Hard-coded credentials refer to embedding authentication information such as usernames, passwords, API keys, or cryptographic keys directly into the source code. Developers might do this for convenience, testing, or quick deployment. However, these credentials often remain in production, creating vulnerabilities.
Improper Authentication occurs when a software application fails to properly verify the identity of a user or system attempting to gain access. This weakness enables unauthorised entities to bypass security measures and gain access to sensitive data or system functionalities.
Improper input validation occurs when a software application fails to verify that input received is within the expected range, format, type, or value before processing. This weakness paves the way for a variety of security exploits, including injection attacks, buffer overflows, and data manipulation, which can compromise application functionality and user data.
SQL Injection is a code injection technique that exploits a software vulnerability within the database query layer. This occurs when an application does not properly sanitise or neutralise special elements in SQL statements. Attackers craft malicious inputs to manipulate queries, gaining unauthorised access to databases or manipulating data.
Out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities (CWE-787) are among the most dangerous weaknesses in software development. If left unchecked, these vulnerabilities can have significant repercussions, including data corruption, service outages, and, in the worst cases, remote code execution.
An out-of-bounds write occurs when a program writes data outside the bounds of allocated memory, causing code compromise in the software.