CWE-258 Variant Incomplete High likelihood

Empty Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling authentication for a service or account.

Definition

What is CWE-258?

This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling authentication for a service or account.
Using a blank password is a critical security misconfiguration that leaves systems wide open to attack. It bypasses the fundamental purpose of authentication, allowing anyone with network or local access to log in without needing to guess or crack a password. This is often the result of oversight during deployment, automated scripting errors, or reliance on default configurations that are never properly secured. To prevent this, developers and system administrators must enforce policies that reject empty passwords during configuration and setup. Automated security scanning tools should flag empty credential fields, and all deployment processes must include a verification step to ensure strong, unique passwords are set for all accounts and services before they go into production.
Auswirkungen in der Praxis

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-258

  • CVE-2022-26117

    Network access control (NAC) product has a configuration file with an empty password

Wie Angreifer es ausnutzen

Angreiferpfad Schritt für Schritt

  1. 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 the password is provided as an empty string.

  2. 2

    This Java example shows a properties file with an empty password string.

  3. 3

    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 and the password is provided as an empty string.

  4. 4

    An empty string should never be used as a password as this can allow unauthorized access to the application. Username and password information should not be included in a configuration file or a properties file in clear text. If possible, encrypt this information and avoid CWE-260 and CWE-13.

Verwundbares Codebeispiel

Vulnerable Java

This Java example shows a properties file with an empty password string.

Verwundbar Java 
```
# Java Web App ResourceBundle properties file* 
  ...
  webapp.ldap.username=secretUsername
  webapp.ldap.password=
  ...
Sicheres Codebeispiel

Secure pseudo

Sicher 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.
Präventions-Checkliste

How to prevent CWE-258

  • System Configuration Passwords should be at least eight characters long -- the longer the better. Avoid passwords that are in any way similar to other passwords you have. Avoid using words that may be found in a dictionary, names book, on a map, etc. Consider incorporating numbers and/or punctuation into your password. If you do use common words, consider replacing letters in that word with numbers and punctuation. However, do not use "similar-looking" punctuation. For example, it is not a good idea to change cat to c@t, ca+, (@+, or anything similar. Finally, it is never appropriate to use an empty string as a password.
Erkennungssignale

How to detect CWE-258

SAST High

Führe statische Analyse (SAST) auf der Codebasis aus und suche im Datenfluss nach dem unsicheren Muster.

DAST Moderate

Führe dynamische Application-Security-Tests gegen den Live-Endpoint aus.

Runtime Moderate

Beobachte Runtime-Logs auf ungewöhnliche Exception-Traces, fehlerhafte Eingaben oder Versuche, Autorisierung zu umgehen.

Code review Moderate

Code Review: Markiere jeden neuen Code, der Eingaben von dieser Oberfläche ohne validierte Framework-Helper verarbeitet.

Plexicus Auto-Fix

Plexicus erkennt CWE-258 automatisch und öffnet in unter 60 Sekunden einen Fix-PR.

Codex Remedium scannt jeden Commit, identifiziert genau diese Schwachstelle und liefert einen reviewer-ready Pull Request mit dem Patch. Keine Tickets. Keine Hand-offs.

Demo anfordern Plexicus kostenlos testen
Häufig gestellte Fragen

Frequently asked questions

Was ist CWE-258?

This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling authentication for a service or account.

Wie gravierend ist CWE-258?

MITRE stuft die Exploit-Wahrscheinlichkeit als hoch ein — diese Schwachstelle wird aktiv in freier Wildbahn ausgenutzt und sollte priorisiert behoben werden.

Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-258 betroffen?

MITRE hat für diese CWE keine betroffenen Plattformen spezifiziert — sie kann in den meisten Anwendungs-Stacks auftreten.

Wie kann ich CWE-258 verhindern?

Passwords should be at least eight characters long -- the longer the better. Avoid passwords that are in any way similar to other passwords you have. Avoid using words that may be found in a dictionary, names book, on a map, etc. Consider incorporating numbers and/or punctuation into your password. If you do use common words, consider replacing letters in that word with numbers and punctuation. However, do not use "similar-looking" punctuation. For example, it is not a good idea to change cat…

Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-258?

Die SAST-Engine von Plexicus erkennt die Datenfluss-Signatur von CWE-258 bei jedem Commit. Bei einem Treffer öffnet unser Codex-Remedium-Agent einen Fix-PR mit korrigiertem Code, Tests und einer einzeiligen Zusammenfassung für den Reviewer.

Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-258?

MITRE veröffentlicht die kanonische Definition unter https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/258.html. Für ergänzende Hinweise kannst du auch die OWASP- und NIST-Dokumentation heranziehen.

Verwandte Schwachstellen

Weaknesses related to CWE-258

CWE-260 Parent

Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive passwords directly within a configuration file, making them easily readable…

CWE-13 Sibling

ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when an ASP.NET application stores passwords or other sensitive credentials in plaintext within configuration…

CWE-555 Sibling

J2EE Misconfiguration: Plaintext Password in Configuration File

A J2EE application insecurely stores an unprotected password within a configuration file.

Ressourcen

Further reading

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