CWE-439: Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment
A's behavior or functionality changes with a new version of A, or a new environment, which is not known (or manageable) by B.
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Applicable To
Security Consequences
Scope
Impact
Mitigation Strategies
No mitigation information available for this CWE.
Detection Methods
No detection method information available for this CWE.
Code Examples & CVEs
Observed CVE Examples (3)
Linux kernel 2.2 and above allow promiscuous mode using a different method than previous versions, and ifconfig is not aware of the new method (alternate path property).
View DetailsProduct uses defunct method from another product that does not return an error code and allows detection avoidance.
View Detailschain: Code was ported from a case-sensitive Unix platform to a case-insensitive Windows platform where filetype handlers treat .jsp and .JSP as different extensions. JSP source code may be read because .JSP defaults to the filetype "text".
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is CWE-439: Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment?+
CWE-439: Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. A's behavior or functionality changes with a new version of A, or a new environment, which is not known (or manageable) by B.
What are the security consequences of Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment?+
If exploited, CWE-439 (Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment) it can compromise Other, leading to outcomes such as Quality Degradation and Varies by Context.
Which programming languages are affected by Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment?+
CWE-439 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 Behavioral Change in New Version or Environment?+
MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-439, including CVE-2002-1976, CVE-2005-1711 and CVE-2003-0411. 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-439 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.