CWE-148: Improper Neutralization of Input Leaders

What is Improper Neutralization of Input Leaders?

• Overview: Improper Neutralization of Input Leaders (CWE-148) occurs when a software application fails to correctly handle leading characters or sequences in input data. This can involve missing, malformed, or excessive leaders, which can lead to unexpected behavior or security vulnerabilities.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by crafting input data that bypasses input validation or parsing logic, leading to unauthorized actions or data exposure.
• Common attack patterns include using malformed or multiple leading characters to manipulate how the input is processed, potentially leading to injection attacks or bypassing security checks.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences of successful exploitation include unauthorized access, data corruption, or execution of unintended commands.
• Potential cascading effects involve further exploitation of the system, such as privilege escalation or spreading to connected systems.
• Business impact can be severe, including data breaches, loss of customer trust, regulatory fines, and financial loss.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include validating and sanitizing input data to ensure proper handling of leading characters and sequences.
• Security best practices involve implementing input validation libraries and ensuring consistent input handling across the application.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include using well-maintained libraries and frameworks that offer built-in input validation mechanisms, and employing static analysis tools to detect potential vulnerabilities in the code.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not specified

Affected Technologies: Not specified