaluation/p-5061.ashx>. (URL validated: 2025-09-05)
[REF-1518] "AddressSanitizer".
<https://clang.llvm.org/docs/AddressSanitizer.html>. (URL validated: 2025-12-10)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2026-01-21
(CWE 4.19.1, 2026-01-21)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, References, Terminology_Notes
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Detection_Factors, Diagram, Other_Notes, References
2025-04-03
(CWE 4.17, 2025-04-03)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description
2022-10-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References
2021-07-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2020-12-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2020-08-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Relationships
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Potential_Mitigations
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2018-03-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Causal_Nature, Demonstrative_Examples, Likelihood_of_Exploit, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, White_Box_Definitions
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-02-18 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, References
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2011-09-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Description
2010-12-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2010-09-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2010-06-21 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Potential_Mitigations, References
2010-04-05 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Related_Attack_Patterns
2010-02-16 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Detection_Factors, Potential_Mitigations, References, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Time_of_Introduction, Type
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, Relationships
2009-01-12 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, References, Relationship_Notes, Relationships
2008-11-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Other_Notes, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Description, Name, Other_Notes, Terminology_Notes
2008-10-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
Changed name and description to more clearly emphasize the "classic" nature of the overflow.
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Relationships, Observed_Example, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities
2008-08-15 Veracode
Suggested OWASP Top Ten 2004 mapping
2008-08-01 KDM Analytics
added/updated white box definitions
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-10-14 Unbounded Transfer ('Classic Buffer Overflow')

CWE-126: Buffer Over-read

Weakness ID: 126
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product reads from a buffer using buffer access mechanisms such as indexes or pointers that reference memory locations after the targeted buffer. Diagram for CWE-126
+ 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

Read Memory

Scope: Confidentiality

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Confidentiality

By reading out-of-bounds memory, an attacker might be able to get secret values, such as memory addresses, which can bypass protection mechanisms such as ASLR in order to improve the reliability and likelihood of exploiting a separate weakness to achieve code execution instead of just denial of service.

DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart

Scope: Availability, Integrity

An attacker might be able to cause a crash or other denial of service by causing the product to read a memory location that is not allowed (such as a segmentation fault), or to cause other conditions in which the read operation returns more data than is expected.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 125 Out-of-bounds Read
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. 788 Access of Memory Location After End of Buffer
CanFollow 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. 170 Improper Null Termination
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Class: Memory-Unsafe (Undetermined Prevalence)

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


In the following C/C++ example the method processMessageFromSocket() will get a message from a socket, placed into a buffer, and will parse the contents of the buffer into a structure that contains the message length and the message body. A for loop is used to copy the message body into a local character string which will be passed to another method for processing.

(bad code)
Example Language:
int processMessageFromSocket(int socket) {
int success;

char buffer[BUFFER_SIZE];
char message[MESSAGE_SIZE];

// get message from socket and store into buffer

//Ignoring possibliity that buffer > BUFFER_SIZE
if (getMessage(socket, buffer, BUFFER_SIZE) > 0) {

// place contents of the buffer into message structure
ExMessage *msg = recastBuffer(buffer);

// copy message body into string for processing
int index;
for (index = 0; index < msg->msgLength; index++) {
message[index] = msg->msgBody[index];
}
message[index] = '\0';

// process message
success = processMessage(message);
}
return success;
}

However, the message length variable (msgLength) from the structure is used as the condition for ending the for loop without validating that msgLength accurately reflects the actual length of the message body (CWE-606). If msgLength indicates a length that is longer than the size of a message body (CWE-130), then this can result in a buffer over-read by reading past the end of the buffer (CWE-126).



Example 2


The following C/C++ example demonstrates a buffer over-read due to a missing NULL terminator. The main method of a pattern matching utility that looks for a specific pattern within a specific file uses the string strncopy() method to copy the command line user input file name and pattern to the Filename and Pattern character arrays respectively.

(bad code)
Example Language:
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
char Filename[256];
char Pattern[32];

/* Validate number of parameters and ensure valid content */
...

/* copy filename parameter to variable, may cause off-by-one overflow */
strncpy(Filename, argv[1], sizeof(Filename));

/* copy pattern parameter to variable, may cause off-by-one overflow */
strncpy(Pattern, argv[2], sizeof(Pattern));

printf("Searching file: %s for the pattern: %s\n", Filename, Pattern);
Scan_File(Filename, Pattern);
}

However, the code do not take into account that strncpy() will not add a NULL terminator when the source buffer is equal in length of longer than that provide size attribute. Therefore if a user enters a filename or pattern that are the same size as (or larger than) their respective character arrays, a NULL terminator will not be added (CWE-170) which leads to the printf() read beyond the expected end of the Filename and Pattern buffers.

To fix this problem, be sure to subtract 1 from the sizeof() call to allow room for the null byte to be added.

(good code)
Example Language:
/* copy filename parameter to variable, no off-by-one overflow */
strncpy(Filename, argv[2], sizeof(Filename)-1);
Filename[255]='\0';

/* copy pattern parameter to variable, no off-by-one overflow */
strncpy(Pattern, argv[3], sizeof(Pattern)-1);
Pattern[31]='\0';


+ 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
Text editor has out-of-bounds read past end of line while indenting C code
Chain: "Heartbleed" bug receives an inconsistent length parameter (CWE-130) enabling an out-of-bounds read (CWE-126), returning memory that could include private cryptographic keys and other sensitive data.
Chain: product does not handle when an input string is not NULL terminated, leading to buffer over-read or heap-based buffer overflow.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Use tools that are integrated during compilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanisms related to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer (ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note:Crafted inputs are necessary to reach the code containing the error, such as generated by fuzzers. Also, these tools may reduce performance, and they only report the error condition - not the original mistake that led to the error.
+ Functional Areas
  • Memory Management
+ Affected Resources
  • Memory
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 970 SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1399 Comprehensive Categorization: Memory Safety
+ 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

Relationship

These problems may be resultant from missing sentinel values (CWE-463) or trusting a user-influenced input length variable.

Other

A buffer over-read typically occurs when the pointer or its index is incremented to a position past the end of the buffer or when pointer arithmetic results in a position after the valid memory location.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Buffer over-read
Software Fault Patterns SFP8 Faulty Buffer Access
+ References
[REF-1034] Raoul Strackx, Yves Younan, Pieter Philippaerts, Frank Piessens, Sven Lachmund and Thomas Walter. "Breaking the memory secrecy assumption". ACM. 2009-03-31.
<https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1519144.1519145>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-1035] Fermin J. Serna. "The info leak era on software exploitation". 2012-07-25.
<https://media.blackhat.com/bh-us-12/Briefings/Serna/BH_US_12_Serna_Leak_Era_Slides.pdf>.
[REF-44] Michael Howard, David LeBlanc and John Viega. "24 Deadly Sins of Software Security". "Sin 5: Buffer Overruns." Page 89. McGraw-Hill. 2010.
[REF-1518] "AddressSanitizer".
<https://clang.llvm.org/docs/AddressSanitizer.html>. (URL validated: 2025-12-10)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2025-03-18
(CWE 4.17, 2025-04-03)
Abhi Balakrishnan
Provided diagram to improve CWE usability.
2025-07-10
(CWE 4.18, 2025-08-28)
Chris Harding Security Journey
Suggested CWE mapping change for the description for an observed example
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Detection_Factors, References
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Affected_Resources, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Functional_Areas
2025-04-03
(CWE 4.17, 2025-04-03)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram, Other_Notes
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, References, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2020-06-25 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-09-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, References
2018-03-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Causal_Nature, Demonstrative_Examples
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2014-06-23 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationship_Notes, Relationships
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities

CWE-127: Buffer Under-read

Weakness ID: 127
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product reads from a buffer using buffer access mechanisms such as indexes or pointers that reference memory locations prior to the targeted buffer.
+ 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

Read Memory

Scope: Confidentiality

Bypass Protection Mechanism

Scope: Confidentiality

By reading out-of-bounds memory, an attacker might be able to get secret values, such as memory addresses, which can bypass protection mechanisms such as ASLR in order to improve the reliability and likelihood of exploiting a separate weakness to achieve code execution instead of just denial of service.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 125 Out-of-bounds Read
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. 786 Access of Memory Location Before Start of Buffer
+ 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 Note
Implementation This typically occurs when the pointer or its index is decremented to a position before the buffer, when pointer arithmetic results in a position before the beginning of the valid memory location, or when a negative index is used. This may result in exposure of sensitive information or possibly a crash.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Memory-Unsafe (Undetermined Prevalence)

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


In the following code, the method retrieves a value from an array at a specific array index location that is given as an input parameter to the method

(bad code)
Example Language:
int getValueFromArray(int *array, int len, int index) {

int value;

// check that the array index is less than the maximum

// length of the array
if (index < len) {

// get the value at the specified index of the array
value = array[index];
}
// if array index is invalid then output error message

// and return value indicating error
else {
printf("Value is: %d\n", array[index]);
value = -1;
}

return value;
}

However, this method only verifies that the given array index is less than the maximum length of the array but does not check for the minimum value (CWE-839). This will allow a negative value to be accepted as the input array index, which will result in reading data before the beginning of the buffer (CWE-127) and may allow access to sensitive memory. The input array index should be checked to verify that is within the maximum and minimum range required for the array (CWE-129). In this example the if statement should be modified to include a minimum range check, as shown below.

(good code)
Example Language:

...

// check that the array index is within the correct

// range of values for the array
if (index >= 0 && index < len) {

...


+ 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
HTML conversion package has a buffer under-read, allowing a crash
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Use tools that are integrated during compilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanisms related to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer (ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note:Crafted inputs are necessary to reach the code containing the error, such as generated by fuzzers. Also, these tools may reduce performance, and they only report the error condition - not the original mistake that led to the error.
+ Functional Areas
  • Memory Management
+ Affected Resources
  • Memory
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 970 SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1399 Comprehensive Categorization: Memory Safety
+ 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

Research Gap

Under-studied.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Buffer under-read
Software Fault Patterns SFP8 Faulty Buffer Access
+ References
[REF-1034] Raoul Strackx, Yves Younan, Pieter Philippaerts, Frank Piessens, Sven Lachmund and Thomas Walter. "Breaking the memory secrecy assumption". ACM. 2009-03-31.
<https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1519144.1519145>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-1035] Fermin J. Serna. "The info leak era on software exploitation". 2012-07-25.
<https://media.blackhat.com/bh-us-12/Briefings/Serna/BH_US_12_Serna_Leak_Era_Slides.pdf>.
[REF-44] Michael Howard, David LeBlanc and John Viega. "24 Deadly Sins of Software Security". "Sin 5: Buffer Overruns." Page 89. McGraw-Hill. 2010.
[REF-1518] "AddressSanitizer".
<https://clang.llvm.org/docs/AddressSanitizer.html>. (URL validated: 2025-12-10)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Detection_Factors, Modes_of_Introduction, References
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Affected_Resources, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Functional_Areas
2023-10-26 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-09-19 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, References
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Causal_Nature
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Relationships
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities

CWE-124: Buffer Underwrite ('Buffer Underflow')

Weakness ID: 124
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
×

Edit Custom Filter


+ Description
The product writes to a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location prior to the beginning of the buffer.
+ Alternate Terms
buffer underrun
Some prominent vendors and researchers use the term "buffer underrun". "Buffer underflow" is more commonly used, although both terms are also sometimes used to describe a buffer under-read (CWE-127).
+ 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

Modify Memory; DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart

Scope: Integrity, Availability

Out of bounds memory access will very likely result in the corruption of relevant memory, and perhaps instructions, possibly leading to a crash.

Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Modify Memory; Bypass Protection Mechanism; Other

Scope: Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability, Access Control, Other

If the corrupted memory can be effectively controlled, it may be possible to execute arbitrary code. If the corrupted memory is data rather than instructions, the system will continue to function with improper changes, possibly in violation of an implicit or explicit policy. The consequences would only be limited by how the affected data is used, such as an adjacent memory location that is used to specify whether the user has special privileges.

Bypass Protection Mechanism; Other

Scope: Access Control, Other

When the consequence is arbitrary code execution, this can often be used to subvert any other security service.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Requirements

Choose a language that is not susceptible to these issues.

Implementation

All calculated values that are used as index or for pointer arithmetic should be validated to ensure that they are within an expected range.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 786 Access of Memory Location Before Start of Buffer
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. 787 Out-of-bounds Write
CanFollow 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. 839 Numeric Range Comparison Without Minimum Check
+ Relevant to the view "Software Development" (View-699)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1218 Memory Buffer 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 Note
Implementation This typically occurs when a pointer or its index is decremented to a position before the buffer, when pointer arithmetic results in a position before the beginning of the valid memory location, or when a negative index is used.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Memory-Unsafe (Undetermined Prevalence)

C (Undetermined Prevalence)

C++ (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Likelihood Of Exploit
Medium
+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


In the following C/C++ example, a utility function is used to trim trailing whitespace from a character string. The function copies the input string to a local character string and uses a while statement to remove the trailing whitespace by moving backward through the string and overwriting whitespace with a NUL character.

(bad code)
Example Language:
char* trimTrailingWhitespace(char *strMessage, int length) {
char *retMessage;
char *message = malloc(sizeof(char)*(length+1));

// copy input string to a temporary string
char message[length+1];
int index;
for (index = 0; index < length; index++) {
message[index] = strMessage[index];
}
message[index] = '\0';

// trim trailing whitespace
int len = index-1;
while (isspace(message[len])) {
message[len] = '\0';
len--;
}

// return string without trailing whitespace
retMessage = message;
return retMessage;
}

However, this function can cause a buffer underwrite if the input character string contains all whitespace. On some systems the while statement will move backwards past the beginning of a character string and will call the isspace() function on an address outside of the bounds of the local buffer.



Example 2


The following is an example of code that may result in a buffer underwrite. This code is attempting to replace the substring "Replace Me" in destBuf with the string stored in srcBuf. It does so by using the function strstr(), which returns a pointer to the found substring in destBuf. Using pointer arithmetic, the starting index of the substring is found.

(bad code)
Example Language:
int main() {
...
char *result = strstr(destBuf, "Replace Me");
int idx = result - destBuf;
strcpy(&destBuf[idx], srcBuf);
...
}

In the case where the substring is not found in destBuf, strstr() will return NULL, causing the pointer arithmetic to be undefined, potentially setting the value of idx to a negative number. If idx is negative, this will result in a buffer underwrite of destBuf.



+ 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
buffer underwrite in firmware verification routine allows code execution via a crafted firmware image
Unchecked length of SSLv2 challenge value leads to buffer underflow.
Buffer underflow from a small size value with a large buffer (length parameter inconsistency, CWE-130)
Buffer underflow from an all-whitespace string, which causes a counter to be decremented before the buffer while looking for a non-whitespace character.
Buffer underflow resultant from encoded data that triggers an integer overflow.
Product sets an incorrect buffer size limit, leading to "off-by-two" buffer underflow.
Negative value is used in a memcpy() operation, leading to buffer underflow.
Buffer underflow due to mishandled special characters
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Use tools that are integrated during compilation to insert runtime error-checking mechanisms related to memory safety errors, such as AddressSanitizer (ASan) for C/C++ [REF-1518].

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note:Crafted inputs are necessary to reach the code containing the error, such as generated by fuzzers. Also, these tools may reduce performance, and they only report the error condition - not the original mistake that led to the error.
+ Functional Areas
  • Memory Management
+ Affected Resources
  • Memory
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 970 SFP Secondary Cluster: Faulty Buffer Access
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1399 Comprehensive Categorization: Memory Safety
+ 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 Base 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

Relationship

This could be resultant from several errors, including a bad offset or an array index that decrements before the beginning of the buffer (see CWE-129).
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER UNDER - Boundary beginning violation ('buffer underflow'?)
CLASP Buffer underwrite
Software Fault Patterns SFP8 Faulty Buffer Access
+ References
[REF-90] "Buffer UNDERFLOWS: What do you know about it?". Vuln-Dev Mailing List. 2004-01-10.
<https://seclists.org/vuln-dev/2004/Jan/22>. (URL validated: 2023-04-07)
[REF-44] Michael Howard, David LeBlanc and John Viega. "24 Deadly Sins of Software Security". "Sin 5: Buffer Overruns." Page 89. McGraw-Hill. 2010.
[REF-1518] "AddressSanitizer".
<https://clang.llvm.org/docs/AddressSanitizer.html>. (URL validated: 2025-12-10)
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2023-02-06 Muchen Xu Naive Systems
Pointed out that the demonstrative example #2 was incorrect and instead demonstrated a Buffer Under-read.
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Detection_Factors, Modes_of_Introduction, References
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Affected_Resources, Functional_Areas
2024-02-29
(CWE 4.14, 2024-02-29)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated References, Relationships, Time_of_Introduction
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2022-04-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Research_Gaps
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Causal_Nature, Demonstrative_Examples, References
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, References, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-03-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2009-10-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Name, Relationships
2009-01-12 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Applicable_Platforms, Common_Consequences, Description, Relationships, Relationship_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2009-10-29 Boundary Beginning Violation ('Buffer Underwrite')

CWE-589: Call to Non-ubiquitous API

Weakness ID: 589
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.
View customized information:
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+ Description
The product uses an API function that does not exist on all versions of the target platform. This could cause portability problems or inconsistencies that allow denial of service or other consequences.
+ Extended Description
Some functions that offer security features supported by the OS are not available on all versions of the OS in common use. Likewise, functions are often deprecated or made obsolete for security reasons and should not be used.
+ 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

Quality Degradation

Scope: Other

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Always test your code on any platform on which it is targeted to run on.

Testing

Test your code on the newest and oldest platform on which it is targeted to run on.

Testing

Develop a system to test for API functions that are not portable.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 474 Use of Function with Inconsistent Implementations
+ 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 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Indirect
(where the weakness is a quality issue that might indirectly make it easier to introduce security-relevant weaknesses or make them more difficult to detect)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 850 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 7 - Methods (MET)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 858 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 15 - Serialization (SER)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1001 SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1140 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 06. Methods (MET)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1412 Comprehensive Categorization: Poor Coding Practices
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) MET02-J Do not use deprecated or obsolete classes or methods
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) SER00-J Maintain serialization compatibility during class evolution
Software Fault Patterns SFP3 Use of an improper API
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-12-15
(CWE Draft 5, 2006-12-15)
CWE Content Team MITRE
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations
2008-10-14 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Call to Limited API

CWE-572: Call to Thread run() instead of start()

Weakness ID: 572
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product calls a thread's run() method instead of calling start(), which causes the code to run in the thread of the caller instead of the callee.
+ Extended Description
In most cases a direct call to a Thread object's run() method is a bug. The programmer intended to begin a new thread of control, but accidentally called run() instead of start(), so the run() method will execute in the caller's thread of control.
+ 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

Quality Degradation; Varies by Context

Scope: Other

+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Use the start() method instead of the run() method.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 821 Incorrect Synchronization
+ 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 Note
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.
Languages

Java (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


The following excerpt from a Java program mistakenly calls run() instead of start().

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
Thread thr = new Thread() {
public void run() {
...
}
};

thr.run();


+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ Affected Resources
  • System Process
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 854 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 11 - Thread APIs (THI)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1001 SFP Secondary Cluster: Use of an Improper API
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1144 SEI CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java - Guidelines 10. Thread APIs (THI)
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1401 Comprehensive Categorization: Concurrency
+ 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.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) THI00-J Do not invoke Thread.run()
Software Fault Patterns SFP3 Use of an improper API
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-12-15
(CWE Draft 5, 2006-12-15)
CWE Community
Submitted by members of the CWE community to extend early CWE versions
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2010-09-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2009-07-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Other_Notes
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Other_Notes
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Call to Thread.run()

CWE-300: Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint

Weakness ID: 300
Vulnerability Mapping: DISCOURAGED This CWE ID should not be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
×

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+ Description
The product does not adequately verify the identity of actors at both ends of a communication channel, or does not adequately ensure the integrity of the channel, in a way that allows the channel to be accessed or influenced by an actor that is not an endpoint.
+ Extended Description
In order to establish secure communication between two parties, it is often important to adequately verify the identity of entities at each end of the communication channel. Inadequate or inconsistent verification may result in insufficient or incorrect identification of either communicating entity. This can have negative consequences such as misplaced trust in the entity at the other end of the channel. An attacker can leverage this by interposing between the communicating entities and masquerading as the original entity. In the absence of sufficient verification of identity, such an attacker can eavesdrop and potentially modify the communication between the original entities.
+ Alternate Terms
Adversary-in-the-Middle / AITM
Attacker-in-the-Middle / AITM
Man-in-the-Middle / MITM
Person-in-the-Middle / PITM
Monkey-in-the-Middle
Monster-in-the-Middle
Manipulator-in-the-Middle
On-path attack
Interception attack
+ 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

Read Application Data; Modify Application Data; Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Scope: Confidentiality, Integrity, Access Control

An attacker could pose as one of the entities and read or possibly modify the communication.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation

Always fully authenticate both ends of any communications channel.

Architecture and Design

Adhere to the principle of complete mediation.

Implementation

A certificate binds an identity to a cryptographic key to authenticate a communicating party. Often, the certificate takes the encrypted form of the hash of the identity of the subject, the public key, and information such as time of issue or expiration using the issuer's private key. The certificate can be validated by deciphering the certificate with the issuer's public key. See also X.509 certificate signature chains and the PGP certification structure.
+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (View-1000)
Nature Type ID Name
ChildOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 923 Improper Restriction of Communication Channel to Intended Endpoints
PeerOf Class Class - a weakness that is described in a very abstract fashion, typically independent of any specific language or technology. More specific than a Pillar Weakness, but more general than a Base Weakness. Class level weaknesses typically describe issues in terms of 1 or 2 of the following dimensions: behavior, property, and resource. 602 Client-Side Enforcement of Server-Side Security
PeerOf 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. 603 Use of Client-Side Authentication
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1011 Authorize Actors
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


In the Java snippet below, data is sent over an unencrypted channel to a remote server.

(bad code)
Example Language: Java 
Socket sock;
PrintWriter out;

try {
sock = new Socket(REMOTE_HOST, REMOTE_PORT);
out = new PrintWriter(echoSocket.getOutputStream(), true);

// Write data to remote host via socket output stream.
...
}

By eavesdropping on the communication channel or posing as the endpoint, an attacker would be able to read all of the transmitted data.



+ 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: incorrect "goto" in Apple SSL product bypasses certificate validation, allowing Adversary-in-the-Middle (AITM) attack (Apple "goto fail" bug). CWE-705 (Incorrect Control Flow Scoping) -> CWE-561 (Dead Code) -> CWE-295 (Improper Certificate Validation) -> CWE-393 (Return of Wrong Status Code) -> CWE-300 (Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint). The code's whitespace indentation did not reflect the actual control flow (CWE-1114) and did not explicitly delimit the block (CWE-483), which could have made it more difficult for human code auditors to detect the vulnerability.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
Resultant
(where the weakness is typically related to the presence of some other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Some tools can act as proxy servers that allow the tester to intercept packets or messages, inspect them, and modify them before sending them to the destination in order to see if the modified packets are still accepted by the receiving component.

Automated Dynamic Analysis

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools can be used to detect network traffic without encryption and/or verification. The affected protocol may be subject to Adversary-in-the-Middle attacks. Some tools act as proxy servers that allow the tester to inspect and modify packets/messages to see if they are still accepted by the receiving component.

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.) The analysis could identify use of protocols that are subject to Adversary-in-the-Middle attacks.

Effectiveness: Moderate

Note:Encryption and other protection mechanisms may be provided in the environment (e.g., by a load balancer or firewall that is positioned in front of a server), but this cannot be detected by SAST tools.
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 859 The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) Chapter 16 - Platform Security (SEC)
MemberOf ViewView - a subset of CWE entries that provides a way of examining CWE content. The two main view structures are Slices (flat lists) and Graphs (containing relationships between entries). 884 CWE Cross-section
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 956 SFP Secondary Cluster: Channel Attack
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1353 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A07:2021 - Identification and Authentication Failures
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1396 Comprehensive Categorization: Access Control
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1442 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A07:2025 - Authentication Failures
+ Vulnerability Mapping Notes
Usage DISCOURAGED
(this CWE ID should not be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities)
Reason Frequent Misuse

Rationale

CWE-300 is commonly misused for vulnerabilities in which the prerequisites for exploitation require the adversary to be in a privileged "in-the-middle" position.

Comments

Consider root-cause weaknesses that allow adversary-in-the-middle attacks to happen, such as CWEs involving poor integrity protection.
+ Notes

Maintenance

The summary identifies multiple distinct possibilities, suggesting that this is a category that must be broken into more specific weaknesses.
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Man-in-the-middle (MITM)
WASC 32 Routing Detour
The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011) SEC06-J Do not rely on the default automatic signature verification provided by URLClassLoader and java.util.jar
+ References
[REF-244] M. Bishop. "Computer Security: Art and Science". Addison-Wesley. 2003.
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Contributions
Contribution Date Contributor Organization
2024-09-02
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
Renaud Sauvain West Pharmaceutical Services
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2025-09-09
(CWE 4.18, 2025-09-09)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Detection_Factors
2024-07-16
(CWE 4.15, 2024-07-16)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-07-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Observed_Examples
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Related_Attack_Patterns
2020-12-10 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Alternate_Terms, Name, Observed_Examples, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships
2019-06-20 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Related_Attack_Patterns
2019-01-03 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2014-06-23 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Observed_Examples
2014-02-18 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2012-10-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Potential_Mitigations
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2010-12-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2010-02-16 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Taxonomy_Mappings
2009-05-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Name
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description, Maintenance_Notes, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
2008-07-01 Sean Eidemiller Cigital
added/updated demonstrative examples
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Man-in-the-middle (MITM)
2009-05-27 Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint (aka 'Man-in-the-Middle')
2020-02-24 Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint ('Man-in-the-Middle')

CWE-313: Cleartext Storage in a File or on Disk

Weakness ID: 313
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
×

Edit Custom Filter


+ Description
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in a file, or on disk.
+ Extended Description
The sensitive information could be read by attackers with access to the file, or with physical or administrator access to the raw disk. Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information.
+ 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

Read Application Data

Scope: Confidentiality

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 312 Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1013 Encrypt Data
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined Prevalence)

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1


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 cleartext.

This Java example shows a properties file with a cleartext 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 cleartext.

(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 cleartext as this will allow anyone who can read the file access to the resource. If possible, encrypt this information.



+ 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
Cleartext credentials in world-readable file.
Password in cleartext in config file.
Password in cleartext in config file.
Decrypted copy of a message written to disk given a combination of options and when user replies to an encrypted message.
Cleartext storage of private key and passphrase in log file when user imports the key.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ Detection Methods
Method Details

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 963 SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1348 OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A04:2021 - Insecure Design
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1402 Comprehensive Categorization: Encryption
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1441 OWASP Top Ten 2025 Category A06:2025 - Insecure Design
+ 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

Terminology

Different people use "cleartext" and "plaintext" to mean the same thing: the lack of encryption. However, within cryptography, these have more precise meanings. Plaintext is the information just before it is fed into a cryptographic algorithm, including already-encrypted text. Cleartext is any information that is unencrypted, although it might be in an encoded form that is not easily human-readable (such as base64 encoding).
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Plaintext Storage in File or on Disk
Software Fault Patterns SFP23 Exposed Data
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2021-10-28 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2021-03-15 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2013-07-17 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Name, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, Terminology_Notes
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2010-12-13 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Demonstrative_Examples
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Plaintext Storage in File or on Disk
2013-07-17 Plaintext Storage in a File or on Disk

CWE-314: Cleartext Storage in the Registry

Weakness ID: 314
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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
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+ Description
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in the registry.
+ Extended Description
Attackers can read the information by accessing the registry key. Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information.
+ 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

Read Application Data

Scope: Confidentiality

+ 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 and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that the user may want to explore.
+ Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (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. 312 Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
+ Relevant to the view "Architectural Concepts" (View-1008)
Nature Type ID Name
MemberOf Category Category - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1013 Encrypt Data
+ 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 Note
Architecture and Design OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.
+ 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.
Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific (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
Cleartext passwords in registry key.
+ Weakness Ordinalities
Ordinality Description
Primary
(where the weakness exists independent of other weaknesses)
+ 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 CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 963 SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data
MemberOf CategoryCategory - a CWE entry that contains a set of other entries that share a common characteristic. 1402 Comprehensive Categorization: Encryption
+ 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

Terminology

Different people use "cleartext" and "plaintext" to mean the same thing: the lack of encryption. However, within cryptography, these have more precise meanings. Plaintext is the information just before it is fed into a cryptographic algorithm, including already-encrypted text. Cleartext is any information that is unencrypted, although it might be in an encoded form that is not easily human-readable (such as base64 encoding).
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy Name Node ID Fit Mapped Node Name
PLOVER Plaintext Storage in Registry
Software Fault Patterns SFP23 Exposed Data
+ Content History
+ Submissions
Submission Date Submitter Organization
2006-07-19
(CWE Draft 3, 2006-07-19)
PLOVER
+ Modifications
Modification Date Modifier Organization
2025-12-11
(CWE 4.19, 2025-12-11)
CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Weakness_Ordinalities
2023-06-29 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Mapping_Notes
2023-04-27 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2023-01-31 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Description
2020-02-24 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2017-11-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
2014-07-30 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2013-07-17 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Applicable_Platforms, Description, Name, Observed_Examples, Potential_Mitigations, Terminology_Notes
2012-05-11 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships
2011-06-01 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Common_Consequences
2008-09-08 CWE Content Team MITRE
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings
2008-07-01 Eric Dalci Cigital
updated Time_of_Introduction
+ Previous Entry Names
Change Date Previous Entry Name
2008-04-11 Plaintext Storage in Registry
2013-07-17 Plaintext Storage in the Registry

CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information

Weakness ID: 312
Vulnerability Mapping: ALLOWED This CWE ID may be used to map to real-world vulnerabilities
Abstraction: 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.
View customized information:
For users who are interested in more notional aspects of a weakness. Example: educators, technical writers, and project/program managers. For users who are concerned with the practical application and details about the nature of a weakness and how to prevent it from happening. Example: tool developers, security researchers, pen-testers, incident response analysts. For users who are mapping an issue to CWE/CAPEC IDs, i.e., finding the most appropriate CWE for a specific issue (e.g., a CVE record). Example: tool developers, security researchers. For users who wish to see all available information for the CWE/CAPEC entry. For users who want to customize what details are displayed.
×

Edit Custom Filter


+ Description
The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within a resource that might be accessible to another control sphere. Diagram for CWE-312
+ 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

Read Application Data

Scope: Confidentiality

An attacker with access to the system could read sensitive information stored in cleartext (i.e., unencrypted). Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information.
+ Potential Mitigations
Phase(s) Mitigation

Implementation; System Configuration; Operation

When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to encrypt the data at rest. [REF-1297] [REF-1299] [REF-1301]

Implementation; System Configuration; Operation

In some systems/environments such as cloud, the use of "double encryption" (at both the software and hardware layer) might be required, and the developer might be solely responsible for both layers, instead of shared responsibility with the administrator of the broader system/environment.