A covert channel is a path that can be used to transfer information in a way not intended by the system's designers.
View on MITRETypically the system has not given authorization for the transmission and has no knowledge of its occurrence.
No mitigation information available for this CWE.
According to SOAR [REF-1479], the following detection techniques may be useful: Cost effective for partial coverage: Inspection (IEEE 1028 standard) (can apply to requirements, design, source code, etc.)
In this example, the attacker observes how long an authentication takes when the user types in the correct password.
When the attacker tries their own values, they can first try strings of various length. When they find a string of the right length, the computation will take a bit longer, because the for loop will run at least once. Additionally, with this code, the attacker can possibly learn one character of the password at a time, because when they guess the first character right, the computation will take longer than a wrong guesses. Such an attack can break even the most sophisticated password with a few hundred guesses.
def validate_password(actual_pw, typed_pw): if len(actual_pw) <> len(typed_pw): return 0 for i in len(actual_pw): if actual_pw[i] <> typed_pw[i]: return 0 return 1Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.
Documented detection approaches include Architecture or Design Review; recorded impacts include Read Application Data, and Bypass Protection Mechanism; the entry maps to CAPEC-463. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-514 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.
CWE-514: Covert Channel — MITRE CWEUse NIST SSDF practices to make prevention of CWE-514, Covert Channel, an explicit development outcome. Translate the CWE definition into security requirements and design constraints, choose safer implementation patterns and toolchain checks, and define acceptance evidence before release. Feed every confirmed occurrence back into the requirements, design review, and coding rules so the same root cause is removed across the product rather than patched in one location.
NIST SP 800-218 Secure Software Development Framework — National Institute of Standards and TechnologyUse CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-514, Covert Channel, 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 AgencyApply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-514, Covert Channel. 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 CWEApply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-514, Covert Channel. 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 CWECWE-514: Covert Channel is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. A covert channel is a path that can be used to transfer information in a way not intended by the system's designers. Typically the system has not given authorization for the transmission and has no knowledge of its occurrence.
If exploited, CWE-514 (Covert Channel) it can compromise Confidentiality and Access Control, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data and Bypass Protection Mechanism.
CWE-514 can be detected using Architecture or Design Review. Combining automated tooling with manual review typically yields the best coverage.
CWE-514 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-514 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.