CWE-271—Privilege Dropping / Lowering Errors

Weakness Name

Privilege 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

Scope:

Access Control

Impact:

Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Notes:

If privileges are not dropped, neither are access rights of the user. Often these rights can be prevented from being dropped.

Scope:

Access Control, Non-Repudiation

Impact:

Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Hide Activities

Notes:

If privileges are not dropped, in some cases the system may record actions as the user which is being impersonated rather than the impersonator.

Related Weaknesses

• CWE-269Improper Privilege ManagementMedium