The product does not properly handle input in which an inconsistency exists between two or more special characters or reserved words.
View on MITREAn example of this problem would be if paired characters appear in the wrong order, or if the special characters are not properly nested.
Developers should anticipate that inconsistent special elements will be injected/manipulated in the input vectors of their product. Use an appropriate combination of denylists and allowlists to ensure only valid, expected and appropriate input is processed by the system.
No detection method information available for this CWE.
No examples or observed CVEs available for this CWE.
CWE-168: Improper Handling of Inconsistent Special Elements is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not properly handle input in which an inconsistency exists between two or more special characters or reserved words. An example of this problem would be if paired characters appear in the wrong order, or if the special characters are not properly nested.
If exploited, CWE-168 (Improper Handling of Inconsistent Special Elements) it can compromise Availability, Access Control and Non-Repudiation, leading to outcomes such as DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, Bypass Protection Mechanism and Hide Activities.
Recommended mitigations for CWE-168 include: Developers should anticipate that inconsistent special elements will be injected/manipulated in the input vectors of their product. Use an appropriate combination of denylists and allowlists to ensure only valid, expected and appropriate input is processed by the system.
CWE-168 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-168 describes a category of software weakness — the underlying flaw type. A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifies a specific, real-world vulnerability in a particular product. In short, a CWE is the kind of mistake, and a CVE is an instance of that mistake being found in software.