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CWE-258 Variante Incomplet
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.
Définition
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.
Impact réel
Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-258
-
Network access control (NAC) product has a configuration file with an empty password
Comment les attaquants l'exploitent
Parcours de l'attaquant étape par étape
- 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.
Exemple de code vulnérable
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=
... Exemple de code sécurisé
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.
Liste de contrôle de prévention
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.
Signaux de détection
How to detect CWE-258
Exécuter des tests de sécurité applicative dynamique (DAST) contre le point de terminaison en ligne.
Surveiller les journaux runtime pour détecter des traces d'exception inhabituelles, des entrées malformées ou des tentatives de contournement d'autorisation.
Revue de code : signaler tout nouveau code qui traite les entrées de cette surface sans utiliser les helpers du framework validés.
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.
Questions fréquentes Qu'est-ce que CWE-258 ?
Quelle est la gravité de CWE-258 ?
Quels langages ou plateformes sont affectés par CWE-258 ?
Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-258 ?
Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-258 ?
Où puis-je en savoir plus sur CWE-258 ?
Frequently asked questions
Qu'est-ce que 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.
Quelle est la gravité de CWE-258 ?
MITRE évalue la probabilité d'exploitation comme Élevée — cette faiblesse est activement exploitée et doit être priorisée pour la remédiation.
Quels langages ou plateformes sont affectés par CWE-258 ?
MITRE n'a pas spécifié les plateformes affectées pour ce CWE — il peut s'appliquer à la plupart des stacks applicatives.
Comment puis-je prévenir CWE-258 ?
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…
Comment Plexicus détecte et corrige CWE-258 ?
Le moteur SAST de Plexicus reconnaît la signature de flux de données de CWE-258 à chaque commit. Lorsqu'une correspondance est trouvée, notre agent Codex Remedium ouvre une PR de correction avec le code corrigé, les tests et un résumé d'une ligne pour le relecteur.
Où puis-je en savoir plus sur CWE-258 ?
MITRE publie la définition canonique à https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/258.html. Vous pouvez également consulter la documentation OWASP et NIST pour des conseils adjacents.
Faiblesses associées
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 Frère
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 Frère
J2EE Misconfiguration: Plaintext Password in Configuration File
A J2EE application insecurely stores an unprotected password within a configuration file.
Ressources
Further reading
- MITRE — CWE-258 officiel 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
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