CWE-428 Base Rascunho

Unquoted Search Path or Element

This vulnerability occurs when a program uses a file path or command that contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotes. The operating system may misinterpret where the executable file is located,…

Definição

What is CWE-428?

This vulnerability occurs when a program uses a file path or command that contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotes. The operating system may misinterpret where the executable file is located, potentially allowing an attacker to run a malicious program with higher privileges.
When a path like `C:\Program Files\MyApp\app.exe` is called without quotes, the system interprets each space as a separator between arguments. It will first try to execute `C:\Program.exe`, then `C:\Program Files\MyApp\app.exe`. If an attacker can place a malicious file named `Program.exe` in the root directory (C:\), the system will run that file instead of the intended application. This is a classic privilege escalation path on Windows systems. If a high-privileged service or user runs a program with an unquoted path, an attacker with write access to a parent directory (like C:\) can plant a malicious executable with a name that matches an earlier segment of the path. The system's search order then executes the attacker's file with the same elevated permissions.
Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-428

  • CVE-2005-1185

    Small handful of others. Program doesn't quote the "C:\Program Files\" path when calling a program to be executed - or any other path with a directory or file whose name contains a space - so attacker can put a malicious program.exe into C:.

  • CVE-2005-2938

    CreateProcess() and CreateProcessAsUser() can be misused by applications to allow "program.exe" style attacks in C:

  • CVE-2000-1128

    Applies to "Common Files" folder, with a malicious common.exe, instead of "Program Files"/program.exe.

Como os atacantes a exploram

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

  1. 1

    Identificar um caminho de código que trata input não confiável sem validação.

  2. 2

    Criar um payload que explora o comportamento inseguro — injeção, traversal, overflow ou abuso de lógica.

  3. 3

    Entregar o payload através de um pedido normal e observar a reação da aplicação.

  4. 4

    Iterar até que a resposta exponha dados, execute código do atacante ou escale privilégios.

Exemplo de código vulnerável

Vulnerable C

The following example demonstrates the weakness.

Vulnerável C 
UINT errCode = WinExec( "C:\\Program Files\\Foo\\Bar", SW_SHOW );
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-428

  • Implementation Properly quote the full search path before executing a program on the system.
  • Implementation Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does. When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue." Do not rely exclusively on looking for malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.
  • Implementation Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-428

SAST High

Executar análise estática (SAST) na base de código à procura do padrão inseguro no fluxo de dados.

DAST Moderate

Executar testes dinâmicos de segurança de aplicações (DAST) contra o endpoint em execução.

Runtime Moderate

Monitorizar os registos em tempo de execução para traços de exceção invulgares, input malformado ou tentativas de contornar a autorização.

Code review Moderate

Revisão de código: sinalizar qualquer novo código que trate input desta superfície sem usar os ajudantes validados do framework.

Correção automática do Plexicus

O Plexicus deteta automaticamente o CWE-428 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.

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Perguntas frequentes

Frequently asked questions

O que é o CWE-428?

This vulnerability occurs when a program uses a file path or command that contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotes. The operating system may misinterpret where the executable file is located, potentially allowing an attacker to run a malicious program with higher privileges.

Qual a gravidade do CWE-428?

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-428?

MITRE lists the following affected platforms: Windows NT, macOS.

Como posso prevenir o CWE-428?

Properly quote the full search path before executing a program on the system. Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does. When performing input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the full range of acceptable…

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-428?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-428 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-428?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/428.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

Fraquezas relacionadas

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Recursos

Further reading

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