CWE-284 Pilier Incomplet

Improper Access Control

The software fails to properly limit who can access a resource, allowing unauthorized users or systems to interact with it.

Définition

What is CWE-284?

The software fails to properly limit who can access a resource, allowing unauthorized users or systems to interact with it.
Access control is a security cornerstone built on three pillars: verifying identity (authentication), checking permissions (authorization), and logging actions (accountability). When any of these fails, attackers can steal data, escalate privileges, run commands, or hide their activity. Weaknesses typically arise in two ways: first, through faulty specification, where resources are misconfigured (like world-writable files) or users are given incorrect privileges. Second, through faulty enforcement, where errors in the code allow users to bypass the intended security rules, even if the policy was correctly defined.
Impact réel

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-284

  • A form hosting website only checks the session authentication status for a single form, making it possible to bypass authentication when there are multiple forms

  • Access-control setting in web-based document collaboration tool is not properly implemented by the code, which prevents listing hidden directories but does not prevent direct requests to files in those directories.

  • Python-based HTTP library did not scope cookies to a particular domain such that "supercookies" could be sent to any domain on redirect

  • Chain: Cloud computing virtualization platform does not require authentication for upload of a tar format file (CWE-306), then uses .. path traversal sequences (CWE-23) in the file to access unexpected files, as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV.

  • IT management product does not perform authentication for some REST API requests, as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV.

  • Firmware for a WiFi router uses a hard-coded password for a BusyBox shell, allowing bypass of authentication through the UART port

  • Bluetooth speaker does not require authentication for the debug functionality on the UART port, allowing root shell access

  • Default setting in workflow management product allows all API requests without authentication, as exploited in the wild per CISA KEV.

Comment les attaquants l'exploitent

Parcours de l'attaquant étape par étape

  1. 1

    Identifier un chemin de code qui traite des entrées non fiables sans validation.

  2. 2

    Élaborer une charge utile qui exploite le comportement non sécurisé — injection, traversal, débordement ou abus de logique.

  3. 3

    Délivrer la charge utile via une requête normale et observer la réaction de l'application.

  4. 4

    Itérer jusqu'à ce que la réponse divulgue des données, exécute le code de l'attaquant ou élève les privilèges.

Exemple de code vulnérable

Vulnerable pseudo

MITRE n'a pas publié d'exemple de code pour ce CWE. Le motif ci-dessous est illustratif — voir Ressources pour les références canoniques.

Vulnérable pseudo
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
  // Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
  return executeUnsafe(input);
}
Exemple de code sécurisé

Secure pseudo

Sécurisé 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.
Liste de contrôle de prévention

How to prevent CWE-284

  • Architecture and Design / Operation Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
  • Architecture and Design Compartmentalize the system to have "safe" areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
Signaux de détection

How to detect CWE-284

SAST High

Exécuter une analyse statique (SAST) sur le code source à la recherche du motif non sécurisé dans le flux de données.

DAST Moderate

Exécuter des tests de sécurité applicative dynamique (DAST) contre le point de terminaison en ligne.

Runtime Moderate

Surveiller les journaux runtime pour détecter des traces d'exception inhabituelles, des entrées malformées ou des tentatives de contournement d'autorisation.

Code review Moderate

Revue de code : signaler tout nouveau code qui traite les entrées de cette surface sans utiliser les helpers du framework validés.

Correction automatique Plexicus

Plexicus détecte automatiquement CWE-284 et ouvre une PR de correction en moins de 60 secondes.

Codex Remedium analyse chaque commit, identifie cette faiblesse précise et livre une pull request prête à être relue avec le correctif. Pas de tickets. Pas de transferts.

Questions fréquentes

Frequently asked questions

Qu'est-ce que CWE-284 ?

The software fails to properly limit who can access a resource, allowing unauthorized users or systems to interact with it.

Quelle est la gravité de CWE-284 ?

MITRE n'a pas publié de note de probabilité d'exploitation pour cette faiblesse. Traitez-la comme un impact moyen jusqu'à ce que votre modèle de menace prouve le contraire.

Quels langages ou plateformes sont affectés par CWE-284 ?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Not Technology-Specific, ICS/OT.

Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-284 ?

Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software. Compartmentalize the system to have "safe" areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and…

Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-284 ?

Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-284 à chaque commit. Lorsqu'une correspondance est trouvée, notre agent Codex Remedium ouvre une PR de correction avec le code corrigé, les tests et un résumé d'une ligne pour le relecteur.

Où puis-je en savoir plus sur CWE-284 ?

MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/284.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.

Faiblesses associées

Weaknesses related to CWE-284

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On-Chip Debug and Test Interface With Improper Access Control

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CWE-1220 Enfant

Insufficient Granularity of Access Control

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CWE-1224 Enfant

Improper Restriction of Write-Once Bit Fields

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CWE-1231 Enfant

Improper Prevention of Lock Bit Modification

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CWE-1233 Enfant

Security-Sensitive Hardware Controls with Missing Lock Bit Protection

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware device uses a lock bit to protect critical configuration registers, but the lock fails to…

CWE-1252 Enfant

CPU Hardware Not Configured to Support Exclusivity of Write and Execute Operations

This vulnerability occurs when a CPU's hardware is not set up to enforce a strict separation between writing data to memory and executing…

CWE-1257 Enfant

Improper Access Control Applied to Mirrored or Aliased Memory Regions

This vulnerability occurs when a hardware design maps the same physical memory to multiple addresses (aliasing or mirroring) but fails to…

CWE-1259 Enfant

Improper Restriction of Security Token Assignment

This vulnerability occurs when a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) fails to properly secure its Security Token mechanism. These tokens control which…

CWE-1260 Enfant

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This vulnerability occurs when a system incorrectly allows different memory protection ranges to overlap. This flaw can let attackers…

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