585
Weakness ID : 241
Structure : Simple
Abstraction : Base
Description
The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when a particular element is not the expected
type, e.g. it expects a digit (0-9) but is provided with a letter (A-Z).
Relationships
The table(s) below shows the weaknesses and high level categories that are related to this
weakness. These relationships are defined as ChildOf, ParentOf, MemberOr and give insight to
similar items that may exist at higher and lower levels of abstraction. In addition, relationships such
as PeerOf and CanAlsoBe are defined to show similar weaknesses that may want to be explored.
Relevant to the view "Research Concepts" (CWE-1000)
Nature Type ID Name Page
ChildOf 228 Improper Handling of Syntactically Invalid Structure 568
Relevant to the view "Software Development" (CWE-699)
Nature Type ID Name Page
MemberOf 19 Data Processing Errors 2309
Applicable Platforms
Language : Not Language-Specific (Prevalence = Undetermined)
Common Consequences
Scope Impact Likelihood
Integrity
Other
Varies by Context
Unexpected State
Potential Mitigations
Phase: Implementation
Strategy = Input Validation
Assume all input is malicious. Use an "accept known good" input validation strategy, i.e., use
a list of acceptable inputs that strictly conform to specifications. Reject any input that does not
strictly conform to specifications, or transform it into something that does. When performing
input validation, consider all potentially relevant properties, including length, type of input, the
full range of acceptable values, missing or extra inputs, syntax, consistency across related
fields, and conformance to business rules. As an example of business rule logic, "boat" may be
syntactically valid because it only contains alphanumeric characters, but it is not valid if the input
is only expected to contain colors such as "red" or "blue." Do not rely exclusively on looking for
malicious or malformed inputs. This is likely to miss at least one undesirable input, especially if
the code's environment changes. This can give attackers enough room to bypass the intended
validation. However, denylists can be useful for detecting potential attacks or determining which
inputs are so malformed that they should be rejected outright.
Phase: Implementation
Strategy = Input Validation
Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation
before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same
input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by
introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
Observed Examples
CWE Version 4.14
CWE-242: Use of Inherently Dangerous Function
CWE-242: Use of Inherently Dangerous Function