CWE-182: Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-182 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-182, Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value, throughout the product lifecycle. Derive review questions, static or dynamic checks, and negative tests from the CWE's causal behavior; define the components and lifecycle stages each check covers; and retain findings with enough evidence to distinguish the root cause from symptoms and impacts. Track escapes and false negatives, then improve the verification plan after every confirmed occurrence.

NIST SP 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework — National Institute of Standards and Technology

Apply Input Validation controls for Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design, and Implementation; the listed strategies include Input Validation; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-182 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-182: Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-182 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-182, Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value, has evidence of exploitation in the wild. Confirm the CVE-to-CWE root-cause mapping independently before attaching the example, then capture the affected product, required action, and remediation deadline. A missing KEV match is not evidence that the weakness is unexploited, and a KEV entry must not be generalized to every occurrence of this CWE.

Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog — Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-182

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-182, Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value. Separate weakness language from attacker prerequisites and technical impact, check the entry's abstraction and vulnerability-mapping notes, and prefer the most specific Base or Variant supported by the evidence. Record the rejected alternatives and require an independent review before the mapping is used for remediation trends or program metrics.

CVE to CWE Root Cause Mapping Guidance — MITRE CWE

Validate CWE-182 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-182, Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value. Confirm the finding describes the causal weakness rather than an impact or attack pattern, compare the abstraction and mapping notes with plausible alternatives, and have a second reviewer challenge the selection. Preserve the evidence and reasoning so recurring defects can be measured against one consistent identifier.

CVE to CWE Root Cause Mapping Quick Tips — MITRE CWE

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-182: Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value?+

CWE-182: Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product filters data in a way that causes it to be reduced or "collapsed" into an unsafe value that violates an expected security property.

What are the security consequences of Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value?+

If exploited, CWE-182 (Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value) it can compromise Access Control, leading to outcomes such as Bypass Protection Mechanism.

How do you prevent or mitigate Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-182 include: Canonicalize the name to match that of the file system's representation of the name. This can sometimes be achieved with an available API (e.g. in Win32 the GetFullPathName function).

Which programming languages are affected by Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value?+

CWE-182 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.

What are real-world examples of Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-182, including CVE-2004-0815, CVE-2005-3123, CVE-2002-0325, CVE-2002-0784 and CVE-2005-2169. You can look up the full details of each CVE, including CVSS scores and remediation guidance, on our CVE Lookup tool.

What is the difference between a CWE and a CVE?+

A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-182 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.

CWE-182: Collapse of Data into Unsafe Value

Technical Details

Applicable To

Security Consequences

Scope

Impact

Mitigation Strategies

Phase

Description

Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Observed CVE Examples (6)

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses