CWE-619: Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-619 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-619, Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection'), 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 Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection') during Implementation

MITRE associates mitigation with Implementation; recorded impacts include Read Application Data, and Modify Application Data; related weaknesses include CWE-402. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-619 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-619: Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection') — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-619 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-619, Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection'), 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-619

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-619, Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection'). 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-619 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-619, Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection'). 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-619: Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')?+

CWE-619: Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection') is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. If a database cursor is not closed properly, then it could become accessible to other users while retaining the same privileges that were originally assigned, leaving the cursor "dangling." For example, an improper dangling cursor could arise from unhandled exceptions. The impact of the issue depends on the cursor's role, but SQL injection attacks are commonly possible.

What are the security consequences of Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')?+

If exploited, CWE-619 (Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')) it can compromise Confidentiality and Integrity, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data and Modify Application Data.

How do you prevent or mitigate Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-619 include: Close cursors immediately after access to them is complete. Ensure that you close cursors if exceptions occur.

Which programming languages are affected by Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')?+

CWE-619 commonly affects SQL. 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-619 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-619: Dangling Database Cursor ('Cursor Injection')

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