CWE-278: Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions

VariantIncomplete

A product inherits a set of insecure permissions for an object, e.g. when copying from an archive file, without user awareness or involvement.

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Technical Details

Structure
Simple

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-278: Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions?+

CWE-278: Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. A product inherits a set of insecure permissions for an object, e.g. when copying from an archive file, without user awareness or involvement.

What are the security consequences of Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions?+

If exploited, CWE-278 (Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions) it can compromise Confidentiality and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data and Modify Application Data.

Which programming languages are affected by Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions?+

CWE-278 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 Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-278, including CVE-2005-1724. 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-278 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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