CWE-522 Clase Incompleto

Insufficiently Protected Credentials

This vulnerability occurs when an application handles sensitive credentials like passwords or API keys in an insecure way, making them easy for attackers to steal during transmission or while stored.

Definición

What is CWE-522?

This vulnerability occurs when an application handles sensitive credentials like passwords or API keys in an insecure way, making them easy for attackers to steal during transmission or while stored.
Insufficiently protected credentials are a primary target for attackers. This happens when developers rely on weak or outdated methods, such as sending passwords in plain text over unencrypted connections (HTTP), storing them in easily accessible logs or public code repositories, or using weak encryption that can be easily reversed. Attackers exploit these flaws using simple network sniffing, searching public code commits, or accessing poorly secured databases to harvest credentials and gain unauthorized access. To prevent this, always enforce strong, modern security practices. This means using TLS (HTTPS) for all credential transmission, never logging or caching passwords, and employing robust, salted hashing algorithms (like Argon2 or bcrypt) for storage. Additionally, implement secure credential management solutions, such as secrets managers or environment variables, to keep keys out of your application code entirely. Regular security audits and automated scanning can help catch these dangerous oversights before they are exploited.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-522

  • CVE-2022-30018

    A messaging platform serializes all elements of User/Group objects, making private information available to adversaries

  • CVE-2022-29959

    Initialization file contains credentials that can be decoded using a "simple string transformation"

  • CVE-2022-35411

    Python-based RPC framework enables pickle functionality by default, allowing clients to unpickle untrusted data.

  • CVE-2022-29519

    Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) sends sensitive information in plaintext, including passwords and session tokens.

  • CVE-2022-30312

    Building Controller uses a protocol that transmits authentication credentials in plaintext.

  • CVE-2022-31204

    Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) sends password in plaintext.

  • CVE-2022-30275

    Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses a driver that relies on a password stored in plaintext.

  • CVE-2007-0681

    Web app allows remote attackers to change the passwords of arbitrary users without providing the original password, and possibly perform other unauthorized actions.

Cómo lo explotan los atacantes

Ruta del atacante paso a paso

  1. 1

    This code changes a user's password.

  2. 2

    While the code confirms that the requesting user typed the same new password twice, it does not confirm that the user requesting the password change is the same user whose password will be changed. An attacker can request a change of another user's password and gain control of the victim's account.

  3. 3

    The following code reads a password from a properties file and uses the password to connect to a database.

  4. 4

    This code will run successfully, but anyone who has access to config.properties can read the value of password. If a devious employee has access to this information, they can use it to break into the system.

  5. 5

    The following code reads a password from the registry and uses the password to create a new network credential.

Ejemplo de código vulnerable

Vulnerable PHP

This code changes a user's password.

Vulnerable PHP 
$user = $_GET['user'];
  $pass = $_GET['pass'];
  $checkpass = $_GET['checkpass'];
  if ($pass == $checkpass) {
  	SetUserPassword($user, $pass);
  }
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-522

  • Architecture and Design Use an appropriate security mechanism to protect the credentials.
  • Architecture and Design Make appropriate use of cryptography to protect the credentials.
  • Implementation Use industry standards to protect the credentials (e.g. LDAP, keystore, etc.).
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-522

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-522 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.

Solicitar demo Probar Plexicus gratis
Preguntas frecuentes

Frequently asked questions

¿Qué es CWE-522?

This vulnerability occurs when an application handles sensitive credentials like passwords or API keys in an insecure way, making them easy for attackers to steal during transmission or while stored.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-522?

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-522?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: ICS/OT.

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-522?

Use an appropriate security mechanism to protect the credentials. Make appropriate use of cryptography to protect the credentials.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-522?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-522 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-522?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/522.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-522

CWE-1390 Padre

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This vulnerability occurs when a system's login or identity verification process is too easy to bypass or fool. While it attempts to check…

CWE-1391 Hermano

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This vulnerability occurs when a system relies on weak authentication credentials—like default passwords, hard-coded keys, or easily…

CWE-262 Hermano

Not Using Password Aging

This vulnerability occurs when a system lacks password expiration policies, allowing users to keep the same password indefinitely.

CWE-263 Hermano

Password Aging with Long Expiration

The system enforces password changes, but the time allowed between changes is excessively long, weakening security.

CWE-289 Hermano

Authentication Bypass by Alternate Name

This vulnerability occurs when a system checks access based on a resource or user name, but fails to account for all the different names…

CWE-290 Hermano

Authentication Bypass by Spoofing

This weakness occurs when an application's authentication system can be tricked into accepting forged or manipulated credentials, allowing…

CWE-294 Hermano

Authentication Bypass by Capture-replay

This vulnerability occurs when an attacker can intercept and record legitimate authentication traffic, then replay it later to gain…

CWE-301 Hermano

Reflection Attack in an Authentication Protocol

A reflection attack is a flaw in mutual authentication protocols that allows an attacker to impersonate a legitimate user without knowing…

CWE-302 Hermano

Authentication Bypass by Assumed-Immutable Data

This vulnerability occurs when an authentication system incorrectly treats certain data as unchangeable, when in fact an attacker can…

Recursos

Further reading

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