Description
The product contains a hard-coded password, which it uses for its own inbound authentication or for outbound communication to external components.
There are two main variations of a hard-coded password:
Potential Impact
Access Control
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Access Control
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Hide Activities, Reduce Maintainability
Demonstrative Examples
...DriverManager.getConnection(url, "scott", "tiger");...javap -c ConnMngr.class22: ldc #36; //String jdbc:mysql://ixne.com/rxsql24: ldc #38; //String scott26: ldc #17; //String tigerint VerifyAdmin(char *password) {
if (strcmp(password, "Mew!")) {
printf("Incorrect Password!\n");return(0);
}printf("Entering Diagnostic Mode...\n");return(1);
}int VerifyAdmin(String password) {if (!password.equals("Mew!")) {return(0);}//Diagnostic Modereturn(1);}# Java Web App ResourceBundle properties file
...webapp.ldap.username=secretUsernamewebapp.ldap.password=secretPassword......<connectionStrings><add name="ud_DEV" connectionString="connectDB=uDB; uid=db2admin; pwd=password; dbalias=uDB;" providerName="System.Data.Odbc" /></connectionStrings>...Mitigations & Prevention
For outbound authentication: store passwords outside of the code in a strongly-protected, encrypted configuration file or database that is protected from access by all outsiders, including other local users on the same system. Properly protect the key (CWE-320). If you cannot use encryption to protect the file, then make sure that the permissions are as restrictive as possible.
For inbound authentication: Rather than hard-code a default username and password for first time logins, utilize a "first login" mode that requires the user to enter a unique strong password.
Perform access control checks and limit which entities can access the feature that requires the hard-coded password. For example, a feature might only be enabled through the system console instead of through a network connection.
For inbound authentication: apply strong one-way hashes to your passwords and store those hashes in a configuration file or database with appropriate access control. That way, theft of the file/database still requires the attacker to try to crack the password. When receiving an incoming password during authentication, take the hash of the password and compare it to the hash that you have saved. Use randomly assigned salts for each separate hash that you generate. This increas
For front-end to back-end connections: Three solutions are possible, although none are complete.
Detection Methods
- Manual Analysis — This weakness can be detected using tools and techniques that require manual (human) analysis, such as penetration testing, threat modeling, and interactive tools that allow the tester to record and modify an active session.
- Black Box — Use monitoring tools that examine the software's process as it interacts with the operating system and the network. This technique is useful in cases when source code is unavailable, if the software was not developed by you, or if you want to verify that the build phase did not introduce any new wea
- 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 sea
Real-World CVE Examples
| CVE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CVE-2022-29964 | Distributed Control System (DCS) has hard-coded passwords for local shell access |
| CVE-2021-37555 | Telnet service for IoT feeder for dogs and cats has hard-coded password [REF-1288] |
| CVE-2021-35033 | Firmware for a WiFi router uses a hard-coded password for a BusyBox shell, allowing bypass of authentication through the UART port |
Related Weaknesses
Taxonomy Mappings
- 7 Pernicious Kingdoms: — Password Management: Hard-Coded Password
- CLASP: — Use of hard-coded password
- OWASP Top Ten 2004: A3 — Broken Authentication and Session Management
- The CERT Oracle Secure Coding Standard for Java (2011): MSC03-J — Never hard code sensitive information
- Software Fault Patterns: SFP33 — Hardcoded sensitive data
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CWE-259?
CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password) is a software weakness identified by MITRE's Common Weakness Enumeration. It is classified as a Variant-level weakness. The product contains a hard-coded password, which it uses for its own inbound authentication or for outbound communication to external components.
How can CWE-259 be exploited?
Attackers can exploit CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password) to gain privileges or assume identity. This weakness is typically introduced during the Implementation, Architecture and Design phase of software development.
How do I prevent CWE-259?
Key mitigations include: For outbound authentication: store passwords outside of the code in a strongly-protected, encrypted configuration file or database that is protected from access by all outsiders, including other local
What is the severity of CWE-259?
CWE-259 is classified as a Variant-level weakness (Low-Medium abstraction). It has been observed in 3 real-world CVEs.