What is Insecure Inherited Permissions (CWE-277)?

TL;DR: Insecure Inherited Permissions (CWE-277) occurs when insecure permissions are inherited by objects created during program execution, leading to potential unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data. It is crucial to manage and explicitly set permissions to prevent this vulnerability.

What is Insecure Inherited Permissions?

Insecure Inherited Permissions (CWE-277) is a type of vulnerability where insecure permissions are inherited by objects created during program execution. As defined by the MITRE Corporation under CWE-277, and classified by the OWASP Foundation under [No official mapping], this weakness can lead to unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data due to improper management of permission inheritance.

Quick Summary

Insecure Inherited Permissions is a critical vulnerability where insecure permissions are inherited by objects created during program execution. This can result in unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data, leading to significant business impacts such as financial losses and reputational damage. Jump to: Overview · How It Works · Business Impact · Attack Scenario · Detection · Fixing · Framework Fixes · Asking AI · Best Practices · FAQ · Related Vulnerabilities

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

Insecure Inherited Permissions Overview

What: A product defines insecure permissions that are inherited by objects created during program execution.

Why it matters: Improper management of permission inheritance can lead to unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data, resulting in financial losses and reputational damage.

Where it occurs: Java EE/EJB, Spring, ASP.NET, Django

Who is affected: Developers and administrators who manage permissions for objects created during program execution.

Who is NOT affected: Applications that do not define insecure permissions or inherit them improperly.

How Insecure Inherited Permissions Works

Root Cause

Insecure Inherited Permissions occurs when a product defines insecure permissions that are inherited by objects created during program execution, leading to potential unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data due to improper management of permission inheritance.

Attack Flow

1. An attacker identifies an object with insecurely inherited permissions.
2. The attacker exploits the insecure permissions to gain unauthorized access or modify sensitive data.
3. Unauthorized actions are performed on the affected objects.

Prerequisites to Exploit

• Insecure permissions must be defined and inherited by objects created during program execution.
• The attacker needs to identify and exploit these insecure permissions.

Vulnerable Code

public class PermissionManager {
    public void createObject(Object obj) {
        // Set default insecure permissions on the object
        obj.setPermissions("insecure-permissions");
    }
}

This code sets default insecure permissions on objects created during program execution, leading to potential unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data.

Secure Code

public class PermissionManager {
    public void createObject(Object obj) {
        // Explicitly set secure permissions on the object
        obj.setPermissions("secure-permissions");
    }
}

This code explicitly sets secure permissions on objects created during program execution, preventing unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data.

Business Impact of Insecure Inherited Permissions

Confidentiality: Unauthorized access to sensitive data can lead to financial losses and reputational damage. Integrity: Unauthorized modifications of sensitive data can result in compliance violations and operational disruptions. Availability: None known (this weakness primarily affects confidentiality and integrity).

• Financial losses due to unauthorized access or modification of sensitive data
• Compliance violations resulting from insecure permission management
• Reputational damage caused by security breaches

Insecure Inherited Permissions Attack Scenario

1. An attacker identifies an object with insecurely inherited permissions.
2. The attacker exploits the insecure permissions to gain unauthorized access or modify sensitive data.
3. Unauthorized actions are performed on the affected objects, leading to financial losses and reputational damage.

How to Detect Insecure Inherited Permissions

Manual Testing

• Review permission assignments for objects created during program execution.
• Verify that secure permissions are explicitly set rather than relying on inherited defaults.

Automated Scanners (SAST / DAST)

Static analysis can detect insecure permission assignments, while dynamic testing is required to confirm actual exploitation of these permissions in a runtime environment.

PenScan Detection

PenScan’s scanner engines such as ZAP and Nuclei can identify insecure permission assignments during static analysis.

False Positive Guidance

False positives may occur if the code appears risky but is actually safe due to context that a scanner cannot determine. Ensure secure permissions are explicitly set rather than relying on inherited defaults.

How to Fix Insecure Inherited Permissions

• Carefully manage and explicitly set permissions on objects created during program execution.
• Use framework-specific mechanisms like Spring’s security annotations to enforce proper access control rules.

Framework-Specific Fixes for Insecure Inherited Permissions

Java EE/EJB

@RolesAllowed({"admin"})
public class PermissionManager {
    public void createObject(Object obj) {
        // Explicitly set secure permissions on the object
        obj.setPermissions("secure-permissions");
    }
}

This code uses Spring’s security annotations to enforce proper access control rules, preventing unauthorized access or modifications of sensitive data.

How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Insecure Inherited Permissions

Review the following Java code block for potential CWE-277 Insecure Inherited Permissions vulnerabilities and rewrite it using secure permission assignments: [paste code here]

Insecure Inherited Permissions Best Practices Checklist

• ✅ Carefully manage permissions on objects created during program execution.
• ✅ Use framework-specific mechanisms like Spring’s security annotations to enforce proper access control rules.

Insecure Inherited Permissions FAQ

How does Insecure Inherited Permissions work?

It occurs when a product defines insecure permissions that are inherited by objects created during program execution, leading to potential unauthorized access or modifications.

What is the impact of Insecure Inherited Permissions on application data?

This weakness allows attackers to read and modify sensitive application data due to improperly managed inheritance of permissions.

How can I detect Insecure Inherited Permissions in my codebase?

Use manual testing techniques such as reviewing permission assignments and automated scanners that check for insecure inherited permissions during static analysis.

What are the potential mitigations for Insecure Inherited Permissions?

Carefully manage privileges, compartmentalize systems to enforce trust boundaries, and ensure separation of privilege in software design.

How can I prevent Insecure Inherited Permissions using a specific framework like Spring?

Use Spring’s security annotations to explicitly define access control rules for resources and methods within your application.

Can you provide an example of secure code that mitigates Insecure Inherited Permissions?

Ensure proper management of permissions by explicitly setting them on objects rather than relying on inherited defaults, using framework-specific mechanisms like Spring’s security annotations.

What are the common business impacts of Insecure Inherited Permissions?

Financial losses, compliance violations, and reputational damage can result from unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Vulnerabilities Related to Insecure Inherited Permissions

| CWE | Name | Relationship | |—|—|—| | CWE-732 | Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource (ChildOf) |

References

• MITRE
• 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 Insecure Inherited Permissions and other risks before an attacker does.