CWE-370: Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check

Extended Description

If the revocation status of a certificate is not checked before each action that requires privileges, the system may be subject to a race condition. If a certificate is revoked after the initial check, all subsequent actions taken with the owner of the revoked certificate will lose all benefits guaranteed by the certificate. In fact, it is almost certain that the use of a revoked certificate indicates malicious activity.

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

The following code checks a certificate before performing an action.

While the code performs the certificate verification before each action, it does not check the result of the verification after the initial attempt. The certificate may have been revoked in the time between the privileged actions.

BadC

if (cert = SSL_get_peer_certificate(ssl)) {                         foo=SSL_get_verify_result(ssl);if (X509_V_OK==foo)                                                                                                   //do stuff                                  foo=SSL_get_verify_result(ssl);                                  //do more stuff without the check.

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-370 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-370, Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check, 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 Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design; recorded impacts include Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Modify Application Data, and Read Application Data; the entry maps to CAPEC-26, and CAPEC-29. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-370 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-370: Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-370 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-370, Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check, 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-370

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-370, Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check. 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-370 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-370, Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check. 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-370: Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check?+

CWE-370: Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not check the revocation status of a certificate after its initial revocation check, which can cause the product to perform privileged actions even after the certificate is revoked at a later time. If the revocation status of a certificate is not checked before each action that requires privileges, the system may be subject to a race condition. If a certificate is revoked after the initial check, all subsequent actions taken with the owner of the revoked certificate will lose all benefits guaranteed by the certificate. In fact, it is almost certain that the use of a revoked certificate indicates malicious activity.

What are the security consequences of Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check?+

If exploited, CWE-370 (Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check) it can compromise Access Control, Integrity and Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Modify Application Data and Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-370 include: Ensure that certificates are checked for revoked status before each use of a protected resource. If the certificate is checked before each access of a protected resource, the delay subject to a possible race condition becomes almost negligible and significantly reduces the risk associated with this issue.

Which programming languages are affected by Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check?+

CWE-370 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-370 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-370: Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check

Extended Description

Technical Details

Applicable To

Security Consequences

Scope

Impact

Scope

Impact

Scope

Impact

Mitigation Strategies

Phase

Description

Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses

Source-backed guidance

Verify controls for CWE-370 with SSDF evidence

Address Missing Check for Certificate Revocation after Initial Check during Architecture and Design

Triage CWE-370 against known exploitation evidence

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-370

Validate CWE-370 with root-cause mapping checks

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More