CWE-394

Unexpected Status Code or Return Value

Weakness Description

The product does not properly check when a function or operation returns a value that is legitimate for the function, but is not expected by the product.

Common Consequences

IntegrityOther
Unexpected StateAlter Execution Logic

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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