CWE-386

Symbolic Name not Mapping to Correct Object

Weakness Description

A constant symbolic reference to an object is used, even though the reference can resolve to a different object over time.

Common Consequences

Access Control
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

The attacker can gain access to otherwise unauthorized resources.

IntegrityConfidentialityOther
Modify Application DataModify Files or DirectoriesRead Application DataRead Files or DirectoriesOther

Race conditions such as this kind may be employed to gain read or write access to resources not normally readable or writable by the user in question.

IntegrityOther
Modify Application DataOther

The resource in question, or other resources (through the corrupted one) may be changed in undesirable ways by a malicious user.

Non-Repudiation
Hide Activities

If a file or other resource is written in this method, as opposed to a valid way, logging of the activity may not occur.

Non-RepudiationIntegrity
Modify Files or Directories

In some cases it may be possible to delete files that a malicious user might not otherwise have access to -- such as log files.

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