What is Not Using Password Aging (CWE-262)?

TL;DR: Not Using Password Aging (CWE-262) is a critical vulnerability that occurs when passwords are not regularly changed or expired. Regularly changing and expiring passwords, enforcing password policies, and implementing multi-factor authentication can help prevent this vulnerability.

At-a-Glance Table

What is Not Using Password Aging?

Not Using Password Aging (CWE-262) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when passwords are not regularly changed or expired. As defined by the MITRE Corporation under CWE-262, and classified by the OWASP Foundation as not directly mapped to any category, this vulnerability can lead to compromised confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.

Quick Summary

Not Using Password Aging (CWE-262) is a critical vulnerability that occurs when passwords are not regularly changed or expired. Regularly changing and expiring passwords, enforcing password policies, and implementing multi-factor authentication can help prevent this vulnerability. This guide provides examples and prevention techniques for Not Using Password Aging.

Jump to: Quick Summary · Not Using Password Aging Overview · How Not Using Password Aging Works · Business Impact of Not Using Password Aging · Not Using Password Aging Attack Scenario · How to Detect Not Using Password Aging · How to Fix Not Using Password Aging · Framework-Specific Fixes for Not Using Password Aging · How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Not Using Password Aging · Not Using Password Aging Best Practices Checklist · Not Using Password Aging FAQ · Vulnerabilities Related to Not Using Password Aging · References · Scan Your Own Site

Not Using Password Aging Overview

What

Not Using Password Aging (CWE-262) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when passwords are not regularly changed or expired.

Why it matters

Regularly changing and expiring passwords, enforcing password policies, and implementing multi-factor authentication can help prevent this vulnerability. Compromised confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information can result from Not Using Password Aging.

Where it occurs

Not Using Password Aging can occur in any system or application that uses passwords for authentication.

Who is affected

Any user with a password-protected account is potentially affected by Not Using Password Aging.

Who is NOT affected

Users who do not use passwords for authentication are not affected by Not Using Password Aging.

How Not Using Password Aging Works

Root Cause

The root cause of Not Using Password Aging is the failure to regularly change or expire passwords.

Attack Flow

1. An attacker gains access to a password-protected account.
2. The attacker uses the compromised password to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
3. The attacker exploits the vulnerability by not changing or expiring the password.

Prerequisites to Exploit

• A password-protected account with a weak or expired password
• Access to the compromised account’s credentials

Vulnerable Code

import getpass
username = input("Enter your username: ")
password = getpass.getpass("Enter your password: ")

# The vulnerable code here is that it does not check if the password has been changed or expired.

Secure Code

import getpass
from datetime import datetime

username = input("Enter your username: ")
password = getpass.getpass("Enter your password: ")

# Check if the password has been changed or expired
if datetime.now() > password_expiration_date:
    print("Password has expired. Please change it.")

Business Impact of Not Using Password Aging

Confidentiality

• Compromised confidentiality of sensitive information due to weak or expired passwords.

Integrity

• Compromised integrity of sensitive information due to unauthorized access by attackers.

Availability

• Compromised availability of sensitive information due to system downtime caused by attacks.

Not Using Password Aging Attack Scenario

1. An attacker gains access to a password-protected account.
2. The attacker uses the compromised password to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
3. The attacker exploits the vulnerability by not changing or expiring the password.

How to Detect Not Using Password Aging

Manual Testing

• Check if passwords are regularly changed and expired
• Verify that password policies are enforced

• Use multi-factor authentication

• Review password change history
• Check for weak or expired passwords
• Verify that password policies are enforced

Automated Scanners (SAST / DAST)

• Static analysis can detect weak or expired passwords, but dynamic testing is required to verify password aging.

PenScan Detection

• PenScan’s scanner engines actively test for this issue, helping you identify and remediate vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.

False Positive Guidance

• Be cautious of false positives caused by legitimate password changes or expirations.
• Verify the context of each finding to ensure it is not a false positive.

How to Fix Not Using Password Aging

• Implement regular password changes and expirations
• Enforce password policies
• Use multi-factor authentication

Framework-Specific Fixes for Not Using Password Aging

Java

import java.security.SecureRandom;

public class SecurePassword {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Generate a secure random password
        String password = new String(new char[10]).replace("\0", "");
        SecureRandom sr = new SecureRandom();
        for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
            password += (char)(sr.nextInt(26) + 'a');
        }
    }
}

Node.js

const crypto = require('crypto');

function generateSecurePassword() {
    // Generate a secure random password
    const password = crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
    return password;
}

console.log(generateSecurePassword());

How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Not Using Password Aging

You can ask AI to review your code for potential CWE-262 Not Using Password Aging vulnerabilities using a copy-pasteable prompt with an AI coding assistant.

Not Using Password Aging Best Practices Checklist

✅ Regularly change and expire passwords ✅ Enforce password policies ✅ Use multi-factor authentication

Not Using Password Aging FAQ

How does Not Using Password Aging occur?

Not Using Password Aging occurs when passwords are not regularly changed or expired.

What is the business impact of Not Using Password Aging?

The business impact of Not Using Password Aging includes compromised confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.

How can I detect Not Using Password Aging in my application?

You can detect Not Using Password Aging using manual testing, automated scanners, or PenScan’s detection capabilities.

What are the framework-specific fixes for Not Using Password Aging?

The framework-specific fixes for Not Using Password Aging depend on the programming language and framework being used.

How can I ask AI to check my code for Not Using Password Aging vulnerabilities?

You can ask AI to review your code for potential CWE-262 Not Using Password Aging vulnerabilities using a copy-pasteable prompt with an AI coding assistant.

What are the best practices for preventing Not Using Password Aging?

The best practices for preventing Not Using Password Aging include regularly changing and expiring passwords, enforcing password policies, and implementing multi-factor authentication.

What are the related vulnerabilities to Not Using Password Aging?

The related vulnerabilities to Not Using Password Aging include CWE-1390 (Weak Authentication), CWE-309 (Use of Password System for Primary Authentication), and CWE-324 (Use of a Key Past its Expiration Date).

Vulnerabilities Related to Not Using Password Aging

References

• MITRE CWE-262
• CAPEC
• 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 Not Using Password Aging and other risks before an attacker does.