This category represents one of the phyla in the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms vulnerability classification. It includes weaknesses that occur when an application does not properly handle errors that occur during processing. According to the authors of the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms, "Errors and error handling represent a class of API. Errors related to error handling are so common that they deserve a special kingdom of their own. As with 'API Abuse,' there are two ways to introduce an error-related security vulnerability: the most common one is handling errors poorly (or not at all). The second is producing errors that either give out too much information (to possible attackers) or are difficult to handle."
View on MITRENo consequence information available for this CWE.
No mitigation information available for this CWE.
No detection method information available for this CWE.
No examples or observed CVEs available for this CWE.
No relationship information available for this CWE.
Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.
MITRE defines CWE-388 as a category that links 4 CWE members, including CWE-391, CWE-395, CWE-396, and CWE-397. Use the grouping to scope related review work, then follow the linked member entries for weakness-specific implementation and verification guidance.
CWE-388: CWE CATEGORY: 7PK - Errors — MITRE CWECWE-388: CWE CATEGORY: 7PK - Errors is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. This category represents one of the phyla in the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms vulnerability classification. It includes weaknesses that occur when an application does not properly handle errors that occur during processing. According to the authors of the Seven Pernicious Kingdoms, "Errors and error handling represent a class of API. Errors related to error handling are so common that they deserve a special kingdom of their own. As with 'API Abuse,' there are two ways to introduce an error-related security vulnerability: the most common one is handling errors poorly (or not at all). The second is producing errors that either give out too much information (to possible attackers) or are difficult to handle."
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-388 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.