CWE-74

Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')

High Risk

Weakness Description

The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.

Potential Mitigations

Requirements

Programming languages and supporting technologies might be chosen which are not subject to these issues.

Implementation

Utilize an appropriate mix of allowlist and denylist parsing to filter control-plane syntax from all input.

Common Consequences

Confidentiality
Read Application Data

Many injection attacks involve the disclosure of important information -- in terms of both data sensitivity and usefulness in further exploitation.

Access Control
Bypass Protection Mechanism

In some cases, injectable code controls authentication; this may lead to a remote vulnerability.

Other
Alter Execution Logic

Injection attacks are characterized by the ability to significantly change the flow of a given process, and in some cases, to the execution of arbitrary code.

IntegrityOther
Other

Data injection attacks lead to loss of data integrity in nearly all cases as the control-plane data injected is always incidental to data recall or writing.

Non-Repudiation
Hide Activities

Often the actions performed by injected control code are unlogged.

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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