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Variant · Low-Medium

CWE-496: Public Data Assigned to Private Array-Typed Field

Assigning public data to a private array is equivalent to giving public access to the array.

CWE-496 · Variant Level ·1 Mitigations

Description

Assigning public data to a private array is equivalent to giving public access to the array.

Potential Impact

Integrity

Modify Application Data

Demonstrative Examples

In the example below, the setRoles() method assigns a publically-controllable array to a private field, thus allowing the caller to modify the private array directly by virtue of the fact that arrays in Java are mutable.
Bad
private String[] userRoles;public void setUserRoles(String[] userRoles) {this.userRoles = userRoles;}

Mitigations & Prevention

Implementation

Do not allow objects to modify private members of a class.

Detection Methods

  • 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

CWE-664: Improper Control of a Resource Through its Lifetime

The product does not maintain or incorrectly maintains control over a resource throughout its lifetime of creation, use,...

Taxonomy Mappings

  • 7 Pernicious Kingdoms: — Public Data Assigned to Private Array-Typed Field
  • Software Fault Patterns: SFP25 — Tainted input to variable

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-496?

CWE-496 (Public Data Assigned to Private Array-Typed Field) is a software weakness identified by MITRE's Common Weakness Enumeration. It is classified as a Variant-level weakness. Assigning public data to a private array is equivalent to giving public access to the array.

How can CWE-496 be exploited?

Attackers can exploit CWE-496 (Public Data Assigned to Private Array-Typed Field) to modify application data. This weakness is typically introduced during the Implementation phase of software development.

How do I prevent CWE-496?

Key mitigations include: Do not allow objects to modify private members of a class.

What is the severity of CWE-496?

CWE-496 is classified as a Variant-level weakness (Low-Medium abstraction). Its actual severity depends on the specific context and how the weakness manifests in your application.