CWE-378: Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

In the following code examples a temporary file is created and written to. After using the temporary file, the file is closed and deleted from the file system.

However, within this C/C++ code the method tmpfile() is used to create and open the temp file. The tmpfile() method works the same way as the fopen() method would with read/write permission, allowing attackers to read potentially sensitive information contained in the temp file or modify the contents of the file.

BadC

FILE *stream;if( (stream = tmpfile()) == NULL ) {                                                     perror("Could not open new temporary file\n");return (-1);                      }                      // write data to tmp file                      ...// remove tmp filermtmp();

In the following code examples a temporary file is created and written to. After using the temporary file, the file is closed and deleted from the file system.

BadJava

try {File temp = File.createTempFile("pattern", ".suffix");temp.deleteOnExit();BufferedWriter out = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(temp));out.write("aString");out.close();}catch (IOException e) {}

Observed CVE Examples (1)

CVE-2022-24823

A network application framework uses the Java function createTempFile(), which will create a file that is readable by other local users of the system

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Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-378 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-378, Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions, 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 Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions during Requirements

MITRE associates mitigation with Requirements, and Implementation; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Read Application Data, and Other. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-378 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-378: Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-378 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-378, Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions, 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-378

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-378, Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions. 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-378 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-378, Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions. 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-378: Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions?+

CWE-378: Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. Opening temporary files without appropriate measures or controls can leave the file, its contents and any function that it impacts vulnerable to attack.

What are the security consequences of Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions?+

If exploited, CWE-378 (Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions) it can compromise Confidentiality, Authorization, Other and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data and Other.

How do you prevent or mitigate Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-378 include: Many contemporary languages have functions which properly handle this condition. Older C temp file functions are especially susceptible. Ensure that you use proper file permissions. This can be achieved by using a safe temp file function. Temporary files should be writable and readable only by the process that owns the file. Randomize temporary file names. This can also be achieved by using a safe temp-file function. This will ensure that temporary files will not be created in predictable places.

Which programming languages are affected by Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions?+

CWE-378 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 Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-378, including CVE-2022-24823. 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-378 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-378: Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions

Technical Details

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Mitigation Strategies

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Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

Observed CVE Examples (1)

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses

Source-backed guidance

Verify controls for CWE-378 with SSDF evidence

Address Creation of Temporary File With Insecure Permissions during Requirements

Triage CWE-378 against known exploitation evidence

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-378

Validate CWE-378 with root-cause mapping checks

Frequently Asked Questions

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