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.
CWE-77 refers to the improper neutralisation of special elements used in a command. These special elements, when inadequately sanitised, allow attackers to inject malicious commands that the system interprets and executes. This vulnerability commonly appears in applications that dynamically construct system commands based on user inputs.
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.
CWE-94, or Code Injection, occurs when a software application improperly controls the input used in generating code. This vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious code, which the application subsequently compiles or interprets. The injected code can execute unintended commands, compromise data integrity, and even provide attackers with full control over the system.
Out-of-Bounds Read occurs when a program reads data past the allocated boundary of a buffer. This behaviour typically arises from improper validation of input data or incorrect indexing in memory operations. By exploiting this weakness, attackers can gain unauthorised access to sensitive information, potentially leading to security violations.