CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource

ClassDraftExploit Likelihood: High

The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.

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Extended Description

When a resource is given a permission setting that provides access to a wider range of actors than required, it could lead to the exposure of sensitive information, or the modification of that resource by unintended parties. This is especially dangerous when the resource is related to program configuration, execution, or sensitive user data. For example, consider a misconfigured storage account for the cloud that can be read or written by a public or anonymous user.

Technical Details

Structure
Simple

Applicable To

Languages
Not Language-Specific
Platforms

Source-backed guidance

Additional facts reviewed against primary or authoritative security sources.

Verify controls for CWE-732 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-732, Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, 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 FrameworkNational Institute of Standards and Technology

Apply Sandbox or Jail controls for Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource

MITRE associates mitigation with Implementation, Architecture and Design, Operation, Installation, and System Configuration; the listed strategies include Sandbox or Jail, and Environment Hardening; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis, Automated Dynamic Analysis, Manual Analysis, and Manual Static Analysis. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-732 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical ResourceMITRE CWE

Triage CWE-732 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-732, Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, 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 CatalogCybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Apply precise root-cause mapping to CWE-732

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-732, Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. 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 GuidanceMITRE CWE

Validate CWE-732 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-732, Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. 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 TipsMITRE CWE

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource?+

CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors. When a resource is given a permission setting that provides access to a wider range of actors than required, it could lead to the exposure of sensitive information, or the modification of that resource by unintended parties. This is especially dangerous when the resource is related to program configuration, execution, or sensitive user data. For example, consider a misconfigured storage account for the cloud that can be read or written by a public or anonymous user.

What are the security consequences of Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource?+

If exploited, CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) it can compromise Confidentiality, Access Control, Integrity and Other, leading to outcomes such as Read Application Data, Read Files or Directories, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, Modify Application Data and Other.

How do you prevent or mitigate Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource?+

Recommended mitigations for CWE-732 include: When using a critical resource such as a configuration file, check to see if the resource has insecure permissions (such as being modifiable by any regular user) [REF-62], and generate an error or even exit the software if there is a possibility that the resource could have been modified by an unauthorized party. Divide the software into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully defining distinct user groups, privileges, and/or roles. Map these against data, functionality, and the related resources. Then set the permissions accordingly. This will allow you to maintain more fine-grained control over your resources. [REF-207] During program startup, explicitly set the default permissions or umask to the most restrictive setting possible. Also set the appropriate permissions during program installation. This will prevent you from inheriting insecure permissions from any user who installs or runs the program.

How is Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource detected?+

CWE-732 can be detected using Automated Static Analysis, Automated Dynamic Analysis, Manual Static Analysis, Manual Dynamic Analysis, Fuzzing and Automated Static Analysis - Binary or Bytecode. Combining automated tooling with manual review typically yields the best coverage.

Which programming languages are affected by Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource?+

CWE-732 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 Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource?+

MITRE documents real CVEs mapped to CWE-732, including CVE-2022-29527, CVE-2009-3482, CVE-2009-3897, CVE-2009-3489 and CVE-2020-15708. 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-732 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.

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