CWE-620

Base Abstraction Level
Pillar — Highest-level weakness category
Class — Abstract, language-independent
Base — Specific enough to detect
Variant — Tied to specific technology
Compound — Requires multiple weaknesses Draft MITRE CWE Status
Stable — Fully reviewed and complete
Draft — Under development, may change
Incomplete — Partially defined by MITRE
Deprecated — No longer recommended
Obsolete — Replaced by another CWE
Unverified Password Change

Description

When setting a new password for a user, the product does not require knowledge of the original password, or using another form of authentication.

This could be used by an attacker to change passwords for another user, thus gaining the privileges associated with that user.

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Consequences

Access Control — Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Mitigations

Phase: Architecture and Design

When prompting for a password change, force the user to provide the original password in addition to the new password.

Phase: Architecture and Design

Do not use "forgotten password" functionality. But if you must, ensure that you are only providing information to the actual user, e.g. by using an email address or challenge question that the legitimate user already provided in the past; do not allow the current user to change this identity information until the correct password has been provided.