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Description
The software does not encrypt sensitive or critical information before storage or transmission.
The lack of proper data encryption passes up the guarantees of confidentiality, integrity, and accountability that properly implemented encryption conveys.
Modes of Introduction:
– Architecture and Design
Likelihood of Exploit: High
Related Weaknesses
CWE-693
Consequences
Confidentiality: Read Application Data
If the application does not use a secure channel, such as SSL, to exchange sensitive information, it is possible for an attacker with access to the network traffic to sniff packets from the connection and uncover the data. This attack is not technically difficult, but does require physical access to some portion of the network over which the sensitive data travels. This access is usually somewhere near where the user is connected to the network (such as a colleague on the company network) but can be anywhere along the path from the user to the end server.
Confidentiality, Integrity: Modify Application Data
Omitting the use of encryption in any program which transfers data over a network of any kind should be considered on par with delivering the data sent to each user on the local networks of both the sender and receiver. Worse, this omission allows for the injection of data into a stream of communication between two parties — with no means for the victims to separate valid data from invalid. In this day of widespread network attacks and password collection sniffers, it is an unnecessary risk to omit encryption from the design of any system which might benefit from it.
Potential Mitigations
Phase: Requirements
Description:
Clearly specify which data or resources are valuable enough that they should be protected by encryption. Require that any transmission or storage of this data/resource should use well-vetted encryption algorithms.
Phase: Architecture and Design
Description:
Phase: Architecture and Design
Description:
Phase: Architecture and Design
Description:
Phase: Implementation, Architecture and Design
Description:
When using industry-approved techniques, use them correctly. Don’t cut corners by skipping resource-intensive steps (CWE-325). These steps are often essential for preventing common attacks.
Phase: Implementation
Effectiveness: Defense in Depth
Description:
Use naming conventions and strong types to make it easier to spot when sensitive data is being used. When creating structures, objects, or other complex entities, separate the sensitive and non-sensitive data as much as possible.
This makes it easier to spot places in the code where data is being used that is unencrypted.
CVE References
- CVE-2009-2272
- password and username stored in cleartext in a cookie
- CVE-2009-1466
- password stored in cleartext in a file with insecure permissions
- CVE-2009-0152
- chat program disables SSL in some circumstances even when the user says to use SSL.
- CVE-2009-1603
- Chain: product uses an incorrect public exponent when generating an RSA key, which effectively disables the encryption
- CVE-2008-1567
- storage of a secret key in cleartext in a temporary file
- CVE-2008-0174
- SCADA product uses HTTP Basic Authentication, which is not encrypted
- CVE-2007-5778
- login credentials stored unencrypted in a registry key
- CVE-2008-4122
- Chain: Use of HTTPS cookie without “secure” flag causes it to be transmitted across unencrypted HTTP.
- CVE-2008-3289
- Product sends password hash in cleartext in violation of intended policy.
- CVE-2008-4390
- Remote management feature sends sensitive information including passwords in cleartext.
- CVE-2007-5626
- Backup routine sends password in cleartext in email.
- CVE-2004-1852
- Product transmits Blowfish encryption key in cleartext.
- CVE-2008-0374
- Printer sends configuration information, including administrative password, in cleartext.
- CVE-2007-4961
- Chain: cleartext transmission of the MD5 hash of password enables attacks against a server that is susceptible to replay (CWE-294).
- CVE-2007-4786
- Product sends passwords in cleartext to a log server.
- CVE-2005-3140
- Product sends file with cleartext passwords in e-mail message intended for diagnostic purposes.