CWE-433: Unparsed Raw Web Content Delivery

MITRE CWE weakness

Description

The product stores raw content or supporting code under the web document root with an extension that is not specifically handled by the server.

If code is stored in a file with an extension such as ".inc" or ".pl", and the web server does not have a handler for that extension, then the server will likely send the contents of the file directly to the requester without the pre-processing that was expected. When that file contains sensitive information such as database credentials, this may allow the attacker to compromise the application or associated components.

Common consequences

• Confidentiality: Read Application Data

Mitigations

Architecture and Design — Perform a type check before interpreting files.

Architecture and Design — Do not store sensitive information in files which may be misinterpreted.

References

• CWE page: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/433.html
• CWE list: https://cwe.mitre.org/data/index.html