CWE-322: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication

Extended Description

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.

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-322 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-322, Key Exchange without Entity Authentication, 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 Key Exchange without Entity Authentication during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design, and Implementation; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Bypass Protection Mechanism, and Read Application Data. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-322 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-322: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-322 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-322, Key Exchange without Entity Authentication, 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-322

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-322, Key Exchange without Entity Authentication. 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-322 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-322, Key Exchange without Entity Authentication. 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-322: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication?+

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.

What are the security consequences of Key Exchange without Entity Authentication?+

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.

How do you prevent or mitigate Key Exchange without Entity Authentication?+

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.

Which programming languages are affected by Key Exchange without Entity Authentication?+

CWE-322 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.

What is the difference between a CWE and a CVE?+

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.

CWE-322: Key Exchange without Entity Authentication

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