CWE-653: Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization

Definição

What is CWE-653?

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to enforce strong boundaries between components that operate at different security levels, allowing lower-privileged functions to improperly interact with higher-privileged ones.

At its core, this weakness breaks a fundamental security principle: components with different trust levels should be kept separate. When an application doesn't properly isolate features, data, or processes, a flaw in a low-privilege area can create a bridge that attackers use to reach sensitive, high-privilege areas. Think of it like a building where a broken lock on a janitor's closet somehow gives access to the entire executive suite. For developers, this means that even a minor bug in a user-facing feature can escalate into a major breach if strong compartmentalization isn't in place. To prevent this, you must design clear security boundaries—using mechanisms like process separation, sandboxing, or strict access controls—to ensure that a compromise in one module is contained and cannot spread to more critical parts of the system.

Impacto no mundo real

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-653

CVE-2021-33096

Improper isolation of shared resource in a network-on-chip leads to denial of service
CVE-2019-6260

Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) device implements Advanced High-performance Bus (AHB) bridges that do not require authentication for arbitrary read and write access to the BMC's physical address space from the host, and possibly the network [REF-1138].

Como os atacantes a exploram

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

1
Identificar um caminho de código que trata input não confiável sem validação.
2
Criar um payload que explora o comportamento inseguro — injeção, traversal, overflow ou abuso de lógica.
3
Entregar o payload através de um pedido normal e observar a reação da aplicação.
4
Iterar até que a resposta exponha dados, execute código do atacante ou escale privilégios.

Exemplo de código vulnerável

Vulnerable pseudo

A MITRE não publicou um exemplo de código para este CWE. O padrão abaixo é ilustrativo — consulte os Recursos para referências canónicas.

Vulnerável pseudo

// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
  // Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
  return executeUnsafe(input);
}

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-653

Architecture and Design Break up privileges between different modules, objects, or entities. Minimize the interfaces between modules and require strong access control between them.

Sinais de deteção

How to detect CWE-653

Automated Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode SOAR Partial

According to SOAR, the following detection techniques may be useful: ``` Cost effective for partial coverage: ``` Compare binary / bytecode to application permission manifest

Manual Static Analysis - Source Code High

According to SOAR, the following detection techniques may be useful: ``` Highly cost effective: ``` Manual Source Code Review (not inspections) ``` Cost effective for partial coverage: ``` Focused Manual Spotcheck - Focused manual analysis of source

Architecture or Design Review High

According to SOAR, the following detection techniques may be useful: ``` Highly cost effective: ``` Inspection (IEEE 1028 standard) (can apply to requirements, design, source code, etc.) Formal Methods / Correct-By-Construction ``` Cost effective for partial coverage: ``` Attack Modeling

CWE-653

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Perguntas frequentes

Frequently asked questions

O que é o CWE-653?

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to enforce strong boundaries between components that operate at different security levels, allowing lower-privileged functions to improperly interact with higher-privileged ones.

Qual a gravidade do CWE-653?

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-653?

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

Como posso prevenir o CWE-653?

Break up privileges between different modules, objects, or entities. Minimize the interfaces between modules and require strong access control between them.

Como é que o Plexicus deteta e corrige o CWE-653?

O motor SAST do Plexicus correlaciona a assinatura de fluxo de dados do CWE-653 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-653?

A MITRE publica a definição canónica em https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/653.html. Pode também consultar a documentação da OWASP e do NIST para orientações adjacentes.

Fraquezas relacionadas

Weaknesses related to CWE-653

CWE-657 Pai

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Reservar Pentest

Improper Isolation or Compartmentalization

What is CWE-653?

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-653

Trajeto do atacante passo a passo

Vulnerable pseudo

Secure pseudo

How to prevent CWE-653

How to detect CWE-653

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

Frequently asked questions

Weaknesses related to CWE-653

Violation of Secure Design Principles

Improper Identifier for IP Block used in System-On-Chip (SOC)

Dependency on Vulnerable Third-Party Component

Execution with Unnecessary Privileges

Not Failing Securely ('Failing Open')

Unnecessary Complexity in Protection Mechanism (Not Using 'Economy of Mechanism')

Not Using Complete Mediation

Reliance on a Single Factor in a Security Decision

Insufficient Psychological Acceptability

Further reading

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Sample evidence handover

Server-Side Request Forgery in `webhooks/receiver`