Description

A product requires authentication, but the product has an alternate path or channel that does not require authentication.

Modes of Introduction:

– Architecture and Design

Related Weaknesses

CWE-287
CWE-284
CWE-420
CWE-425

Consequences

Access Control: Bypass Protection Mechanism

Potential Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

Description: 

Funnel all access through a single choke point to simplify how users can access a resource. For every access, perform a check to determine if the user has permissions to access the resource.

CVE References

• CVE-2000-1179
  • Router allows remote attackers to read system logs without authentication by directly connecting to the login screen and typing certain control characters.

• CVE-1999-1454
  • Attackers with physical access to the machine may bypass the password prompt by pressing the ESC (Escape) key.

• CVE-1999-1077
  • OS allows local attackers to bypass the password protection of idled sessions via the programmer’s switch or CMD-PWR keyboard sequence, which brings up a debugger that the attacker can use to disable the lock.

• CVE-2003-0304
  • Direct request of installation file allows attacker to create administrator accounts.

• CVE-2002-0870
  • Attackers may gain additional privileges by directly requesting the web management URL.

• CVE-2002-0066
  • Bypass authentication via direct request to named pipe.

• CVE-2003-1035
  • User can avoid lockouts by using an API instead of the GUI to conduct brute force password guessing.