What is Improperly Implemented Security Check (CWE-358)?

TL;DR: Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard (CWE-358) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when a product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique. You can fix it by implementing security-relevant checks and using secure coding practices.

At-a-Glance Table

What is Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard?

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard (CWE-358) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when a product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique. As defined by the MITRE Corporation under CWE-358, and classified by the OWASP Foundation under A05:2025 - Security Misconfiguration, Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard can lead to Bypass Protection Mechanism and other common consequences.

Quick Summary

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard (CWE-358) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when a product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique. This can lead to Bypass Protection Mechanism and other common consequences.

Jump to: What is Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard? · Quick Summary · Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Overview · How Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Works · Business Impact of Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard · Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Attack Scenario · How to Detect Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard · How to Fix Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard · Framework-Specific Fixes for Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard · How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard · Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Best Practices Checklist · Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard FAQ · Vulnerabilities Related to Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard · References · Scan Your Own Site

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Overview

What: Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard (CWE-358) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when a product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.

Why it matters: Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard can lead to Bypass Protection Mechanism and other common consequences. It is essential to implement security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique to prevent this vulnerability.

Where it occurs: Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard can occur in any product that implements security-relevant checks.

Who is affected: Any user who interacts with the product may be affected by Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard.

Who is NOT affected: Users who do not interact with the product are not affected by Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard.

How Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Works

Root Cause

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard occurs when a product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.

Attack Flow

1. The attacker identifies a vulnerability in the product’s implementation of security-relevant checks.
2. The attacker exploits the vulnerability to bypass protection mechanisms.
3. The attacker gains unauthorized access to sensitive data or systems.

Prerequisites to Exploit

• The product must not implement or incorrectly implement one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.
• The attacker must be able to identify and exploit the vulnerability in the product’s implementation of security-relevant checks.

Vulnerable Code

import os

def check_security_checks(path):
    # vulnerable code: no security checks are performed
    return True

The above code does not perform any security checks on the input path, making it vulnerable to Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard.

Secure Code

import os

def check_security_checks(path):
    # secure code: security checks are performed using a whitelist of allowed paths
    if os.path.abspath(path).startswith('/path/to/allowed/directory'):
        return True
    else:
        raise ValueError('Invalid path')

The above code performs security checks on the input path by verifying that it starts with an allowed directory.

Business Impact of Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

Confidentiality

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, compromising confidentiality.

• Example: An attacker gains access to a database containing sensitive customer information.
• Consequences:
  • Financial loss due to identity theft or credit card fraud.
  • Reputation damage due to public disclosure of the breach.

Integrity

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard can lead to unauthorized modification of data, compromising integrity.

• Example: An attacker modifies a critical configuration file, causing the system to malfunction.
• Consequences:
  • System downtime and loss of productivity.
  • Financial loss due to lost revenue or opportunities.

Availability

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard can lead to denial-of-service attacks, compromising availability.

• Example: An attacker causes the system to crash, making it unavailable to users.
• Consequences:
  • Loss of revenue due to downtime.
  • Reputation damage due to public disclosure of the breach.

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Attack Scenario

1. The attacker identifies a vulnerability in the product’s implementation of security-relevant checks.
2. The attacker exploits the vulnerability to bypass protection mechanisms.
3. The attacker gains unauthorized access to sensitive data or systems.

How to Detect Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

Manual Testing

• Review code for security checks
• Test code with malicious input
• Verify that security checks are implemented correctly

Automated Scanners (SAST/DAST)

• SAST tools can identify vulnerabilities in the code, but may not catch all instances of Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard.
• DAST tools can identify vulnerabilities in the runtime environment, but may not catch all instances of Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard.

PenScan Detection

PenScan’s automated scanners actively test for this issue and provide detailed reports on any detected vulnerabilities.

False Positive Guidance

• Be cautious when interpreting results from manual testing or automated scanners.
• Verify that security checks are implemented correctly before assuming a vulnerability is present.

How to Fix Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

• Implement security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.
• Use secure coding practices to prevent vulnerabilities.

Framework-Specific Fixes for Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

Java

import java.io.File;

public class SecurityChecker {
    public boolean checkSecurityChecks(String path) {
        // secure code: security checks are performed using a whitelist of allowed paths
        if (new File(path).getAbsolutePath().startsWith("/path/to/allowed/directory")) {
            return true;
        } else {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid path");
        }
    }
}

Node.js

const fs = require('fs');

function checkSecurityChecks(path) {
    // secure code: security checks are performed using a whitelist of allowed paths
    if (fs.realpathSync(path).startsWith('/path/to/allowed/directory')) {
        return true;
    } else {
        throw new Error("Invalid path");
    }
}

Python/Django

import os

def check_security_checks(path):
    # secure code: security checks are performed using a whitelist of allowed paths
    if os.path.abspath(path).startswith('/path/to/allowed/directory'):
        return True
    else:
        raise ValueError('Invalid path')

PHP

function checkSecurityChecks($path) {
    // secure code: security checks are performed using a whitelist of allowed paths
    if (realpath($path) === '/path/to/allowed/directory') {
        return true;
    } else {
        throw new Exception("Invalid path");
    }
}

How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

You can ask an AI coding assistant to review your code and identify potential vulnerabilities related to Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard.

Review the following Python code block for potential CWE-358 Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard vulnerabilities and rewrite it using a whitelist of allowed paths:

```python
import os

def check_security_checks(path):
    # vulnerable code: no security checks are performed
    return True

Rewrite the code to use a whitelist of allowed paths:

import os

def check_security_checks(path):
    # secure code: security checks are performed using a whitelist of allowed paths
    if os.path.abspath(path).startswith('/path/to/allowed/directory'):
        return True
    else:
        raise ValueError('Invalid path')

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard Best Practices Checklist

✅ Implement security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.

✅ Use secure coding practices to prevent vulnerabilities.

✅ Review code regularly to identify potential vulnerabilities.

✅ Test code with malicious input to ensure that security checks are implemented correctly.

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard FAQ

How does Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard occur?

Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard occurs when a product does not implement or incorrectly implements one or more security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique.

What are the common consequences of Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard?

The common consequences of Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard include Bypass Protection Mechanism.

How can I detect Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard in my code?

You can use manual testing, automated scanners (SAST/DAST), and PenScan detection to identify Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard in your code.

What are the best practices to prevent Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard?

To prevent Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard, you should implement security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique, and use secure coding practices.

How can I fix Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard in my code?

You can fix Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard by implementing security-relevant checks as specified by the design of a standardized algorithm, protocol, or technique, and using secure coding practices.

What are some common related vulnerabilities to Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard?

Some common related vulnerabilities to Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard include CWE-573: Improper Following of Specification by Caller (ChildOf), CWE-693: Protection Mechanism Failure (ChildOf), CWE-345: Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity (CanAlsoBe), and CWE-290: Authentication Bypass by Spoofing (CanAlsoBe).

What are some common security frameworks that can help prevent Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard?

Some common security frameworks that can help prevent Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard include OWASP, CAPEC, and CWE.

Vulnerabilities Related to Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard

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 Improperly Implemented Security Check for Standard and other risks before an attacker does.