CWE-673: External Influence of Sphere Definition

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-673 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-673, External Influence of Sphere Definition, 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

Make elimination of CWE-673 a product outcome

Apply CISA's Secure by Design principle of taking ownership of customer security outcomes to CWE-673, External Influence of Sphere Definition. Put the weakness in the product threat model and security roadmap, fund class-level design and platform changes, prefer safe defaults and reusable guardrails, and publish measurable progress. Do not transfer the primary burden to customer configuration when the manufacturer can remove or contain the root cause in the product.

Shifting the Balance of Cybersecurity Risk: Secure by Design Software — Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Connect External Influence of Sphere Definition to documented attack evidence

Recorded impacts include Other; observed examples include CVE-2008-2613; related weaknesses include CWE-664. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-673 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-673: External Influence of Sphere Definition — MITRE CWE

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-673

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-673, External Influence of Sphere Definition. 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-673 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-673, External Influence of Sphere Definition. 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-673: External Influence of Sphere Definition?+

CWE-673: External Influence of Sphere Definition is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product does not prevent the definition of control spheres from external actors. Typically, a product defines its control sphere within the code itself, or through configuration by the product's administrator. In some cases, an external party can change the definition of the control sphere. This is typically a resultant weakness.

What are the security consequences of External Influence of Sphere Definition?+

If exploited, CWE-673 (External Influence of Sphere Definition) it can compromise Other, leading to outcomes such as Other.

Which programming languages are affected by External Influence of Sphere Definition?+

CWE-673 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 External Influence of Sphere Definition?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-673, including CVE-2008-2613. 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-673 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-673: External Influence of Sphere Definition

Extended Description

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Impact

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Code Examples & CVEs

Observed CVE Examples (1)

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Parent Weaknesses