CWE-316: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory

What is Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory?

• Overview: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory refers to the practice of storing sensitive data, such as passwords or encryption keys, in an unencrypted form within a program's memory, making it vulnerable to unauthorized access.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by accessing memory dumps or analyzing memory directly if they have sufficient privileges.
• Common attack patterns include memory scraping, analyzing swap files, and inspecting core dump files that may inadvertently contain sensitive information.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include unauthorized access to sensitive data and potential data breaches.
• Potential cascading effects include exposure of additional sensitive information, unauthorized system access, and privilege escalation.
• Business impact could involve legal liabilities, reputational damage, and financial loss due to data breaches.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes involve encrypting sensitive information before storing it in memory and securely wiping memory after use.
• Security best practices include implementing access controls, using secure coding guidelines, and regularly auditing memory management practices.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include using memory-safe languages, employing libraries that handle sensitive data securely, and utilizing tools for static and dynamic code analysis to identify vulnerabilities.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not specified

Vulnerable Code Example

function authenticateUser() {
    // Sensitive information stored in cleartext
    var apiKey = "12345-ABCDE-67890-FGHIJ";

    // Simulate using the API key
    console.log("Using API key:", apiKey);
}

authenticateUser();

Explanation:

• In this example, an API key is hardcoded and stored in cleartext within the application's memory. If an attacker gains access to the application's memory, they could potentially extract this key and misuse it.

How to fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Memory?

To fix this vulnerability in JavaScript:

1. Environment Variables: Use environment variables to securely store sensitive information outside of the application's codebase.
2. Immediate Clearance: Clear sensitive data from memory as soon as it is no longer needed to minimize the risk of exposure.

Fixed Code Example

function authenticateUser() {
    // Retrieve sensitive information from environment variables
    var apiKey = process.env.API_KEY;
    if (!apiKey) {
        throw new Error("API_KEY not set in environment variables");
    }

    // Simulate using the API key
    console.log("Using API key:", apiKey);

    // Clear the API key from memory
    apiKey = null;
}

authenticateUser();

Explanation:

• Environment Variables: The API key is accessed via process.env.API_KEY, which ensures that the sensitive information is not hardcoded into the application. This approach leverages environment variables to keep sensitive data out of the source code.
• Clearance: After the API key is used, the variable is explicitly set to null, which helps to clear it from memory. This practice reduces the risk of sensitive data exposure if the memory is accessed by unauthorized entities.