CWE-615: Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments

VariantIncomplete

While adding general comments is very useful, some programmers tend to leave important data, such as: filenames related to the web application, old links or links which were not meant to be browsed by users, old code fragments, etc.

View on MITRE
Back to CWE Lookup

Extended Description

An attacker who finds these comments can map the application's structure and files, expose hidden parts of the site, and study the fragments of code to reverse engineer the application, which may help develop further attacks against the site.

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-615 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-615, Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments, 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 Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments during Distribution

MITRE associates mitigation with Distribution; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis; recorded impacts include Read Application Data. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-615 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-615: Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-615 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-615, Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments, 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-615

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-615, Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments. 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-615 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-615, Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments. 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-615: Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments?+

CWE-615: Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. While adding general comments is very useful, some programmers tend to leave important data, such as: filenames related to the web application, old links or links which were not meant to be browsed by users, old code fragments, etc. An attacker who finds these comments can map the application's structure and files, expose hidden parts of the site, and study the fragments of code to reverse engineer the application, which may help develop further attacks against the site.

What are the security consequences of Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments?+

If exploited, CWE-615 (Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments) it can compromise Confidentiality, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-615 include: Remove comments which have sensitive information about the design/implementation of the application. Some of the comments may be exposed to the user and affect the security posture of the application.

Which programming languages are affected by Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments?+

CWE-615 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 Inclusion of Sensitive Information in Source Code Comments?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-615, including CVE-2007-6197, CVE-2007-4072 and CVE-2009-2431. 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-615 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-615

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