Creating and using insecure temporary files can leave application and system data vulnerable to attack.
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No detection method information available for this CWE.
The following code uses a temporary file for storing intermediate data gathered from the network before it is processed.
This otherwise unremarkable code is vulnerable to a number of different attacks because it relies on an insecure method for creating temporary files. The vulnerabilities introduced by this function and others are described in the following sections. The most egregious security problems related to temporary file creation have occurred on Unix-based operating systems, but Windows applications have parallel risks. This section includes a discussion of temporary file creation on both Unix and Windows systems. Methods and behaviors can vary between systems, but the fundamental risks introduced by each are reasonably constant.
if (tmpnam_r(filename)) { FILE* tmp = fopen(filename,"wb+");while((recv(sock,recvbuf,DATA_SIZE, 0) > 0)&(amt!=0)) amt = fwrite(recvbuf,1,DATA_SIZE,tmp); }...A library uses the Java File.createTempFile() method which creates a file with "-rw-r--r--" default permissions on Unix-like operating systems
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Documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Read Files or Directories, and Modify Files or Directories; the entry maps to CAPEC-149, and CAPEC-155. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-377 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.
CWE-377: Insecure Temporary File — MITRE CWEUse NIST SSDF practices to make prevention of CWE-377, Insecure Temporary File, an explicit development outcome. Translate the CWE definition into security requirements and design constraints, choose safer implementation patterns and toolchain checks, and define acceptance evidence before release. Feed every confirmed occurrence back into the requirements, design review, and coding rules so the same root cause is removed across the product rather than patched in one location.
NIST SP 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework — National Institute of Standards and TechnologyUse CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-377, Insecure Temporary File, 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 AgencyApply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-377, Insecure Temporary File. 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 CWEApply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-377, Insecure Temporary File. 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 CWECWE-377: Insecure Temporary File is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. Creating and using insecure temporary files can leave application and system data vulnerable to attack.
If exploited, CWE-377 (Insecure Temporary File) it can compromise Confidentiality and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Read Files or Directories and Modify Files or Directories.
CWE-377 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-377, including CVE-2022-41954. You can look up the full details of each CVE, including CVSS scores and remediation guidance, on our CVE Lookup tool.
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-377 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.