CWE-1025: Comparison Using Wrong Factors

What is Comparison Using Wrong Factors?

• Overview: This vulnerability occurs when code compares two entities using incorrect factors or characteristics, leading to potentially incorrect results. For example, it may mistakenly compare object references rather than their actual contents, causing "equal" objects to be considered unequal.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this by manipulating the factors being compared to bypass logic checks.
• Common attack patterns include tampering with data or object states to cause incorrect comparisons that benefit the attacker.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include logical errors in code execution, leading to incorrect decision-making.
• Potential cascading effects include unauthorized access, data corruption, or incorrect processing results.
• Business impact could range from financial loss, damaged reputation, to compliance issues if sensitive data is involved.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes involve ensuring comparisons use the correct and intended factors; for example, comparing object values instead of references.
• Security best practices include code reviews and testing to identify and correct unintended comparison logic.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include static analysis tools and unit testing frameworks to detect and prevent such vulnerabilities in the development phase.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not specified

Vulnerable Code Example

class Product {
    constructor(name, price, sku) {
        this.name = name;
        this.price = price;
        this.sku = sku;
    }
}

function compareProducts(product1, product2) {
    // Vulnerable comparison: Comparing products based solely on their names
    // This can lead to incorrect results if products have identical names but different SKUs or prices
    return product1.name === product2.name;
}

const productA = new Product("Laptop", 999.99, "SKU123");
const productB = new Product("Laptop", 899.99, "SKU124");
console.log(compareProducts(productA, productB));  // Returns true, but products are different in SKU and price

How to fix Comparison Using Wrong Factors?

The fix involves using the SKU for comparison since it uniquely identifies each product. This ensures that the comparison is based on a reliable and unique factor rather than a potentially ambiguous attribute like the name.

Fixed Code Example

class Product {
    constructor(name, price, sku) {
        this.name = name;
        this.price = price;
        this.sku = sku;
    }
}

function compareProducts(product1, product2) {
    // Fixed comparison: Use SKU for comparison as it is a unique identifier
    return product1.sku === product2.sku;
}

const productA = new Product("Laptop", 999.99, "SKU123");
const productB = new Product("Laptop", 899.99, "SKU124");
console.log(compareProducts(productA, productB));  // Returns false, correctly identifying different products

Explanation

By ensuring that comparisons are made using unique and relevant attributes, such as the SKU, these fixes prevent incorrect assumptions and potential vulnerabilities arising from relying on ambiguous or non-unique attributes like names. This approach ensures that the comparison logic is robust and accurate, aligning with best practices for ensuring data integrity and security.