CWE-428: Unquoted Search Path or Element

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

The following example demonstrates the weakness.

BadC

UINT errCode = WinExec( "C:\\Program Files\\Foo\\Bar", SW_SHOW );

Observed CVE Examples (3)

CVE-2005-1185

Small handful of others. Program doesn't quote the "C:\Program Files\" path when calling a program to be executed - or any other path with a directory or file whose name contains a space - so attacker can put a malicious program.exe into C:.

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CVE-2005-2938

CreateProcess() and CreateProcessAsUser() can be misused by applications to allow "program.exe" style attacks in C:

View Details

CVE-2000-1128

Applies to "Common Files" folder, with a malicious common.exe, instead of "Program Files"/program.exe.

View Details

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-428 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-428, Unquoted Search Path or Element, 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

Apply Input Validation controls for Unquoted Search Path or Element

MITRE associates mitigation with Implementation; the listed strategies include Input Validation; recorded impacts include Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-428 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-428: Unquoted Search Path or Element — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-428 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-428, Unquoted Search Path or Element, 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-428

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-428, Unquoted Search Path or Element. 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-428 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-428, Unquoted Search Path or Element. 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-428: Unquoted Search Path or Element?+

CWE-428: Unquoted Search Path or Element is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product uses a search path that contains an unquoted element, in which the element contains whitespace or other separators. This can cause the product to access resources in a parent path. If a malicious individual has access to the file system, it is possible to elevate privileges by inserting such a file as "C:\Program.exe" to be run by a privileged program making use of WinExec.

What are the security consequences of Unquoted Search Path or Element?+

If exploited, CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element) it can compromise Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability, leading to outcomes such as Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands.

How do you prevent or mitigate Unquoted Search Path or Element?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-428 include: Properly quote the full search path before executing a program on the system.

Which programming languages are affected by Unquoted Search Path or Element?+

CWE-428 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 Unquoted Search Path or Element?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-428, including CVE-2005-1185, CVE-2005-2938 and CVE-2000-1128. 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-428 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-428: Unquoted Search Path or Element

Extended Description

Technical Details

Applicable To

Security Consequences

Scope

Impact

Mitigation Strategies

Phase

Description

Detection Methods

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

Observed CVE Examples (3)

CWE Relationships

Parent Weaknesses

Source-backed guidance

Verify controls for CWE-428 with SSDF evidence

Apply Input Validation controls for Unquoted Search Path or Element

Triage CWE-428 against known exploitation evidence

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-428

Validate CWE-428 with root-cause mapping checks

Frequently Asked Questions

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