Product-Generated Error Message Information Leak
Weakness ID: 210 (Weakness Base)Status: Draft
+ Description

Description Summary

The software identifies an error condition and creates its own diagnostic or error messages that contain sensitive information.
+ Time of Introduction
  • Architecture and Design
  • Implementation
  • Operation
+ Applicable Platforms

Languages

All

+ Demonstrative Examples

Example 1

The following code uses custom configuration files for each user in the application. It checks to see if the file exists on the system before attempting to open and use the file. If the configuration file does not exist, then an error is generated, and the application exits.

(Bad Code)
Example Language: Perl 
$uname = GetUserInput("username");

# avoid CWE-22, CWE-78, others.
if ($uname !~ /^\w+$/)
{
ExitError("Bad hacker!") ;
}

$filename = "/home/myprog/config/" . $uname . ".txt";
if (!(-e $filename))
{
ExitError("Error: $filename does not exist");
}

If this code is running on a server, such as a web application, then the person making the request should not know what the full pathname of the configuration directory is. By submitting a username that is not associated with a configuration file, an attacker could get this pathname from the error message. It could then be used to exploit path traversal, symbolic link following, or other problems that may exist elsewhere in the application.

+ Observed Examples
ReferenceDescription
CVE-2005-1745Infoleak of sensitive information in error message (physical access required).
+ Potential Mitigations

Phase: Implementation

Any error should be parsed for dangerous revelations.

Build: Debugging information should not make its way into a production release.

Handle exceptions internally and do not display errors containing potentially sensitive information to a user. Create default error pages if necessary.

+ Other Notes

Attack: trigger error, monitor responses.

+ Relationships
NatureTypeIDNameView(s) this relationship pertains toView(s)
ChildOfWeakness BaseWeakness Base209Information Exposure Through an Error Message
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ParentOfWeakness VariantWeakness Variant535Information Leak Through Shell Error Message
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ParentOfWeakness VariantWeakness Variant536Information Leak Through Servlet Runtime Error Message
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ParentOfWeakness VariantWeakness Variant537Information Leak Through Java Runtime Error Message
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
ParentOfWeakness VariantWeakness Variant550Information Leak Through Server Error Message
Development Concepts (primary)699
Research Concepts (primary)1000
+ Functional Areas
  • Non-specific
+ Taxonomy Mappings
Mapped Taxonomy NameNode IDFitMapped Node Name
PLOVERProduct-Generated Error Message Infoleak
+ Content History
Submissions
Submission DateSubmitterOrganizationSource
PLOVERExternally Mined
Modifications
Modification DateModifierOrganizationSource
2008-07-01Eric DalciCigitalExternal
updated Time of Introduction
2008-09-08CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Relationships, Other Notes, Taxonomy Mappings
2009-12-28CWE Content TeamMITREInternal
updated Demonstrative Examples
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