CWE-1111: Incomplete I/O Documentation
Learn about CWE-1111 (Incomplete I/O Documentation), its security impact, exploitation methods, and prevention guidelines.
What is Incomplete I/O Documentation?
• Overview: Incomplete I/O Documentation refers to insufficient documentation of a software product’s inputs, outputs, and system or software interfaces, leading to potential misunderstandings or misuse by developers or integrators.
• Exploitation Methods:
- Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by causing unintended behavior through unexpected inputs or outputs due to lack of clarity in documentation.
- Common attack patterns include injecting malformed data or unexpected sequences that the system is not documented to handle.
• Security Impact:
- Direct consequences include software malfunctions or unexpected behavior when handling inputs or outputs.
- Potential cascading effects involve system crashes, data corruption, or broader system vulnerabilities being exposed.
- Business impact may include loss of customer trust, increased maintenance costs, and potential regulatory compliance issues if failures lead to security breaches.
• Prevention Guidelines:
- Specific code-level fixes involve ensuring all external interfaces are clearly documented with expected input and output specifications.
- Security best practices include maintaining comprehensive and up-to-date documentation throughout the software development lifecycle.
- Recommended tools and frameworks involve using automated documentation tools and code review processes to ensure completeness and accuracy of documentation.
Technical Details
Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified
Affected Languages: Not specified
Affected Technologies: Not specified