CWE-403 - Exposure of File Descriptor to Unintended Control Sphere ('File Descriptor Leak')
- Abstraction:Base
- Structure:Simple
- Status:Draft
- Release Date:2006-07-19
- Latest Modification Date:2023-06-29
Weakness Name
Exposure of File Descriptor to Unintended Control Sphere ('File Descriptor Leak')
Description
A process does not close sensitive file descriptors before invoking a child process, which allows the child to perform unauthorized I/O operations using those descriptors.
When a new process is forked or executed, the child process inherits any open file descriptors. When the child process has fewer privileges than the parent process, this might introduce a vulnerability if the child process can access the file descriptor but does not have the privileges to access the associated file.
Common Consequences
Scope: Confidentiality, Integrity
Impact: Read Application Data, Modify Application Data
