CWE-613 Base Incomplete

Insufficient Session Expiration

Insufficient session expiration occurs when an application allows old session tokens or IDs to remain valid for too long, letting attackers reuse them to gain unauthorized access.

Definition

What is CWE-613?

Insufficient session expiration occurs when an application allows old session tokens or IDs to remain valid for too long, letting attackers reuse them to gain unauthorized access.
This vulnerability happens because sessions don't expire quickly or securely enough. Common causes include overly long timeout periods, missing logout functions that invalidate tokens on the server, or sessions that persist indefinitely after a user closes their browser. Attackers can steal these lingering session credentials through techniques like cross-site scripting or session fixation, then impersonate legitimate users long after they've left the application. To prevent this, enforce short, absolute session timeouts, implement secure logout that destroys server-side session data, and tie sessions to client attributes like IP address or user agent. Regularly rotate session IDs after login or privilege changes. While SAST tools can detect the pattern, Plexicus uses AI to analyze session management flows and suggest precise code fixes—like implementing proper invalidation logic—saving hours of manual review and reducing risk across your entire application stack.
Auswirkungen in der Praxis

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-613

Bisher sind in MITREs Katalog keine öffentlichen CVE-Referenzen mit dieser CWE verknüpft.

Wie Angreifer es ausnutzen

Angreiferpfad Schritt für Schritt

  1. 1

    Identifiziere einen Codepfad, der nicht vertrauenswürdige Eingaben ohne Validierung verarbeitet.

  2. 2

    Erzeuge eine Payload, die das unsichere Verhalten auslöst — Injection, Traversal, Overflow oder Logik-Missbrauch.

  3. 3

    Liefere die Payload über einen normalen Request aus und beobachte die Reaktion der Anwendung.

  4. 4

    Iteriere, bis die Antwort Daten preisgibt, Angreifer-Code ausführt oder Berechtigungen eskaliert.

Verwundbares Codebeispiel

Vulnerable Java

The following snippet was taken from a J2EE web.xml deployment descriptor in which the session-timeout parameter is explicitly defined (the default value depends on the container). In this case the value is set to -1, which means that a session will never expire.

Verwundbar Java 
<web-app>
  		[...snipped...]
  		<session-config>
  			<session-timeout>-1</session-timeout>
  		</session-config>
  </web-app>
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-613

  • Implementation Set sessions/credentials expiration date.
Erkennungssignale

How to detect CWE-613

Automated Static Analysis High

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.)

Plexicus Auto-Fix

Plexicus erkennt CWE-613 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-613?

Insufficient session expiration occurs when an application allows old session tokens or IDs to remain valid for too long, letting attackers reuse them to gain unauthorized access.

Wie gravierend ist CWE-613?

MITRE hat für diese Schwachstelle keine Exploit-Wahrscheinlichkeit veröffentlicht. Behandle sie als mittlere Auswirkung, bis dein Threat Model anderes belegt.

Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-613 betroffen?

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

Wie kann ich CWE-613 verhindern?

Set sessions/credentials expiration date.

Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-613?

Die SAST-Engine von Plexicus erkennt die Datenfluss-Signatur von CWE-613 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-613?

MITRE veröffentlicht die kanonische Definition unter https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/613.html. Für ergänzende Hinweise kannst du auch die OWASP- und NIST-Dokumentation heranziehen.

Verwandte Schwachstellen

Weaknesses related to CWE-613

CWE-672 Parent

Operation on a Resource after Expiration or Release

This vulnerability occurs when a program continues to use a resource—like memory, a file handle, or a network connection—after it has been…

CWE-298 Sibling

Improper Validation of Certificate Expiration

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly check if a digital certificate has expired, potentially trusting…

CWE-324 Sibling

Use of a Key Past its Expiration Date

This vulnerability occurs when an application continues to use a cryptographic key or password after its designated expiration date. Doing…

CWE-415 Sibling

Double Free

A double free vulnerability occurs when a program mistakenly calls the 'free()' function twice on the same block of memory.

CWE-416 Sibling

Use After Free

Use After Free happens when a program continues to use a pointer to a memory location after that memory has been freed. This can lead to…

CWE-825 Sibling

Expired Pointer Dereference

This vulnerability occurs when a program tries to use a pointer that still points to a memory location that has already been freed or…

CWE-910 Sibling

Use of Expired File Descriptor

This vulnerability occurs when a program attempts to use a file descriptor after it has been closed, treating it as if it were still valid.

CWE-287 Kann vorausgehen

Improper Authentication

Improper Authentication occurs when a system fails to properly verify a user's claimed identity, allowing access without sufficient proof…

Ressourcen

Further reading

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