CWE-523 Base Incompleto

Unprotected Transport of Credentials

This vulnerability occurs when a login page or authentication system transmits user credentials (like usernames and passwords) over a network without proper encryption, exposing them to interception.

Definição

What is CWE-523?

This vulnerability occurs when a login page or authentication system transmits user credentials (like usernames and passwords) over a network without proper encryption, exposing them to interception.
When credentials travel from a user's browser to your server without encryption, they are sent in plain text. Attackers on the same network can easily intercept this data using simple packet sniffing tools, leading directly to account compromise. This is a fundamental failure to protect the most sensitive part of the user session during its most vulnerable moment—transit. To prevent this, you must enforce the use of strong, modern encryption for all authentication traffic. Always use HTTPS (TLS/SSL) for your entire login process and application, never falling back to HTTP for any requests containing credentials. Additionally, implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to instruct browsers to always use a secure connection, preventing accidental data leakage.
Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-523

Ainda não há referências CVE públicas associadas a este CWE no catálogo da MITRE.

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 pseudo

A MITRE não publicou um exemplo de código para este CWE. O padrão abaixo é ilustrativo — consulte os Recursos para referências canónicas.

Vulnerável pseudo 
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
  // Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
  return executeUnsafe(input);
}
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-523

  • Operation / System Configuration Enforce SSL use for the login page or any page used to transmit user credentials or other sensitive information. Even if the entire site does not use SSL, it MUST use SSL for login. Additionally, to help prevent phishing attacks, make sure that SSL serves the login page. SSL allows the user to verify the identity of the server to which they are connecting. If the SSL serves login page, the user can be certain they are talking to the proper end system. A phishing attack would typically redirect a user to a site that does not have a valid trusted server certificate issued from an authorized supplier.
Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-523

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-523 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-523?

This vulnerability occurs when a login page or authentication system transmits user credentials (like usernames and passwords) over a network without proper encryption, exposing them to interception.

Qual a gravidade do CWE-523?

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-523?

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

Como posso prevenir o CWE-523?

Enforce SSL use for the login page or any page used to transmit user credentials or other sensitive information. Even if the entire site does not use SSL, it MUST use SSL for login. Additionally, to help prevent phishing attacks, make sure that SSL serves the login page. SSL allows the user to verify the identity of the server to which they are connecting. If the SSL serves login page, the user can be certain they are talking to the proper end system. A phishing attack would typically redirect…

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-523?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-523 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-523?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/523.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

Fraquezas relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-523

CWE-522 Pai

Insufficiently Protected Credentials

This vulnerability occurs when an application handles sensitive credentials like passwords or API keys in an insecure way, making them…

CWE-256 Irmão

Plaintext Storage of a Password

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores user passwords as readable text instead of using secure, one-way hashing. This…

CWE-257 Irmão

Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores user passwords in a format that can be easily reversed or decrypted back to their…

CWE-260 Irmão

Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive passwords directly within a configuration file, making them easily readable…

CWE-261 Irmão

Weak Encoding for Password

Using simple encoding like Base64 to hide a password provides no real security, as it can be easily reversed.

CWE-549 Irmão

Missing Password Field Masking

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to hide password characters as they are typed, making them visible to anyone who can…

CWE-312 Par

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers, or personal information in plain…

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