Use of Cache Containing Sensitive Information
Incomplete Base
Structure: Simple
Description
The code uses a cache that contains sensitive information, but the cache can be read by an actor outside of the intended control sphere.
Applications may use caches to improve efficiency when communicating with remote entities or performing intensive calculations. A cache maintains a pool of objects, threads, connections, pages, financial data, passwords, or other resources to minimize the time it takes to initialize and access these resources. If the cache is accessible to unauthorized actors, attackers can read the cache and obtain this sensitive information.
Common Consequences 1
Scope: Confidentiality
Impact: Read Application Data
Detection Methods 1
Automated Static AnalysisHigh
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.)Potential Mitigations 3
Phase: Architecture and Design
Protect information stored in cache.
Phase: Architecture and Design
Do not store unnecessarily sensitive information in the cache.
Phase: Architecture and Design
Consider using encryption in the cache.
Modes of Introduction
Implementation
Related Attack Patterns
Related Weaknesses