CWE-360 Base Incomplete High likelihood

Trust of System Event Data

This vulnerability occurs when software blindly trusts system event data without verifying its source, allowing attackers to spoof events and manipulate application behavior.

Definition

What is CWE-360?

This vulnerability occurs when software blindly trusts system event data without verifying its source, allowing attackers to spoof events and manipulate application behavior.

System events, like Windows messages or application-level notifications, function as an internal broadcast system without built-in authentication. Any program running in the same context (like a Windows desktop session) can send these events to any listening window or process. Since there's no default mechanism to verify where an event originated, malicious applications can easily forge them. To prevent exploitation, developers must implement explicit validation for all incoming event data. This includes verifying the sender's identity or permissions, sanitizing the event content, and implementing allow-lists for expected commands. Never assume an event is safe simply because it arrived through a system messaging channel.

Real-world impact

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-360

CVE-2004-0213

Attacker uses Shatter attack to bypass GUI-enforced protection for CVE-2003-0908.

How attackers exploit it

Step-by-step attacker path

1
Identify a code path that handles untrusted input without validation.
2
Craft a payload that exercises the unsafe behavior — injection, traversal, overflow, or logic abuse.
3
Deliver the payload through a normal request and observe the application's reaction.
4
Iterate until the response leaks data, executes attacker code, or escalates privileges.

Vulnerable code example

Vulnerable Java

This example code prints out secret information when an authorized user activates a button:

Vulnerable Java

public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
  	if (e.getSource() == button) {
  		System.out.println("print out secret information");
  	}
  }

Secure code example

Secure pseudo

// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}

What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.

Prevention checklist

How to prevent CWE-360

Architecture and Design Never trust or rely any of the information in an Event for security.

Detection signals

How to detect CWE-360

SAST High

Run static analysis (SAST) on the codebase looking for the unsafe pattern in the data flow.

DAST Moderate

Run dynamic application security testing against the live endpoint.

Runtime Moderate

Watch runtime logs for unusual exception traces, malformed input, or authorization bypass attempts.

Code review Moderate

Code review: flag any new code that handles input from this surface without using the validated framework helpers.

CWE-360

Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.

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Frequently asked questions

What is CWE-360?

This vulnerability occurs when software blindly trusts system event data without verifying its source, allowing attackers to spoof events and manipulate application behavior.

How serious is CWE-360?

MITRE rates the likelihood of exploit as High — this weakness is actively exploited in the wild and should be prioritized for remediation.

What languages or platforms are affected by CWE-360?

MITRE has not specified affected platforms for this CWE — it can apply across most application stacks.

How can I prevent CWE-360?

Never trust or rely any of the information in an Event for security.

How does Plexicus detect and fix CWE-360?

Plexicus's SAST engine matches the data-flow signature for CWE-360 on every commit. When a match is found, our Codex Remedium agent opens a fix PR with the corrected code, tests, and a one-line summary for the reviewer.

Where can I learn more about CWE-360?

MITRE publishes the canonical definition at https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/360.html. You can also reference OWASP and NIST documentation for adjacent guidance.

Related weaknesses

Weaknesses related to CWE-360

CWE-345 Parent

Trust of System Event Data

What is CWE-360?

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-360

Step-by-step attacker path

Vulnerable Java

Secure pseudo

How to prevent CWE-360

How to detect CWE-360

Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.

Frequently asked questions

Weaknesses related to CWE-360

Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity

Missing Source Correlation of Multiple Independent Data

Origin Validation Error

Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature

Use of Less Trusted Source

Acceptance of Extraneous Untrusted Data With Trusted Data

Insufficient Type Distinction

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)

Missing Support for Integrity Check

Further reading

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Sample evidence handover

Server-Side Request Forgery in `webhooks/receiver`