CWE-914: Improper Control of Dynamically-Identified Variables

What is Improper Control of Dynamically-Identified Variables?

• Overview: CWE-914, Improper Control of Dynamically-Identified Variables, occurs when a program does not properly restrict access to variables that are dynamically identified through input strings. This vulnerability allows for unintended reading or writing of variables, potentially leading to security issues.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can manipulate input strings to access or modify variables they should not have control over.
• Common attack patterns include injecting variable names through input fields or APIs to alter program behavior or access sensitive data.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences include unauthorized access to sensitive data or alteration of program flow.
• Potential cascading effects can involve privilege escalation or data corruption.
• Business impact might include data breaches, loss of customer trust, or regulatory non-compliance.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes involve validating and sanitizing input used to identify variables.
• Security best practices include using fixed variable names whenever possible and avoiding dynamic variable naming.
• Recommended tools and frameworks might include static analysis tools to detect improper variable handling and adopting secure coding standards.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not specified

Affected Technologies: Not specified