CWE-285 - Improper Authorization
- Abstraction:Class
- Structure:Simple
- Status:Draft
- Release Date:2006-07-19
- Latest Modification Date:2023-06-29
Weakness Name
Improper Authorization
Description
The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
Assuming a user with a given identity, authorization is the process of determining whether that user can access a given resource, based on the user's privileges and any permissions or other access-control specifications that apply to the resource. When access control checks are not applied consistently - or not at all - users are able to access data or perform actions that they should not be allowed to perform. This can lead to a wide range of problems, including information exposures, denial of service, and arbitrary code execution.
Common Consequences
Scope: Confidentiality
Impact: Read Application Data, Read Files or Directories
Notes: An attacker could read sensitive data, either by reading the data directly from a data store that is not properly restricted, or by accessing insufficiently-protected, privileged functionality to read the data.
Scope: Integrity
Impact: Modify Application Data, Modify Files or Directories
Notes: An attacker could modify sensitive data, either by writing the data directly to a data store that is not properly restricted, or by accessing insufficiently-protected, privileged functionality to write the data.
Scope: Access Control
Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Notes: An attacker could gain privileges by modifying or reading critical data directly, or by accessing insufficiently-protected, privileged functionality.
