CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

The following code examples attempt to verify a password using a hard-coded cryptographic key.

The cryptographic key is within a hard-coded string value that is compared to the password. It is likely that an attacker will be able to read the key and compromise the system.

BadC

int VerifyAdmin(char *password) {                         if (strcmp(password,"68af404b513073584c4b6f22b6c63e6b")) {                                                                 printf("Incorrect Password!\n");return(0);                            }printf("Entering Diagnostic Mode...\n");return(1);                      }

The following code examples attempt to verify a password using a hard-coded cryptographic key.

The cryptographic key is within a hard-coded string value that is compared to the password. It is likely that an attacker will be able to read the key and compromise the system.

BadJava

public boolean VerifyAdmin(String password) {if (password.equals("68af404b513073584c4b6f22b6c63e6b")) {System.out.println("Entering Diagnostic Mode...");return true;}System.out.println("Incorrect Password!");return false;

The following code examples attempt to verify a password using a hard-coded cryptographic key.

The cryptographic key is within a hard-coded string value that is compared to the password. It is likely that an attacker will be able to read the key and compromise the system.

BadC#

int VerifyAdmin(String password) {if (password.Equals("68af404b513073584c4b6f22b6c63e6b")) {Console.WriteLine("Entering Diagnostic Mode...");return(1);}Console.WriteLine("Incorrect Password!");return(0);}

Observed CVE Examples (4)

CVE-2022-29960

Engineering Workstation uses hard-coded cryptographic keys that could allow for unathorized filesystem access and privilege escalation

View Details

CVE-2022-30271

Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) uses a hard-coded SSH private key that is likely to be used by default.

View Details

CVE-2020-10884

WiFi router service has a hard-coded encryption key, allowing root access

View Details

CVE-2014-2198

Communications / collaboration product has a hardcoded SSH private key, allowing access to root account

View Details

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-321 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-321, Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key, 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 Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, and Read Application Data. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-321 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-321 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-321, Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key, 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-321

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-321, Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key. 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-321 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-321, Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key. 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-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key?+

CWE-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product uses a hard-coded, unchangeable cryptographic key.

What are the security consequences of Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key?+

If exploited, CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key) it can compromise Access Control, leading to outcomes such as Bypass Protection Mechanism, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity and Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-321 include: Prevention schemes mirror that of hard-coded password storage.

Which programming languages are affected by Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key?+

CWE-321 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 Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-321, including CVE-2022-29960, CVE-2022-30271, CVE-2020-10884 and CVE-2014-2198. 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-321 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-321: Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key

Technical Details

Applicable To

Security Consequences

Scope

Impact

Mitigation Strategies

Phase

Description

Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

Observed CVE Examples (4)

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses

Source-backed guidance

Verify controls for CWE-321 with SSDF evidence

Address Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key during Architecture and Design

Triage CWE-321 against known exploitation evidence

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-321

Validate CWE-321 with root-cause mapping checks

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More