CWE-321

Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

High Risk

Weakness Description

The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.

Potential Mitigations

Architecture and Design

Prevention schemes mirror that of hard-coded password storage.

Common Consequences

Access Control
Bypass Protection MechanismGain Privileges or Assume IdentityRead Application Data

If hard-coded cryptographic keys are used, it is almost certain that malicious users will gain access through the account in question. The use of a hard-coded cryptographic key significantly increases the possibility that encrypted data may be recovered.

Detection Methods

Automated Static Analysis

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 searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Effectiveness: High

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