CWE-313 Variante Rascunho

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 without using encryption.

Definição

What is CWE-313?

This vulnerability occurs when an application writes sensitive data, such as passwords or personal information, directly to a file or disk without using encryption.
When sensitive data is stored in plain text, anyone with access to the file—or even the raw disk—can read it directly. This includes attackers who have gained system access, malicious insiders, or even system administrators performing routine maintenance. The risk isn't limited to standard file permissions; physical access to a storage device or the ability to read disk sectors can also expose the unprotected information. Even if the data appears scrambled or uses a simple encoding like Base64, it does not provide real security. Attackers can easily detect common encoding schemes and reverse them to recover the original cleartext. True protection requires strong, standard encryption with a securely managed key, not just obfuscation, to ensure data remains confidential both at rest and if the storage medium is compromised.
Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-313

  • Cleartext credentials in world-readable file.

  • Password in cleartext in config file.

  • Password in cleartext in config file.

  • Decrypted copy of a message written to disk given a combination of options and when user replies to an encrypted message.

  • Cleartext storage of private key and passphrase in log file when user imports the key.

Como os atacantes a exploram

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

  1. 1

    The following examples show a portion of properties and configuration files for Java and ASP.NET applications. The files include username and password information but they are stored in cleartext.

  2. 2

    This Java example shows a properties file with a cleartext username / password pair.

  3. 3

    The following example shows a portion of a configuration file for an ASP.Net application. This configuration file includes username and password information for a connection to a database but the pair is stored in cleartext.

  4. 4

    Username and password information should not be included in a configuration file or a properties file in cleartext as this will allow anyone who can read the file access to the resource. If possible, encrypt this information.

Exemplo de código vulnerável

Vulnerable Java

This Java example shows a properties file with a cleartext username / password pair.

Vulnerável Java
```
# Java Web App ResourceBundle properties file* 
  ...
  webapp.ldap.username=secretUsername
  webapp.ldap.password=secretPassword
  ...
Exemplo 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 verificação de prevenção

How to prevent CWE-313

  • 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.
Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-313

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-313 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.

Perguntas frequentes

Frequently asked questions

O que é o CWE-313?

This vulnerability occurs when an application writes sensitive data, such as passwords or personal information, directly to a file or disk without using encryption.

Qual a gravidade do CWE-313?

A MITRE não publicou uma classificação de probabilidade de exploração para esta fraqueza. Trate-a como impacto médio até o seu modelo de ameaças provar o contrário.

Que linguagens ou plataformas são afetadas pelo CWE-313?

A MITRE não especificou as plataformas afetadas por este CWE — pode aplicar-se à maioria das stacks de aplicações.

Como posso prevenir o CWE-313?

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.

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-313?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-313 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-313?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/313.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

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