What is Cleartext Storage of Sensitive (CWE-317)?

TL;DR: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI (CWE-317) occurs when a product stores sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI, making it accessible to attackers. To fix this issue, use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data.

At-a-Glance

What is Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI (CWE-317) is a type of security vulnerability that occurs when sensitive information is stored in cleartext within the GUI, making it accessible to attackers. As defined by the MITRE Corporation under CWE-317, and classified by the OWASP Foundation under A05:2025 - Security Misconfiguration, this vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data and potential security breaches.

Quick Summary

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI (CWE-317) is a critical security vulnerability that occurs when sensitive information is stored in cleartext within the GUI. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data and potential security breaches. To fix this issue, use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data.

Jump to: Quick Summary · Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Overview · How Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Works · Business Impact of Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI · Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Attack Scenario · How to Detect Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI · How to Fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI · Framework-Specific Fixes for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI · How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI · Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Best Practices Checklist · Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI FAQ · Vulnerabilities Related to Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI · References · Scan Your Own Site

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Overview

What: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI (CWE-317) is a type of security vulnerability that occurs when sensitive information is stored in cleartext within the GUI.

Why it matters: This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data and potential security breaches. It’s essential to identify and fix this issue promptly to prevent attacks.

Where it occurs: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI (CWE-317) can occur in any product that stores sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI, including GUI applications and web applications.

Who is affected: Any product that stores sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI is potentially affected by this vulnerability.

Who is NOT affected: Products that do not store sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI are not affected by this vulnerability.

How Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Works

Root Cause

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI (CWE-317) occurs when a product stores sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI, making it accessible to attackers.

Attack Flow

1. An attacker gains access to the product’s GUI.
2. The attacker accesses the sensitive information stored in cleartext within the GUI.
3. The attacker uses the accessed sensitive information for malicious purposes.

Prerequisites to Exploit

• The product must store sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI.
• The attacker must gain access to the product’s GUI.

Vulnerable Code

import os

# Store sensitive data in a variable without proper encryption or protection
sensitive_data = "password123"

Why this code is vulnerable: This code stores sensitive information (the password) in cleartext within the GUI, making it accessible to attackers.

Secure Code

import os

# Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data
encrypted_data = encrypt("password123")

Why this code is secure: This code uses encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive information, preventing it from being stored in cleartext within the GUI.

Business Impact of Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

• Confidentiality: Unauthorized access to sensitive data can lead to confidentiality breaches.
• Integrity: Sensitive data can be modified or deleted by attackers, leading to integrity breaches.
• Availability: Sensitive data may become unavailable due to attacks on the product’s GUI.

Real-world business consequences:

• Financial losses due to unauthorized access to sensitive data
• Compliance issues due to confidentiality and integrity breaches
• Reputation damage due to availability breaches

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Attack Scenario

1. An attacker gains access to the product’s GUI.
2. The attacker accesses the sensitive information stored in cleartext within the GUI.
3. The attacker uses the accessed sensitive information for malicious purposes.

How to Detect Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

Manual Testing

• Review code for sensitive data storage
• Check if encryption mechanisms are used to protect sensitive data
• Verify that sensitive data is not stored in cleartext within the GUI

Automated Scanners (SAST / DAST)

Automated scanners can detect Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI by analyzing code for sensitive data storage and encryption mechanisms.

What automated scanners catch: Sensitive data storage and encryption mechanisms used to protect sensitive data.

What needs dynamic/runtime testing: The actual execution of the product’s GUI to verify that sensitive data is not stored in cleartext within the GUI.

PenScan Detection

PenScan’s scanner engines actively test for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI by analyzing code and executing the product’s GUI.

False Positive Guidance

To avoid false positives, ensure that encryption mechanisms are used to protect sensitive data and that sensitive data is not stored in cleartext within the GUI.

How to Fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

• Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data
• Ensure that sensitive data is not stored in cleartext within the GUI
• Implement access controls to restrict unauthorized access to sensitive data

Framework-Specific Fixes for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

Java Fix

import javax.crypto.Cipher;
import java.security.Key;

// Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data
Cipher cipher = Cipher.getInstance("AES");
Key key = KeyGenerator.generateKey();
cipher.init(Cipher.ENCRYPT_MODE, key);
byte[] encryptedData = cipher.doFinal(sensitiveData.getBytes());

Node.js Fix

const crypto = require('crypto');

// Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data
const secret = 'password123';
const iv = crypto.randomBytes(16);
const cipher = crypto.createCipheriv('aes-256-cbc', secret, iv);
let encryptedData = cipher.update(sensitiveData, 'utf8', 'hex');
encryptedData += cipher.final('hex');

Python/Django Fix

from cryptography.fernet import Fernet

# Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data
secret_key = Fernet.generate_key()
cipher_suite = Fernet(secret_key)
sensitive_data = "password123"
encrypted_data = cipher_suite.encrypt(sensitive_data.encode())

How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

Review the following [language] code block for potential CWE-317 Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI vulnerabilities and rewrite it using encryption.

import os

# Store sensitive data in a variable without proper encryption or protection
sensitive_data = "password123"

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI Best Practices Checklist

✅ Use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data. ✅ Ensure that sensitive data is not stored in cleartext within the GUI. ✅ Implement access controls to restrict unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI FAQ

How does Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI occur?

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI occurs when a product stores sensitive information in cleartext within the GUI, making it accessible to attackers.

What are the consequences of Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

The consequences of Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI include unauthorized access to sensitive data and potential security breaches.

How can I detect Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

You can detect Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI by using automated scanners, manual testing, or PenScan’s detection capabilities.

How can I fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

To fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI, you should use encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data and ensure that it is not stored in cleartext within the GUI.

What are some best practices for preventing Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

Some best practices for preventing Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI include using encryption, ensuring secure storage mechanisms, and implementing access controls to restrict unauthorized access.

Can you provide an example of vulnerable code for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

A common example of vulnerable code is storing sensitive data in a variable without proper encryption or protection.

How can I use AI to check my code for Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI vulnerabilities?

You can use AI coding assistants by providing them with a copy-pasteable prompt, such as reviewing the following [language] code block for potential CWE-317 Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI vulnerabilities and rewriting it using encryption.

What are some related weaknesses to Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI?

Some related weaknesses include CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information, which is a more specific variant of CWE-317.

Vulnerabilities Related to Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI

References

• MITRE: CWE-317
• NIST NVD

Scan Your Own Site

Manual code review catches what you know to look for. An automated scan catches what you didn’t. Scan your own website using PenScan to find Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in GUI and other risks before an attacker does.