Skip to content

CWE-1390: Weak Authentication

AbstractionStructureStatus
NoneSimpleIncomplete

Description

The product uses an authentication mechanism to restrict access to specific users or identities, but the mechanism does not sufficiently prove that the claimed identity is correct.

Extended Description

Attackers may be able to bypass weak authentication faster and/or with less effort than expected.

NatureIDView IDName
ChildOfCWE-2871000Improper Authentication

Modes of Introduction

PhaseNote
Architecture and Design-
Implementation-

Applicable Platforms

Languages

Class: Not Language-Specific

Technologies

Class: ICS/OT Class: Not Technology-Specific

Common Consequences

ScopeImpactNote
Integrity, Confidentiality, Availability, Access ControlRead Application Data, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Execute Unauthorized Code or CommandsThis weakness can lead to the exposure of resources or functionality to unintended actors, possibly providing attackers with sensitive information or even execute arbitrary code.

Observed Examples

  • CVE-2024-48445: Chain: e-commerce app relies on an easily-guessable timestamp (CWE-341) in a weak authentication algorithm (CWE-1390)
  • CVE-2022-30034: Chain: Web UI for a Python RPC framework does not use regex anchors to validate user login emails (CWE-777), potentially allowing bypass of OAuth (CWE-1390).
  • CVE-2022-35248: Chat application skips validation when Central Authentication Service (CAS) is enabled, effectively removing the second factor from two-factor authentication
  • CVE-2021-3116: Chain: Python-based HTTP Proxy server uses the wrong boolean operators (CWE-480) causing an incorrect comparison (CWE-697) that identifies an authN failure if all three conditions are met instead of only one, allowing bypass of the proxy authentication (CWE-1390)
  • CVE-2022-29965: Distributed Control System (DCS) uses a deterministic algorithm to generate utility passwords
  • CVE-2022-29959: Initialization file contains credentials that can be decoded using a “simple string transformation”
  • CVE-2020-8994: UART interface for AI speaker uses empty password for root shell