Führe statische Analyse (SAST) auf der Codebasis aus und suche im Datenfluss nach dem unsicheren Muster.
CWE-258 Variant Incomplete
Empty Password in Configuration File
This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling authentication for a service or account.
Definition
What is CWE-258?
This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling authentication for a service or account.
Using a blank password is a critical security misconfiguration that leaves systems wide open to attack. It bypasses the fundamental purpose of authentication, allowing anyone with network or local access to log in without needing to guess or crack a password. This is often the result of oversight during deployment, automated scripting errors, or reliance on default configurations that are never properly secured.
To prevent this, developers and system administrators must enforce policies that reject empty passwords during configuration and setup. Automated security scanning tools should flag empty credential fields, and all deployment processes must include a verification step to ensure strong, unique passwords are set for all accounts and services before they go into production.
Auswirkungen in der Praxis
Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-258
-
Network access control (NAC) product has a configuration file with an empty password
Wie Angreifer es ausnutzen
Angreiferpfad Schritt für Schritt
- 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 the password is provided as an empty string.
- 2
This Java example shows a properties file with an empty password string.
- 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 and the password is provided as an empty string.
- 4
An empty string should never be used as a password as this can allow unauthorized access to the application. Username and password information should not be included in a configuration file or a properties file in clear text. If possible, encrypt this information and avoid CWE-260 and CWE-13.
Verwundbares Codebeispiel
Vulnerable Java
This Java example shows a properties file with an empty password string.
```
# Java Web App ResourceBundle properties file*
...
webapp.ldap.username=secretUsername
webapp.ldap.password=
... Sicheres Codebeispiel
Secure 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.
Präventions-Checkliste
How to prevent CWE-258
- System Configuration Passwords should be at least eight characters long -- the longer the better. Avoid passwords that are in any way similar to other passwords you have. Avoid using words that may be found in a dictionary, names book, on a map, etc. Consider incorporating numbers and/or punctuation into your password. If you do use common words, consider replacing letters in that word with numbers and punctuation. However, do not use "similar-looking" punctuation. For example, it is not a good idea to change cat to c@t, ca+, (@+, or anything similar. Finally, it is never appropriate to use an empty string as a password.
Erkennungssignale
How to detect CWE-258
Führe dynamische Application-Security-Tests gegen den Live-Endpoint aus.
Beobachte Runtime-Logs auf ungewöhnliche Exception-Traces, fehlerhafte Eingaben oder Versuche, Autorisierung zu umgehen.
Code Review: Markiere jeden neuen Code, der Eingaben von dieser Oberfläche ohne validierte Framework-Helper verarbeitet.
CWE-258
Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.
Plexicus turns CWE catalogs into evidence: every CWE-pattern is matched against your real code graph, reach is proven on a sandbox clone, and verified findings ship as reviewed PRs.
Häufig gestellte Fragen Was ist CWE-258?
Wie gravierend ist CWE-258?
Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-258 betroffen?
Wie kann ich CWE-258 verhindern?
Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-258?
Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-258?
Frequently asked questions
Was ist CWE-258?
This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling authentication for a service or account.
Wie gravierend ist CWE-258?
MITRE stuft die Exploit-Wahrscheinlichkeit als hoch ein — diese Schwachstelle wird aktiv in freier Wildbahn ausgenutzt und sollte priorisiert behoben werden.
Welche Sprachen oder Plattformen sind von CWE-258 betroffen?
MITRE hat für diese CWE keine betroffenen Plattformen spezifiziert — sie kann in den meisten Anwendungs-Stacks auftreten.
Wie kann ich CWE-258 verhindern?
Passwords should be at least eight characters long -- the longer the better. Avoid passwords that are in any way similar to other passwords you have. Avoid using words that may be found in a dictionary, names book, on a map, etc. Consider incorporating numbers and/or punctuation into your password. If you do use common words, consider replacing letters in that word with numbers and punctuation. However, do not use "similar-looking" punctuation. For example, it is not a good idea to change cat…
Wie erkennt und behebt Plexicus CWE-258?
Die SAST-Engine von Plexicus erkennt die Datenfluss-Signatur von CWE-258 bei jedem Commit. Bei einem Treffer öffnet unser Codex-Remedium-Agent einen Fix-PR mit korrigiertem Code, Tests und einer einzeiligen Zusammenfassung für den Reviewer.
Wo erfahre ich mehr über CWE-258?
MITRE veröffentlicht die kanonische Definition unter https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/258.html. Für ergänzende Hinweise kannst du auch die OWASP- und NIST-Dokumentation heranziehen.
Verwandte Schwachstellen
Weaknesses related to CWE-258
CWE-260 Parent
Password in Configuration File
This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive passwords directly within a configuration file, making them easily readable…
CWE-13 Sibling
ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File
This vulnerability occurs when an ASP.NET application stores passwords or other sensitive credentials in plaintext within configuration…
CWE-555 Sibling
J2EE Misconfiguration: Plaintext Password in Configuration File
A J2EE application insecurely stores an unprotected password within a configuration file.
Ressourcen
Further reading
- MITRE — offizielle CWE-258 https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/258.html
- Seven Pernicious Kingdoms: A Taxonomy of Software Security Errors https://samate.nist.gov/SSATTM_Content/papers/Seven%20Pernicious%20Kingdoms%20-%20Taxonomy%20of%20Sw%20Security%20Errors%20-%20Tsipenyuk%20-%20Chess%20-%20McGraw.pdf
Bereit, das Wesentliche zu validieren?
Bereit zu validieren, was zählt.
Plexicus ist Proof-Driven AppSec: validierte Funde, kontextuelles Verständnis und geprüfte Remediation — in Evidenz verankert, mit Ihnen gescoped.