CWE-211 Detail

CWE-211

Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information
Incomplete
2006-07-19
00h00 +00:00
2024-02-29
00h00 +00:00
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Name: Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information

The product performs an operation that triggers an external diagnostic or error message that is not directly generated or controlled by the product, such as an error generated by the programming language interpreter that a software application uses. The error can contain sensitive system information.

General Informations

Modes Of Introduction

Architecture and Design : PHP applications are often targeted for having this issue when the PHP interpreter generates the error outside of the application's control. However, other languages/environments exhibit the same issue.
Implementation : REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
Operation

Applicable Platforms

Language

Name: PHP (Often)
Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)

Common Consequences

Scope Impact Likelihood
ConfidentialityRead Application Data

Observed Examples

References Description

CVE-2004-1581

chain: product does not protect against direct request of an include file, leading to resultant path disclosure when the include file does not successfully execute.

CVE-2004-1579

Single "'" inserted into SQL query leads to invalid SQL query execution, triggering full path disclosure. Possibly resultant from more general SQL injection issue.

CVE-2005-0459

chain: product does not protect against direct request of a library file, leading to resultant path disclosure when the file does not successfully execute.

CVE-2005-0443

invalid parameter triggers a failure to find an include file, leading to infoleak in error message.

CVE-2005-0433

Various invalid requests lead to information leak in verbose error messages describing the failure to instantiate a class, open a configuration file, or execute an undefined function.

CVE-2004-1101

Improper handling of filename request with trailing "/" causes multiple consequences, including information leak in Visual Basic error message.

Potential Mitigations

Phases : System Configuration
Configure the application's environment in a way that prevents errors from being generated. For example, in PHP, disable display_errors.
Phases : Implementation // Build and Compilation
Debugging information should not make its way into a production release.
Phases : Implementation // Build and Compilation
Debugging information should not make its way into a production release.
Phases : Implementation
Handle exceptions internally and do not display errors containing potentially sensitive information to a user. Create default error pages if necessary.
Phases : Implementation
The best way to prevent this weakness during implementation is to avoid any bugs that could trigger the external error message. This typically happens when the program encounters fatal errors, such as a divide-by-zero. You will not always be able to control the use of error pages, and you might not be using a language that handles exceptions.

Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Justification : This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Comment : Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

NotesNotes

This is inherently a resultant vulnerability from a weakness within the product or an interaction error.

Submission

Name Organization Date Date release Version
PLOVER 2006-07-19 +00:00 2006-07-19 +00:00 Draft 3

Modifications

Name Organization Date Comment
Eric Dalci Cigital 2008-07-01 +00:00 updated Time_of_Introduction
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-09-08 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-10-14 +00:00 updated Description
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-11-24 +00:00 updated Description, Enabling_Factors_for_Exploitation, Functional_Areas, Observed_Examples, Other_Notes, Potential_Mitigations, Relationship_Notes, Weakness_Ordinalities
CWE Content Team MITRE 2010-06-21 +00:00 updated Potential_Mitigations
CWE Content Team MITRE 2010-12-13 +00:00 updated Observed_Examples
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-03-29 +00:00 updated Name
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-06-01 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences
CWE Content Team MITRE 2012-05-11 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2012-10-30 +00:00 updated Name
CWE Content Team MITRE 2014-07-30 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2017-11-08 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Enabling_Factors_for_Exploitation, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-02-24 +00:00 updated Description, Name, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-01-31 +00:00 updated Description
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-04-27 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-06-29 +00:00 updated Mapping_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2024-02-29 +00:00 updated Demonstrative_Examples