CWE-271Privilege Dropping / Lowering Errors

Description

The product does not drop privileges before passing control of a resource to an actor that does not have those privileges.

In some contexts, a system executing with elevated permissions will hand off a process/file/etc. to another process or user. If the privileges of an entity are not reduced, then elevated privileges are spread throughout a system and possibly to an attacker.

Common consequences

• Access Control→Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
  If privileges are not dropped, neither are access rights of the user. Often these rights can be prevented from being dropped.
• Access Control,Non-Repudiation→Gain Privileges or Assume Identity,Hide Activities
  If privileges are not dropped, in some cases the system may record actions as the user which is being impersonated rather than the impersonator.

Potential mitigations

• Architecture and Design
  [object Object]
• Architecture and Design,Operation
  Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
• Architecture and Design
  Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.

Related CWEs

Recent CVEs classified under this CWE