CWE-271 Detail

CWE-271

Privilege Dropping / Lowering Errors
High
Incomplete
2006-07-19
00h00 +00:00
2023-06-29
00h00 +00:00
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Name: Privilege Dropping / Lowering Errors

The product does not drop privileges before passing control of a resource to an actor that does not have those privileges.

CWE Description

In some contexts, a system executing with elevated permissions will hand off a process/file/etc. to another process or user. If the privileges of an entity are not reduced, then elevated privileges are spread throughout a system and possibly to an attacker.

General Informations

Modes Of Introduction

Architecture and Design
Implementation : REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.
Operation

Applicable Platforms

Language

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)

Common Consequences

Scope Impact Likelihood
Access ControlGain Privileges or Assume Identity

Note: If privileges are not dropped, neither are access rights of the user. Often these rights can be prevented from being dropped.
Access Control
Non-Repudiation		Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Hide Activities

Note: If privileges are not dropped, in some cases the system may record actions as the user which is being impersonated rather than the impersonator.

Observed Examples

References Description

CVE-2000-1213

Program does not drop privileges after acquiring the raw socket.

CVE-2001-0559

Setuid program does not drop privileges after a parsing error occurs, then calls another program to handle the error.

CVE-2001-0787

Does not drop privileges in related groups when lowering privileges.

CVE-2002-0080

Does not drop privileges in related groups when lowering privileges.

CVE-2001-1029

Does not drop privileges before determining access to certain files.

CVE-1999-0813

Finger daemon does not drop privileges when executing programs on behalf of the user being fingered.

CVE-1999-1326

FTP server does not drop privileges if a connection is aborted during file transfer.

CVE-2000-0172

Program only uses seteuid to drop privileges.

CVE-2004-2504

Windows program running as SYSTEM does not drop privileges before executing other programs (many others like this, especially involving the Help facility).

CVE-2004-0213

Utility Manager launches winhlp32.exe while running with raised privileges, which allows local users to gain system privileges.

CVE-2004-0806

Setuid program does not drop privileges before executing program specified in an environment variable.

CVE-2004-0828

Setuid program does not drop privileges before processing file specified on command line.

CVE-2004-2070

Service on Windows does not drop privileges before using "view file" option, allowing code execution.

Potential Mitigations

Phases : Architecture and Design

Compartmentalize the system to have "safe" areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.

Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.


Phases : Architecture and Design // Operation
Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
Phases : Architecture and Design
Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.

Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Justification : This CWE entry is a Class and might have Base-level children that would be more appropriate
Comment : Examine children of this entry to see if there is a better fit

NotesNotes

CWE-271, CWE-272, and CWE-250 are all closely related and possibly overlapping. CWE-271 is probably better suited as a category.

References

REF-44

24 Deadly Sins of Software Security
Michael Howard, David LeBlanc, John Viega.

REF-62

The Art of Software Security Assessment
Mark Dowd, John McDonald, Justin Schuh.

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 Description, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings, Weakness_Ordinalities
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-10-14 +00:00 updated Description, Maintenance_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2009-12-28 +00:00 updated Potential_Mitigations
CWE Content Team MITRE 2010-06-21 +00:00 updated Potential_Mitigations
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-03-29 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-06-01 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences
CWE Content Team MITRE 2012-05-11 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Observed_Examples, References, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2012-10-30 +00:00 updated Potential_Mitigations
CWE Content Team MITRE 2017-11-08 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Causal_Nature, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-02-24 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-12-10 +00:00 updated Potential_Mitigations
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