The product operates in an environment in which power is a limited resource that cannot be automatically replenished, but the product does not properly restrict the amount of power that its operation consumes.
View on MITREIn environments such as embedded or mobile devices, power can be a limited resource such as a battery, which cannot be automatically replenished by the product itself, and the device might not always be directly attached to a reliable power source. If the product uses too much power too quickly, then this could cause the device (and subsequently, the product) to stop functioning until power is restored, or increase the financial burden on the device owner because of increased power costs. Normal operation of an application will consume power. However, in some cases, an attacker could cause the application to consume more power than intended, using components such as: Display CPU Disk I/O GPS Sound Microphone USB interface
The power source could be drained, causing the application - and the entire device - to cease functioning.
No mitigation information available for this CWE.
No detection method information available for this CWE.
No examples or observed CVEs available for this CWE.
CWE-920: Improper Restriction of Power Consumption is a Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) entry maintained by MITRE. The product operates in an environment in which power is a limited resource that cannot be automatically replenished, but the product does not properly restrict the amount of power that its operation consumes. In environments such as embedded or mobile devices, power can be a limited resource such as a battery, which cannot be automatically replenished by the product itself, and the device might not always be directly attached to a reliable power source. If the product uses too much power too quickly, then this could cause the device (and subsequently, the product) to stop functioning until power is restored, or increase the financial burden on the device owner because of increased power costs. Normal operation of an application will consume power. However, in some cases, an attacker could cause the application to consume more power than intended, using components such as: Display CPU Disk I/O GPS Sound Microphone USB interface
If exploited, CWE-920 (Improper Restriction of Power Consumption) it can compromise Availability, leading to outcomes such as DoS: Resource Consumption (Other) and DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart.
CWE-920 commonly affects Not Language-Specific. Note that weaknesses are often language-agnostic patterns, so secure coding practices apply broadly.
A CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) like CWE-920 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.