CWE-315 Variante Borrador

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in a Cookie

This vulnerability occurs when an application directly stores sensitive data, like session tokens or personal details, in a browser cookie without encryption.

Definición

What is CWE-315?

This vulnerability occurs when an application directly stores sensitive data, like session tokens or personal details, in a browser cookie without encryption.
Storing sensitive information in plain text within a cookie exposes it to immediate theft. Attackers can easily intercept or extract these cookies using common browser tools or network sniffers, gaining direct access to user credentials, session IDs, or other private data. Even if the data is encoded (e.g., using Base64), it does not provide security. Encoding is easily reversible, and attackers can quickly identify the encoding method and decode the information. To be secure, sensitive data in cookies must always be properly encrypted and integrity-protected.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-315

  • CVE-2002-1800

    Admin password in cleartext in a cookie.

  • CVE-2001-1537

    Default configuration has cleartext usernames/passwords in cookie.

  • CVE-2001-1536

    Usernames/passwords in cleartext in cookies.

  • CVE-2005-2160

    Authentication information stored in cleartext in a cookie.

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 Java

The following code excerpt stores a plaintext user account ID in a browser cookie.

Vulnerable Java 
response.addCookie( new Cookie("userAccountID", acctID) );
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-315

  • 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-315

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.)

Auto-corrección de Plexicus

Plexicus detecta automáticamente CWE-315 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-315?

This vulnerability occurs when an application directly stores sensitive data, like session tokens or personal details, in a browser cookie without encryption.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-315?

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-315?

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

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-315?

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-315?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-315 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-315?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/315.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-315

CWE-312 Padre

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal information in plain…

CWE-313 Hermano

Cleartext Storage in a File or on Disk

This vulnerability occurs when an application writes sensitive data, such as passwords or personal information, directly to a file or disk…

CWE-314 Hermano

Cleartext Storage in the Registry

This vulnerability occurs when an application saves sensitive data, like passwords or keys, as plain text in the Windows Registry.

CWE-316 Hermano

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data, such as passwords or encryption keys, in memory without any form of…

CWE-317 Hermano

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data, such as passwords or personal information, in plain text within its…

CWE-318 Hermano

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable

This vulnerability occurs when an application embeds sensitive information, like passwords or keys, directly within its executable code…

CWE-526 Hermano

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in an Environment Variable

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data, such as passwords or API keys, as plain text in an environment…

Recursos

Further reading

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