CWE-115 Base Incompleto

Misinterpretation of Input

This vulnerability occurs when software incorrectly interprets or processes input data, leading to unintended and potentially harmful security consequences. The flawed interpretation can come from…

Definición

What is CWE-115?

This vulnerability occurs when software incorrectly interprets or processes input data, leading to unintended and potentially harmful security consequences. The flawed interpretation can come from user-provided data, external systems, or other components.
At its core, this weakness is about a mismatch between what the software expects and how it actually handles incoming information. Instead of rejecting malformed data or processing it safely, the system assigns it the wrong meaning or context. This misinterpretation then ripples through the application logic, creating openings for attackers to manipulate behavior, bypass checks, or corrupt data. Common triggers include incorrect character encoding handling, flawed protocol parsing, or mistaken assumptions about data structure or boundaries. For developers, prevention starts with adopting a strict and consistent parsing strategy. Always validate and sanitize all input against a well-defined schema before processing. Use established libraries for complex formats (like XML, JSON, or network protocols) rather than custom parsers. Implement clear data transformation pipelines and log parsing decisions to catch discrepancies early. Assume input is malicious until proven otherwise, and design your data handling to fail securely—defaulting to a denied state when interpretation fails.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-115

  • CVE-2005-2225

    Product sees dangerous file extension in free text of a group discussion, disconnects all users.

  • CVE-2001-0003

    Product does not correctly import and process security settings from another product.

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

  1. 1

    Identifica una ruta de código que maneje entrada no confiable sin validación.

  2. 2

    Crea un payload que ejercite el comportamiento inseguro — inyección, traversal, overflow o abuso de lógica.

  3. 3

    Envía el payload a través de una solicitud normal y observa la reacción de la aplicación.

  4. 4

    Itera hasta que la respuesta filtre datos, ejecute código del atacante o escale privilegios.

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable pseudo

MITRE no ha publicado un ejemplo de código para esta CWE. El patrón siguiente es ilustrativo — consulta Recursos para referencias canónicas.

Vulnerable pseudo 
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
  // Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
  return executeUnsafe(input);
}
Ejemplo de código seguro

Secure pseudo

Seguro 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.
Lista de prevención

How to prevent CWE-115

  • Architecture Use safe-by-default frameworks and APIs that prevent the unsafe pattern from being expressible.
  • Implementation Validate input at trust boundaries; use allowlists, not denylists.
  • Implementation Apply the principle of least privilege to credentials, file paths, and runtime permissions.
  • Testing Cover this weakness in CI: SAST rules + targeted unit tests for the data flow.
  • Operation Monitor logs for the runtime signals listed in the next section.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-115

Fuzzing High

Fuzz testing (fuzzing) is a powerful technique for generating large numbers of diverse inputs - either randomly or algorithmically - and dynamically invoking the code with those inputs. Even with random inputs, it is often capable of generating unexpected results such as crashes, memory corruption, or resource consumption. Fuzzing effectively produces repeatable test cases that clearly indicate bugs, which helps developers to diagnose the issues.

Auto-corrección de Plexicus

Plexicus detecta automáticamente CWE-115 y abre un PR de corrección en menos de 60 segundos.

Codex Remedium escanea cada commit, identifica esta debilidad concreta y entrega un pull request listo para revisión con el parche. Sin tickets. Sin traspasos.

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Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es CWE-115?

This vulnerability occurs when software incorrectly interprets or processes input data, leading to unintended and potentially harmful security consequences. The flawed interpretation can come from user-provided data, external systems, or other components.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-115?

MITRE no ha publicado una calificación de probabilidad de explotación para esta debilidad. Trátala como de impacto medio hasta que tu modelo de amenazas demuestre lo contrario.

¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-115?

MITRE no ha especificado plataformas afectadas para esta CWE — puede aplicar a la mayoría de los stacks de aplicaciones.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-115?

Use safe-by-default frameworks, validate untrusted input at trust boundaries, and apply the principle of least privilege. Cover the data-flow signature in CI with SAST.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-115?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-115 en cada commit. Cuando hay coincidencia, nuestro agente Codex Remedium abre un PR de corrección con el código corregido, las pruebas y un resumen de una línea para el revisor.

¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-115?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/115.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-115

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Recursos

Further reading

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