CWE-204: Observable Response Discrepancy

BaseIncomplete

The product provides different responses to incoming requests in a way that reveals internal state information to an unauthorized actor outside of the intended control sphere.

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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-204 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-204, Observable Response Discrepancy, 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 Separation of Privilege controls for Observable Response Discrepancy

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design, and Implementation; the listed strategies include Separation of Privilege; recorded impacts include Read Application Data, and Bypass Protection Mechanism. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-204 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-204: Observable Response Discrepancy — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-204 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-204, Observable Response Discrepancy, 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-204

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-204, Observable Response Discrepancy. 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-204 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-204, Observable Response Discrepancy. 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-204: Observable Response Discrepancy?+

CWE-204: Observable Response Discrepancy is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product provides different responses to incoming requests in a way that reveals internal state information to an unauthorized actor outside of the intended control sphere.

What are the security consequences of Observable Response Discrepancy?+

If exploited, CWE-204 (Observable Response Discrepancy) it can compromise Confidentiality and Access Control, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data and Bypass Protection Mechanism.

Which programming languages are affected by Observable Response Discrepancy?+

CWE-204 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 Observable Response Discrepancy?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-204, including CVE-2002-2094, CVE-2001-1483, CVE-2001-1528, CVE-2004-2150 and CVE-2005-1650. 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-204 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.

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