What is Violation of Secure Design Principles (CWE-657)?

TL;DR: Violation of Secure Design Principles (CWE-657) is a critical vulnerability that occurs when well-established security principles are not followed, leading to potential breaches. Adhering to established secure design guidelines can prevent this issue.

What is Violation of Secure Design Principles?

Violation of Secure Design Principles (CWE-657) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when well-established security principles are not followed during the design phase. As defined by the MITRE Corporation under CWE-657, and classified by the OWASP Foundation under A06:2025 - Insecure Design, this weakness can lead to significant vulnerabilities if proper secure design practices are ignored.

Quick Summary

Violation of Secure Design Principles is a critical issue that occurs when well-established security principles are not followed during the design phase. This can result in significant security vulnerabilities and potential breaches. Jump to: Overview · How It Works · Business Impact · Attack Scenario · Detection · Fixing · Framework-Specific Fixes · Ask AI · Best Practices Checklist · FAQ · Related Vulnerabilities

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

Violation of Secure Design Principles Overview

What: Violation of Secure Design Principles (CWE-657) is a type of vulnerability that occurs when well-established security principles are not followed during the design phase.

Why it matters: Adhering to established secure design guidelines can prevent significant vulnerabilities and potential breaches.

Where it occurs: This weakness can occur in any system where secure design practices are ignored or insufficiently enforced.

Who is affected: Developers, architects, and organizations that do not follow secure design principles during the development process.

Who is NOT affected: Systems designed with adherence to established security guidelines from organizations like OWASP.

How Violation of Secure Design Principles Works

Root Cause

The root cause of Violation of Secure Design Principles lies in the failure to adhere to well-established security practices and standards during the design phase. This can include missing authentication mechanisms, inadequate access controls, or ignoring secure coding principles.

Attack Flow

1. The attacker identifies a system that violates secure design principles.
2. Exploits vulnerabilities resulting from insecure design choices.
3. Gains unauthorized access or causes other detrimental effects on the system.

Prerequisites to Exploit

• Inadequate adherence to security guidelines during design.
• Missing or weak authentication mechanisms.
• Insufficient access controls and authorization checks.

Vulnerable Code

def create_user(user_data):
    # No validation of user data
    new_user = User(**user_data)
    db.session.add(new_user)
    db.session.commit()

This code does not validate the input user_data, leading to potential vulnerabilities such as unauthorized access or privilege escalation.

Secure Code

def create_user(user_data):
    # Validate user data against a predefined schema
    if validate_user_input(user_data):
        new_user = User(**user_data)
        db.session.add(new_user)
        db.session.commit()

This secure version includes validation of the input user_data before creating a new user, ensuring adherence to security guidelines.

Business Impact of Violation of Secure Design Principles

Confidentiality: Sensitive data can be exposed due to inadequate authentication mechanisms or access controls.

• Example: Unauthorized users gaining access to sensitive information.

Integrity: Data integrity may be compromised if secure design principles are not followed, leading to unauthorized modifications.

Availability: System availability and stability can be affected by insecure design choices that allow for denial of service attacks or other disruptions.

Business Consequences:

• Financial losses due to data breaches.
• Compliance violations resulting in fines and legal action.
• Damage to reputation and loss of customer trust.

Violation of Secure Design Principles Attack Scenario

1. The attacker identifies a system with weak authentication mechanisms.
2. Exploits vulnerabilities by bypassing these mechanisms.
3. Gains unauthorized access to sensitive data or functions.
4. Causes disruption or damage to the system’s integrity and availability.

How to Detect Violation of Secure Design Principles

Manual Testing

• Review design documents for adherence to secure coding standards.
• Check architecture diagrams for proper implementation of security controls.

Automated Scanners (SAST / DAST)

Static analysis can identify potential issues in code, while dynamic testing can detect vulnerabilities during runtime.

PenScan Detection

PenScan’s automated scanners use tools like ZAP and Nuclei to detect insecure design principles.

False Positive Guidance

False positives may occur if the system appears to violate secure design principles but is actually secured by context not visible to the scanner. Ensure that findings are validated against actual implementation details.

How to Fix Violation of Secure Design Principles

• Follow established security guidelines from organizations like OWASP.
• Implement proper authentication and access control mechanisms.
• Validate all input data before processing it in the system.

Framework-Specific Fixes for Violation of Secure Design Principles

Python/Django

def create_user(user_data):
    # Use Django's form validation to validate user data
    if UserForm(data=user_data).is_valid():
        new_user = User(**user_data)
        db.session.add(new_user)
        db.session.commit()

How to Ask AI to Check Your Code for Violation of Secure Design Principles

Violation of Secure Design Principles Best Practices Checklist

✅ Follow established secure design guidelines from organizations like OWASP. ✅ Implement proper authentication mechanisms during the design phase. ✅ Validate all input data before processing it in the system.

Violation of Secure Design Principles FAQ

How does violation of secure design principles work?

It occurs when a system is designed without adhering to established security guidelines, leading to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers.

What are the common causes of violating secure design principles?

Common causes include lack of security expertise during development and insufficient adherence to coding standards.

How do I detect violation of secure design principles in my code?

Manual testing involves reviewing design documents and architecture diagrams for adherence to security best practices. Automated scanners can also identify potential issues.

What are the consequences of violating secure design principles?

It can lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, and system instability.

How do I prevent violation of secure design principles in my application?

Follow established security guidelines from organizations like OWASP and ensure adherence to coding standards during development.

What are some real-world examples of violating secure design principles?

Examples include designing a system without proper authentication mechanisms or implementing features that allow unauthorized access.

How can I use AI to check for violation of secure design principles in my code?

Use an AI coding assistant to review your code and ensure it adheres to security best practices.

Vulnerabilities Related to Violation of Secure Design Principles

References

• MITRE
• OWASP Insecure Design
• NVD NIST

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 Violation of Secure Design Principles and other risks before an attacker does.