CWE-274: Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges

BaseDraft

The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to perform an operation, leading to resultant weaknesses.

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Technical Details

Structure
Simple

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-274: Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges?+

CWE-274: Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not handle or incorrectly handles when it has insufficient privileges to perform an operation, leading to resultant weaknesses.

What are the security consequences of Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges?+

If exploited, CWE-274 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges) it can compromise Other, leading to outcomes such as Other and Alter Execution Logic.

Which programming languages are affected by Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges?+

CWE-274 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 Improper Handling of Insufficient Privileges?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-274, including CVE-2001-1564, CVE-2005-3286 and CVE-2005-1641. 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-274 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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