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.)
CWE-488 Base Borrador
Exposure of Data Element to Wrong Session
This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly isolate data between different user sessions, allowing information from one user's session to leak into another's.
Definición
What is CWE-488?
This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly isolate data between different user sessions, allowing information from one user's session to leak into another's.
This flaw typically happens when application components, like singleton objects or pooled resources, are incorrectly used to store user-specific data. For instance, in Java Servlets, a single instance often handles requests for all users simultaneously. If a developer stores user data in the Servlet's member fields instead of the proper request or session scope, one user's data can become visible to another user, creating a race condition.
To prevent this, always store user state in the appropriate session context (like `HttpSession`) or within local method variables, never in shared object fields. Ensure your design clearly separates per-request data from shared application data, and understand the threading model of your framework's components.
Impacto en el mundo real
Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-488
Todavía no hay CVEs públicos enlazados a esta CWE en el catálogo de MITRE.
Cómo lo explotan los atacantes
Ruta del atacante paso a paso
- 1
Identifica una ruta de código que maneje entrada no confiable sin validación.
- 2
Crea un payload que ejercite el comportamiento inseguro — inyección, traversal, overflow o abuso de lógica.
- 3
Envía el payload a través de una solicitud normal y observa la reacción de la aplicación.
- 4
Itera hasta que la respuesta filtre datos, ejecute código del atacante o escale privilegios.
Ejemplo de código vulnerable
Vulnerable Java
The following Servlet stores the value of a request parameter in a member field and then later echoes the parameter value to the response output stream.
public class GuestBook extends HttpServlet {
String name;
protected void doPost (HttpServletRequest req, HttpServletResponse res) {
name = req.getParameter("name");
...
out.println(name + ", thanks for visiting!");
}
} Ejemplo de código seguro
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.
Lista de prevención
How to prevent CWE-488
- Architecture and Design Protect the application's sessions from information leakage. Make sure that a session's data is not used or visible by other sessions.
- Testing Use a static analysis tool to scan the code for information leakage vulnerabilities (e.g. Singleton Member Field).
- Architecture and Design In a multithreading environment, storing user data in Servlet member fields introduces a data access race condition. Do not use member fields to store information in the Servlet.
Señales de detección
How to detect CWE-488
CWE-488
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.
Preguntas frecuentes ¿Qué es CWE-488?
¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-488?
¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-488?
¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-488?
¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-488?
¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-488?
Frequently asked questions
¿Qué es CWE-488?
This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly isolate data between different user sessions, allowing information from one user's session to leak into another's.
¿Qué gravedad tiene CWE-488?
MITRE no ha publicado una calificación de probabilidad de explotación para esta debilidad. Trátala como de impacto medio hasta que tu modelo de amenazas demuestre lo contrario.
¿Qué lenguajes o plataformas se ven afectados por CWE-488?
MITRE no ha especificado plataformas afectadas para esta CWE — puede aplicar a la mayoría de los stacks de aplicaciones.
¿Cómo puedo prevenir CWE-488?
Protect the application's sessions from information leakage. Make sure that a session's data is not used or visible by other sessions. Use a static analysis tool to scan the code for information leakage vulnerabilities (e.g. Singleton Member Field).
¿Cómo detecta y corrige Plexicus CWE-488?
El motor SAST de Plexicus detecta la firma de flujo de datos para CWE-488 en cada commit. Cuando hay coincidencia, nuestro agente Codex Remedium abre un PR de corrección con el código corregido, las pruebas y un resumen de una línea para el revisor.
¿Dónde puedo aprender más sobre CWE-488?
MITRE publica la definición canónica en https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/488.html. También puedes consultar la documentación de OWASP y NIST para guías relacionadas.
Debilidades relacionadas
Weaknesses related to CWE-488
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CWE-200 Hermano
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This weakness occurs when an application unintentionally reveals sensitive data to someone who shouldn't have access to it.
CWE-374 Hermano
Passing Mutable Objects to an Untrusted Method
This vulnerability occurs when a function receives a direct reference to mutable data, such as an object or array, instead of a safe copy…
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This vulnerability occurs when a method directly returns a reference to its internal mutable data, allowing untrusted calling code to…
Recursos
Further reading
- MITRE — CWE-488 oficial https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/488.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
¿Listo para validar lo que importa?
Listo para validar lo que importa.
Plexicus es Proof-Driven AppSec: hallazgos validados, comprensión contextual y remediación revisada — anclada en evidencia, acotada contigo.