COMMON WEAKNESS ENUMERATIONIncomplete

CWE-566

Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled SQL Primary Key

The product uses a database table that includes records that should not be accessible to an actor, but it executes a SQL statement with a primary key that can be controlled by that actor.

Abstraction

Variant

Structure

Simple

Likelihood of Exploit

Medium

Understand the problem

What is the problem?

The product uses a database table that includes records that should not be accessible to an actor, but it executes a SQL statement with a primary key that can be controlled by that actor.

Extended description

When a user can set a primary key to any value, then the user can modify the key to point to unauthorized records. Database access control errors occur when: - Data enters a program from an untrusted source. - The data is used to specify the value of a primary key in a SQL query. - The untrusted source does not have the permissions to be able to access all rows in the associated table.

Root cause

How and when does the problem arise?

Lifecycle phase

Architecture and Design

COMMISSION: This weakness refers to an incorrect design related to an architectural security tactic.

Lifecycle phase

Implementation

Risk

What does successful exploitation lead to?

Read Application DataModify Application DataBypass Protection Mechanism

Affected security scopes: Confidentiality, Integrity, Access Control

Defence

How is it prevented and fixed?

Implementation

Implementation-phase defence

Detail
Assume all input is malicious. Use a standard input validation mechanism to validate all input for length, type, syntax, and business rules before accepting the data. Use an "accept known good" validation strategy.

Implementation

Implementation-phase defence

Detail
Use a parameterized query AND make sure that the accepted values conform to the business rules. Construct your SQL statement accordingly.

Verification

How is it detected?

Automated Static Analysis

High
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.)