Description
The user interface (UI) does not properly represent critical information to the user, allowing the information - or its source - to be obscured or spoofed. This is often a component in phishing attacks.
If an attacker can cause the UI to display erroneous data, or to otherwise convince the user to display information that appears to come from a trusted source, then the attacker could trick the user into performing the wrong action. This is often a component in phishing attacks, but other kinds of problems exist. For example, if the UI is used to monitor the security state of a system or network, then omitting or obscuring an important indicator could prevent the user from detecting and reacting to a security-critical event. UI misrepresentation can take many forms:
Potential Impact
Non-Repudiation, Access Control
Hide Activities, Bypass Protection Mechanism
Mitigations & Prevention
Perform data validation (e.g. syntax, length, etc.) before interpreting the data.
Create a strategy for presenting information, and plan for how to display unusual characters.
Real-World CVE Examples
| CVE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CVE-2024-27936 | Chain: JavaScript-based application removes ANSI escape sequences in a dialog that asks permission for a particular file, causing the wrong filename to be visually presented for user approval (CWE-451 |
| CVE-2004-2227 | Web browser's filename selection dialog only shows the beginning portion of long filenames, which can trick users into launching executables with dangerous extensions. |
| CVE-2001-0398 | Attachment with many spaces in filename bypasses "dangerous content" warning and uses different icon. Likely resultant. |
| CVE-2001-0643 | Misrepresentation and equivalence issue. |
| CVE-2005-0593 | Lock spoofing from several different weaknesses. |
| CVE-2004-1104 | Incorrect indicator: web browser can be tricked into presenting the wrong URL |
| CVE-2005-0143 | Incorrect indicator: Lock icon displayed when an insecure page loads a binary file loaded from a trusted site. |
| CVE-2005-0144 | Incorrect indicator: Secure "lock" icon is presented for one channel, while an insecure page is being simultaneously loaded in another channel. |
| CVE-2004-0761 | Incorrect indicator: Certain redirect sequences cause security lock icon to appear in web browser, even when page is not encrypted. |
| CVE-2004-2219 | Incorrect indicator: Spoofing via multi-step attack that causes incorrect information to be displayed in browser address bar. |
| CVE-2004-0537 | Overlay: Wide "favorites" icon can overlay and obscure address bar |
| CVE-2005-2271 | Visual distinction: Web browsers do not clearly associate a Javascript dialog box with the web page that generated it, allowing spoof of the source of the dialog. "origin validation error" of a sort? |
| CVE-2005-2272 | Visual distinction: Web browsers do not clearly associate a Javascript dialog box with the web page that generated it, allowing spoof of the source of the dialog. "origin validation error" of a sort? |
| CVE-2005-2273 | Visual distinction: Web browsers do not clearly associate a Javascript dialog box with the web page that generated it, allowing spoof of the source of the dialog. "origin validation error" of a sort? |
| CVE-2005-2274 | Visual distinction: Web browsers do not clearly associate a Javascript dialog box with the web page that generated it, allowing spoof of the source of the dialog. "origin validation error" of a sort? |
Showing 15 of 27 observed examples.
Related Weaknesses
Taxonomy Mappings
- PLOVER: — UI Misrepresentation of Critical Information
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CWE-451?
CWE-451 (User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information) is a software weakness identified by MITRE's Common Weakness Enumeration. It is classified as a Class-level weakness. The user interface (UI) does not properly represent critical information to the user, allowing the information - or its source - to be obscured or spoofed. This is often a component in phishing attack...
How can CWE-451 be exploited?
Attackers can exploit CWE-451 (User Interface (UI) Misrepresentation of Critical Information) to hide activities, bypass protection mechanism. This weakness is typically introduced during the Architecture and Design, Implementation phase of software development.
How do I prevent CWE-451?
Key mitigations include: Perform data validation (e.g. syntax, length, etc.) before interpreting the data.
What is the severity of CWE-451?
CWE-451 is classified as a Class-level weakness (High abstraction). It has been observed in 27 real-world CVEs.