CWE-261 Base Incompleto

Weak Encoding for Password

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

Definição

What is CWE-261?

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

This weakness occurs when developers try to protect passwords stored in configuration files or application properties by encoding them with schemes like Base64, hex, or ROT13. While this obscures the password from casual viewing, it is not encryption. Any attacker who discovers the encoded string can trivially decode it back to the original plaintext password, offering no meaningful defense. True password protection requires strong, one-way cryptographic hashing with a salt, or using a dedicated secrets management solution. Encoding is a form of security through obscurity that creates a false sense of safety. Developers should treat any encoded secret as if it were plaintext, because for an attacker, it effectively is.

Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-261

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
The following code reads a password from a properties file and uses the password to connect to a database.
2
This code will run successfully, but anyone with access to config.properties can read the value of password and easily determine that the value has been base 64 encoded. If a devious employee has access to this information, they can use it to break into the system.
3
The following code reads a password from the registry and uses the password to create a new network credential.
4
This code will run successfully, but anyone who has access to the registry key used to store the password can read the value of password. If a devious employee has access to this information, they can use it to break into the system.

Exemplo de código vulnerável

Vulnerable Java

The following code reads a password from a properties file and uses the password to connect to a database.

Vulnerável Java

...
  Properties prop = new Properties();
  prop.load(new FileInputStream("config.properties"));
  String password = Base64.decode(prop.getProperty("password"));
  DriverManager.getConnection(url, usr, password);
  ...

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-261

Passwords should be encrypted with keys that are at least 128 bits in length for adequate security.

Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-261

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.)

CWE-261

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Perguntas frequentes

Frequently asked questions

O que é o CWE-261?

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

Qual a gravidade do CWE-261?

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-261?

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

Como posso prevenir o CWE-261?

Passwords should be encrypted with keys that are at least 128 bits in length for adequate security.

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-261?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-261 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-261?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/261.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

Fraquezas relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-261

CWE-522 Pai

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Weak Encoding for Password

What is CWE-261?

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-261

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

Vulnerable Java

Secure pseudo

How to prevent CWE-261

How to detect CWE-261

Don't catalog this weakness. Prove it's reachable.

Frequently asked questions

Weaknesses related to CWE-261

Insufficiently Protected Credentials

Plaintext Storage of a Password

Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format

Password in Configuration File

Unprotected Transport of Credentials

Missing Password Field Masking

Further reading

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Sample evidence handover

Server-Side Request Forgery in `webhooks/receiver`