Tag Archives: Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries

CWE-202 – Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries

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Description

When trying to keep information confidential, an attacker can often infer some of the information by using statistics.

In situations where data should not be tied to individual users, but a large number of users should be able to make queries that “scrub” the identity of users, it may be possible to get information about a user — e.g., by specifying search terms that are known to be unique to that user.

Modes of Introduction:

– Architecture and Design

 

Likelihood of Exploit: Medium

 

Related Weaknesses

CWE-1230

 

Consequences

Confidentiality: Read Files or Directories, Read Application Data

Sensitive information may possibly be leaked through data queries accidentally.

 

Potential Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

Description: 

This is a complex topic. See the book Translucent Databases for a good discussion of best practices.

CVE References