CWE-322 Detail

CWE-322

Key Exchange without Entity Authentication
High
Draft
2006-07-19
00h00 +00:00
2023-06-29
00h00 +00:00
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Name: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication

The product performs a key exchange with an actor without verifying the identity of that actor.

CWE Description

Performing a key exchange will preserve the integrity of the information sent between two entities, but this will not guarantee that the entities are who they claim they are. This may enable an attacker to impersonate an actor by modifying traffic between the two entities. Typically, this involves a victim client that contacts a malicious server that is impersonating a trusted server. If the client skips authentication or ignores an authentication failure, the malicious server may request authentication information from the user. The malicious server can then use this authentication information to log in to the trusted server using the victim's credentials, sniff traffic between the victim and trusted server, etc.

General Informations

Modes Of Introduction

Architecture and Design : OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.

Applicable Platforms

Language

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)

Common Consequences

Scope Impact Likelihood
Access ControlBypass Protection Mechanism

Note: No authentication takes place in this process, bypassing an assumed protection of encryption.
ConfidentialityRead Application Data

Note: The encrypted communication between a user and a trusted host may be subject to sniffing by any actor in the communication path.

Potential Mitigations

Phases : Architecture and Design
Ensure that proper authentication is included in the system design.
Phases : Implementation
Understand and properly implement all checks necessary to ensure the identity of entities involved in encrypted communications.

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.

References

REF-18

The CLASP Application Security Process
Secure Software, Inc..
https://cwe.mitre.org/documents/sources/TheCLASPApplicationSecurityProcess.pdf

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
CLASP 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 Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-10-10 +00:00 clarified the description
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-10-14 +00:00 updated Description, Other_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2009-07-27 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-06-01 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-06-27 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences
CWE Content Team MITRE 2012-05-11 +00:00 updated References, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2013-02-21 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2013-07-17 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2014-07-30 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2017-11-08 +00:00 updated Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-02-24 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, References, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2021-10-28 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-01-31 +00:00 updated Description, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-04-27 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-06-29 +00:00 updated Mapping_Notes