CWE-538 Base Borrador

Insertion of Sensitive Information into Externally-Accessible File or Directory

This vulnerability occurs when an application unintentionally stores confidential data—like passwords, API keys, or personal user details—in a location that is publicly accessible or readable by…

Definición

What is CWE-538?

This vulnerability occurs when an application unintentionally stores confidential data—like passwords, API keys, or personal user details—in a location that is publicly accessible or readable by unauthorized users. Even if the file itself is intended to be available, the sensitive information within it should not be.
This flaw typically happens due to misconfigured file permissions, insecure default settings, or development practices that accidentally write secrets into log files, debug dumps, configuration files, or temporary directories. For example, an application might log full HTTP requests containing session tokens, or a deployment script could leave a backup file with database credentials in a web-accessible folder. Attackers can easily discover and exploit these exposed files using automated scanners or by guessing common file names. To prevent this, developers should implement strict access controls, ensuring sensitive files are stored outside web roots with proper permissions. Application code must avoid logging secrets, and automated processes should scrub sensitive data from any output. Regular security scans of publicly accessible directories are essential to detect accidental information leaks before they can be exploited.
Impacto en el mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-538

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

In the following code snippet, a user's full name and credit card number are written to a log file.

Vulnerable Java 
logger.info("Username: " + usernme + ", CCN: " + ccn);
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-538

  • Architecture and Design / Operation / System Configuration Do not expose file and directory information to the user.
Señales de detección

How to detect CWE-538

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-538 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-538?

This vulnerability occurs when an application unintentionally stores confidential data—like passwords, API keys, or personal user details—in a location that is publicly accessible or readable by unauthorized users. Even if the file itself is intended to be available, the sensitive information within it should not be.

¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-538?

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-538?

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

¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-538?

Do not expose file and directory information to the user.

¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-538?

El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-538 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-538?

MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/538.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.

Debilidades relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-538

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Debug Messages Revealing Unnecessary Information

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CWE-203 Hermano

Observable Discrepancy

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CWE-209 Hermano

Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information

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CWE-213 Hermano

Exposure of Sensitive Information Due to Incompatible Policies

This vulnerability occurs when a system's data handling aligns with the developer's security rules but accidentally reveals information…

Recursos

Further reading

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