CWE-774: Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling

VariantIncompleteExploit Likelihood: Low

The product allocates file descriptors or handles on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on how many descriptors can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor.

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Extended Description

This can cause the product to consume all available file descriptors or handles, which can prevent other processes from performing critical file processing operations.

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-774 with SSDF evidence

Use NIST SSDF verification and vulnerability-response practices to detect CWE-774, Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling, 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

Apply Resource Limitation controls for Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling

MITRE associates mitigation with Operation, and Architecture and Design; the listed strategies include Resource Limitation; documented detection approaches include Automated Static Analysis. Use these source-defined anchors to turn CWE-774 into implementation, review, and verification checks for the affected component.

CWE-774: Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling — MITRE CWE

Triage CWE-774 against known exploitation evidence

Use CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog to test whether a vulnerability mapped to CWE-774, Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling, 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-774

Apply MITRE's full root-cause mapping guidance when using CWE-774, Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling. 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-774 with root-cause mapping checks

Apply MITRE's root-cause mapping quick tips to CWE-774, Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling. 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-774: Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling?+

CWE-774: Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product allocates file descriptors or handles on behalf of an actor without imposing any restrictions on how many descriptors can be allocated, in violation of the intended security policy for that actor. This can cause the product to consume all available file descriptors or handles, which can prevent other processes from performing critical file processing operations.

What are the security consequences of Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling?+

If exploited, CWE-774 (Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling) it can compromise Availability, leading to outcomes such as DoS: Resource Consumption (Other).

Which programming languages are affected by Allocation of File Descriptors or Handles Without Limits or Throttling?+

CWE-774 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-774 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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