CWE-549: Missing Password Field Masking

What is Missing Password Field Masking?

• Overview: Missing Password Field Masking refers to a security vulnerability where the password input field does not obscure the input characters, allowing unauthorized individuals to see the password as it is being typed. This lack of masking increases the risk of password exposure through shoulder surfing or screen capture.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by observing the password directly as it is typed.
• Common attack patterns include shoulder surfing, screen recording, or photographing the display.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include unauthorized access to user accounts if passwords are observed.
• Potential cascading effects involve compromised systems and data breaches if attackers gain access through observed passwords.
• Business impact can include loss of customer trust, legal liabilities, and financial repercussions from data breaches.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include setting the input type to "password" in HTML forms to ensure characters are masked.
• Security best practices involve regularly auditing UI/UX for security vulnerabilities and educating developers on secure password handling.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include using secure UI libraries that enforce password masking by default and conducting regular security testing to identify such vulnerabilities.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not specified

Affected Technologies: Not specified