CWE-550: Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information

VariantIncomplete

Certain conditions, such as network failure, will cause a server error message to be displayed.

View on MITRE
Back to CWE Lookup

Extended Description

While error messages in and of themselves are not dangerous, per se, it is what an attacker can glean from them that might cause eventual problems.

Technical Details

Structure
Simple
Vulnerability Mapping
ALLOWED

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-550 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-550, Server-generated Error Message 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 Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information during Architecture and Design

MITRE associates mitigation with Architecture and Design, and System Configuration; recorded impacts include Read Application Data; related weaknesses include CWE-209. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-550 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-550: Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-550 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-550, Server-generated Error Message 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-550

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-550, Server-generated Error Message 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-550 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-550, Server-generated Error Message 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-550: Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information?+

CWE-550: Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. Certain conditions, such as network failure, will cause a server error message to be displayed. While error messages in and of themselves are not dangerous, per se, it is what an attacker can glean from them that might cause eventual problems.

What are the security consequences of Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information?+

If exploited, CWE-550 (Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information) it can compromise Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-550 include: Recommendations include designing and adding consistent error handling mechanisms which are capable of handling any user input to your web application, providing meaningful detail to end-users, and preventing error messages that might provide information useful to an attacker from being displayed.

Which programming languages are affected by Server-generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information?+

CWE-550 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-550 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.

Learn More

Find Related CVEs

Search for vulnerabilities that exploit CWE-550

CVE vs CWE: What's the Difference?

Understanding vulnerabilities vs weaknesses

Understanding CVSS Scoring

How vulnerability severity is measured

View Full MITRE Entry

Complete technical details and references

Advertisement