Unverified Password Change| ID: 620 | Date: (C)2012-05-14 (M)2022-10-10 |
| Type: weakness | Status: DRAFT |
| Abstraction Type: Variant |
Description
When setting a new password for a user, the product does not
require knowledge of the original password, or using another form of
authentication.
Extended DescriptionThis could be used by an attacker to change passwords for another user,
thus gaining the privileges associated with that user.
Applicable PlatformsLanguage Class: All
Time Of Introduction
- Architecture and Design
- Implementation
Common Consequences
| Scope | Technical Impact | Notes |
|---|
| Access_Control | Bypass protection
mechanismGain privileges / assume
identity | |
Detection MethodsNone
Potential Mitigations
| Phase | Strategy | Description | Effectiveness | Notes |
|---|
| Architecture and Design | | When prompting for a password change, force the user to provide the
original password in addition to the new password. | | |
| Architecture and Design | | Do not use "forgotten password" functionality. But if you must, ensure
that you are only providing information to the actual user, e.g. by
using an email address or challenge question that the legitimate user
already provided in the past; do not allow the current user to change
this identity information until the correct password has been
provided. | | |
Relationships
| Related CWE | Type | View | Chain |
|---|
| CWE-620 ChildOf CWE-898 | Category | CWE-888 | |
Demonstrative Examples (Details)
- This code changes a user's password. (Demonstrative Example Id DX-56)
Observed Examples
- CVE-2007-0681 : Web app allows remote attackers to change the passwords of arbitrary users without providing the original password, and possibly perform other unauthorized actions.
- CVE-2000-0944 : Web application password change utility doesn't check the original password.
For more examples, refer to CVE relations in the bottom box.
White Box Definitions None
Black Box Definitions None
Taxynomy Mappings
| Taxynomy | Id | Name | Fit |
|---|
| OWASP Top Ten 2004 | A3 | Broken Authentication and Session
Management | CWE_More_Specific |
References:
- Michael Howard David LeBlanc John Viega .24 Deadly Sins of Software Security. McGraw-Hill. Section:'"Sin 19: Use of Weak Password-Based Systems." Page
279'. Published on 2010.
