CWE-539: Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information

Extended Description

Cookies are small bits of data that are sent by the web application but stored locally in the browser. This lets the application use the cookie to pass information between pages and store variable information. The web application controls what information is stored in a cookie and how it is used. Typical types of information stored in cookies are session identifiers, personalization and customization information, and in rare cases even usernames to enable automated logins. There are two different types of cookies: session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies just live in the browser's memory and are not stored anywhere, but persistent cookies are stored on the browser's hard drive. This can cause security and privacy issues depending on the information stored in the cookie and how it is accessed.

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-539 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-539, Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information, 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 Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Read Application Data. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-539 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-539: Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-539 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-539, Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information, 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-539

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-539, Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information. 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-539 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-539, Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information. 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-539: Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information?+

CWE-539: Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The web application uses persistent cookies, but the cookies contain sensitive information. Cookies are small bits of data that are sent by the web application but stored locally in the browser. This lets the application use the cookie to pass information between pages and store variable information. The web application controls what information is stored in a cookie and how it is used. Typical types of information stored in cookies are session identifiers, personalization and customization information, and in rare cases even usernames to enable automated logins. There are two different types of cookies: session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies just live in the browser's memory and are not stored anywhere, but persistent cookies are stored on the browser's hard drive. This can cause security and privacy issues depending on the information stored in the cookie and how it is accessed.

What are the security consequences of Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information?+

If exploited, CWE-539 (Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information) it can compromise Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-539 include: Do not store sensitive information in persistent cookies.

Which programming languages are affected by Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information?+

CWE-539 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. 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-539 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-539: Use of Persistent Cookies Containing Sensitive Information

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