CWE-314: Cleartext Storage in the Registry

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-314 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-314, Cleartext Storage in the Registry, 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

Make elimination of CWE-314 a product outcome

Apply CISA's Secure by Design principle of taking ownership of customer security outcomes to CWE-314, Cleartext Storage in the Registry. Put the weakness in the product threat model and security roadmap, fund class-level design and platform changes, prefer safe defaults and reusable guardrails, and publish measurable progress. Do not transfer the primary burden to customer configuration when the manufacturer can remove or contain the root cause in the product.

Shifting the Balance of Cybersecurity Risk: Secure by Design Software — Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Connect Cleartext Storage in the Registry to documented attack evidence

Recorded impacts include Read Application Data; the entry maps to CAPEC-37; observed examples include CVE-2005-2227. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-314 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-314: Cleartext Storage in the Registry — MITRE CWE

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-314

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-314, Cleartext Storage in the Registry. 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-314 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-314, Cleartext Storage in the Registry. 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-314: Cleartext Storage in the Registry?+

CWE-314: Cleartext Storage in the Registry is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product stores sensitive information in cleartext in the registry. Attackers can read the information by accessing the registry key. Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information.

What are the security consequences of Cleartext Storage in the Registry?+

If exploited, CWE-314 (Cleartext Storage in the Registry) it can compromise Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data.

Which programming languages are affected by Cleartext Storage in the Registry?+

CWE-314 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 Cleartext Storage in the Registry?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-314, including CVE-2005-2227. 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-314 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-314: Cleartext Storage in the Registry

Extended Description

Technical Details

Applicable To

Security Consequences

Scope

Impact

Mitigation Strategies

Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Observed CVE Examples (1)

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses