The product performs a key exchange with an actor without verifying the identity of that actor.
View on MITREPerforming a key exchange will preserve the integrity of the information sent between two entities, but this will not guarantee that the entities are who they claim they are. This may enable an attacker to impersonate an actor by modifying traffic between the two entities. Typically, this involves a victim client that contacts a malicious server that is impersonating a trusted server. If the client skips authentication or ignores an authentication failure, the malicious server may request authentication information from the user. The malicious server can then use this authentication information to log in to the trusted server using the victim's credentials, sniff traffic between the victim and trusted server, etc.
No authentication takes place in this process, bypassing an assumed protection of encryption.
The encrypted communication between a user and a trusted host may be subject to sniffing by any actor in the communication path.
Ensure that proper authentication is included in the system design.
Understand and properly implement all checks necessary to ensure the identity of entities involved in encrypted communications.
No detection method information available for this CWE.
No examples or observed CVEs available for this CWE.
No relationship information available for this CWE.
CWE-322: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product performs a key exchange with an actor without verifying the identity of that actor. Performing a key exchange will preserve the integrity of the information sent between two entities, but this will not guarantee that the entities are who they claim they are. This may enable an attacker to impersonate an actor by modifying traffic between the two entities. Typically, this involves a victim client that contacts a malicious server that is impersonating a trusted server. If the client skips authentication or ignores an authentication failure, the malicious server may request authentication information from the user. The malicious server can then use this authentication information to log in to the trusted server using the victim's credentials, sniff traffic between the victim and trusted server, etc.
If exploited, CWE-322 (Key Exchange without Entity Authentication) it can compromise Access Control and Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Bypass Protection Mechanism and Read Application Data.
Recommended mitigations for CWE-322 include: Ensure that proper authentication is included in the system design. Understand and properly implement all checks necessary to ensure the identity of entities involved in encrypted communications.
CWE-322 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-322 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.