CWE-446: UI Discrepancy for Security Feature

What is UI Discrepancy for Security Feature?

• Overview: UI Discrepancy for Security Feature occurs when the user interface incorrectly indicates that a security feature is active or properly configured, misleading users into believing their actions have successfully secured the application or their data, when in fact they have not.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by misleading users into believing their data is secure, thus gaining access to sensitive information without triggering suspicion.
• Common attack patterns include intercepting unencrypted data that the user believes is encrypted or bypassing incomplete access controls that the user assumes are fully restrictive.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include unauthorized access to sensitive data, exposure of confidential information, or execution of operations without proper security measures.
• Potential cascading effects involve a breach of user trust, potential data leaks, and increased vulnerability to other attacks.
• Business impact can be severe, including legal liabilities, financial loss, and damage to the organization's reputation.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include ensuring that UI feedback accurately reflects the underlying security configurations and that all security features are correctly implemented in the back-end.
• Security best practices involve thorough testing of UI elements to confirm they provide accurate security status and conducting regular security audits.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include automated testing tools for UI security validation and frameworks that enforce secure default configurations for security features.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not specified

Vulnerable Code Example

JavaScript Example

// This code simulates a UI that allows users to enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
// The UI indicates that 2FA is enabled, but the backend logic fails to properly store this setting.

function enableTwoFactorAuth(user) {
    // UI feedback indicating 2FA is enabled
    document.getElementById('2fa-status').innerText = "Two-factor authentication is enabled";
    
    // Simulate storing the 2FA setting
    user.twoFactorEnabled = false; // Vulnerable: Incorrectly set to false, despite UI indicating it's enabled
}

let user = { twoFactorEnabled: false };
enableTwoFactorAuth(user);

console.log(user.twoFactorEnabled); // Outputs: false, Vulnerable: 2FA not actually enabled

Explanation

In this vulnerable example, the UI feedback suggests that two-factor authentication (2FA) is enabled, but the backend logic does not update the user.twoFactorEnabled property correctly. This discrepancy can lead to a false sense of security for users, as they may believe 2FA is protecting their account when it is not.

How to fix UI Discrepancy for Security Feature?

Fixed Code Example

// In this fixed version, the backend logic is corrected to properly store the 2FA setting.

function enableTwoFactorAuth(user) {
    try {
        // Correctly store the 2FA setting
        user.twoFactorEnabled = true; // Fixed: Correctly set to true to match UI feedback
        
        // UI feedback indicating 2FA is enabled
        document.getElementById('2fa-status').innerText = "Two-factor authentication is enabled";
    } catch (error) {
        console.error("Failed to enable two-factor authentication", error);
        // Provide user feedback on the failure
        document.getElementById('2fa-status').innerText = "Failed to enable two-factor authentication";
    }
}

let user = { twoFactorEnabled: false };
enableTwoFactorAuth(user);

console.log(user.twoFactorEnabled); // Outputs: true, Fixed: 2FA is now accurately enabled

Explanation

In the fixed code, the backend state (user.twoFactorEnabled) is correctly updated to match the UI's feedback. Error handling is added to provide accurate feedback to users in case of failure. This approach helps prevent the UI discrepancy vulnerability by ensuring that users are not misled about the security features' status.