CWE-202: Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries

BaseDraftExploit Likelihood: Medium

When trying to keep information confidential, an attacker can often infer some of the information by using statistics.

View on MITRE
Back to CWE Lookup

Extended Description

In situations where data should not be tied to individual users, but a large number of users should be able to make queries that "scrub" the identity of users, it may be possible to get information about a user -- e.g., by specifying search terms that are known to be unique to that user.

Technical Details

Structure
Simple
Vulnerability Mapping
ALLOWED

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-202 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-202, Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries, 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

Address Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design; recorded impacts include Read Files or Directories, and Read Application Data; observed examples include CVE-2022-41935. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-202 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-202: Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-202 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-202, Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries, 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-202

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-202, Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries. 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-202 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-202, Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries. 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-202: Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries?+

CWE-202: Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. When trying to keep information confidential, an attacker can often infer some of the information by using statistics. In situations where data should not be tied to individual users, but a large number of users should be able to make queries that "scrub" the identity of users, it may be possible to get information about a user -- e.g., by specifying search terms that are known to be unique to that user.

What are the security consequences of Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries?+

If exploited, CWE-202 (Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries) it can compromise Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Read Files or Directories and Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-202 include: This is a complex topic. See the [REF-1492] for a good discussion of best practices.

Which programming languages are affected by Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries?+

CWE-202 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 Exposure of Sensitive Information Through Data Queries?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-202, including CVE-2022-41935. 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-202 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.

Learn More

Find Related CVEs

Search for vulnerabilities that exploit CWE-202

CVE vs CWE: What's the Difference?

Understanding vulnerabilities vs weaknesses

Understanding CVSS Scoring

How vulnerability severity is measured

View Full MITRE Entry

Complete technical details and references

Advertisement