CWE-460: Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception

Code Examples & CVEs

Demonstrative Examples

The following example demonstrates the weakness.

In this case, a thread might be left locked accidentally.

BadJava

public class foo {                         public static final void main( String args[] ) {                                                                 boolean returnValue;returnValue=doStuff();                            }public static final boolean doStuff( ) {                                                                 boolean threadLock;boolean truthvalue=true;try {                                                                             while(                                        //check some condition                                        ) {                                                                                         threadLock=true; //do some stuff to truthvaluethreadLock=false;                                        }                                  }catch (Exception e){                                                                             System.err.println("You did something bad");if (something) return truthvalue;                                  }return truthvalue;                            }                      }

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-460 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-460, Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception, 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 Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception during Implementation

MITRE associates mitigation with Implementation; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Varies by Context. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-460 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-460: Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-460 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-460, Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception, 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-460

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-460, Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception. 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-460 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-460, Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception. 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-460: Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception?+

CWE-460: Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not clean up its state or incorrectly cleans up its state when an exception is thrown, leading to unexpected state or control flow. Often, when functions or loops become complicated, some level of resource cleanup is needed throughout execution. Exceptions can disturb the flow of the code and prevent the necessary cleanup from happening.

What are the security consequences of Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception?+

If exploited, CWE-460 (Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception) it can compromise Other, leading to outcomes such as Varies by Context.

How do you prevent or mitigate Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-460 include: If one breaks from a loop or function by throwing an exception, make sure that cleanup happens or that you should exit the program. Use throwing exceptions sparsely.

Which programming languages are affected by Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception?+

CWE-460 commonly affects C, C++, Java and C#. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.

What is the difference between a CWE and a CVE?+

A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-460 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-460: Improper Cleanup on Thrown Exception

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