The product makes files or directories accessible to unauthorized actors, even though they should not be.
Web servers, FTP servers, and similar servers may store a set of files underneath a "root" directory that is accessible to the server's users. Applications may store sensitive files underneath this root without also using access control to limit which users may request those files, if any. Alternately, an application might package multiple files or directories into an archive file (e.g., ZIP or tar), but the application might not exclude sensitive files that are underneath those directories.
In cloud technologies and containers, this weakness might present itself in the form of misconfigured storage accounts that can be read or written by a public or anonymous user.
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChildOf | Discouraged | C | 668 | Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere |
| ChildOf | Discouraged | C | 285 | Improper Authorization |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 527 | Exposure of Version-Control Repository to an Unauthorized Control Sphere |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 219 | Storage of File with Sensitive Data Under Web Root |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 220 | Storage of File With Sensitive Data Under FTP Root |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 528 | Exposure of Core Dump File to an Unauthorized Control Sphere |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 529 | Exposure of Access Control List Files to an Unauthorized Control Sphere |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 530 | Exposure of Backup File to an Unauthorized Control Sphere |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 539 | Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information |
| ParentOf | Allowed | V | 553 | Command Shell in Externally Accessible Directory |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 731 | OWASP Top Ten 2004 Category A10 - Insecure Configuration Management |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 743 | CERT C Secure Coding Standard (2008) Chapter 10 - Input Output (FIO) |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 815 | OWASP Top Ten 2010 Category A6 - Security Misconfiguration |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 877 | CERT C++ Secure Coding Section 09 - Input Output (FIO) |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 963 | SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1011 | Authorize Actors |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1212 | Authorization Errors |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1345 | OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A01:2021 - Broken Access Control |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1403 | Comprehensive Categorization: Exposed Resource |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-294 | Not Language-Specific Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-304 | Cloud Computing (technology class) Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-307 | Not Technology-Specific (technology class) Weaknesses |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-319 | Read Files or Directories (impact) |
| MemberOf | Prohibited | BS | BOSS-320 | Modify Files or Directories (impact) |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1011 | Authorize Actors |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1212 | Authorization Errors |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 1345 | OWASP Top Ten 2021 Category A01:2021 - Broken Access Control |
| Nature | Mapping | Type | ID | Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MemberOf | Prohibited | C | 963 | SFP Secondary Cluster: Exposed Data |
| Scope | Likelihood | Impact | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ConfidentialityIntegrity | N/A | Read Files or DirectoriesModify Files or Directories | N/A |
When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to disable public access.
N/A
OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.
OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.
The following Azure command updates the settings for a storage account:
However, "Allow Blob Public Access" is set to true, meaning that anonymous/public users can access blobs.
The command could be modified to disable "Allow Blob Public Access" by setting it to false.
The following Google Cloud Storage command gets the settings for a storage account named 'BUCKET_NAME':
Suppose the command returns the following result:
This result includes the "allUsers" or IAM role added as members, causing this policy configuration to allow public access to cloud storage resources. There would be a similar concern if "allAuthenticatedUsers" was present.
The command could be modified to remove "allUsers" and/or "allAuthenticatedUsers" as follows:
| Reference | Description |
|---|---|
| CVE-2005-1835 | Data file under web root. |
| Ordinality | Description |
|---|
Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
N/A
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.
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.
| Taxonomy Name | Entry ID | Fit | Entry Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| OWASP Top Ten 2004 | A10 | CWE More Specific | Insecure Configuration Management |
| CERT C Secure Coding | FIO15-C | N/A | Ensure that file operations are performed in a secure directory |