Common Weakness Enumeration

CWE-13

Weakness Allowed

ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File

Abstraction: Variant · Status: Draft

API response cwe.mitre.org

Storing a plaintext password in a configuration file allows anyone who can read the file access to the password-protected resource making them an easy target for attackers.

Mapping guidance

This CWE entry is at the Variant level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.

Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

Relationships and members
ChildOf: CWE-260 · View CWE-1000
Modes of introduction
Architecture and Design
Implementation
Detection methods

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)

Content history
Submission: 7 Pernicious Kingdoms · 2006-07-19 · CWE Draft 3
Modification: Eric Dalci · Cigital · 2008-07-01 · CWE 1.0

updated References, Demonstrative_Example, Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2008-09-08 · CWE 1.0

updated Relationships, References, Taxonomy_Mappings

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2009-07-27 · CWE 1.5

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2011-06-01 · CWE 1.13

updated Common_Consequences

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2012-05-11 · CWE 2.2

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2012-10-30 · CWE 2.3

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2013-02-21 · CWE 2.4

updated Potential_Mitigations

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2014-07-30 · CWE 2.8

updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2017-11-08 · CWE 3.0

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2018-03-27 · CWE 3.1

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2020-02-24 · CWE 4.0

updated References, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2021-03-15 · CWE 4.4

updated Demonstrative_Examples

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2021-10-28 · CWE 4.6

updated Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-04-27 · CWE 4.11

updated References, Relationships

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2023-06-29 · CWE 4.12

updated Mapping_Notes

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2025-12-11 · CWE 4.19

updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities

Modification: CWE Content Team · MITRE · 2026-10-28 · CWE 5.0

updated Detection_Factors, References

0 vulnerabilities reference this CWE, most recent first.

No vulnerabilities reference this CWE.

Mitigation
Implementation

Credentials stored in configuration files should be encrypted, Use standard APIs and industry accepted algorithms to encrypt the credentials stored in configuration files.

No CAPEC attack patterns related to this CWE.

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