CWEweakness

CWE-921 Storage of Sensitive Data in a Mechanism without Access Control

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Abstraction
Base
Structure
Simple
Status
Incomplete
Languages
Not Language-Specific
CWE version
5.0

Description

The product stores sensitive information in a file system or device that does not have built-in access control.

Extended description

While many modern file systems or devices utilize some form of access control in order to restrict access to data, not all storage mechanisms have this capability. For example, memory cards, floppy disks, CDs, and USB devices are typically made accessible to any user within the system. This can become a problem when sensitive data is stored in these mechanisms in a multi-user environment, because anybody on the system can read or write this data. On Android devices, external storage is typically globally readable and writable by other applications on the device. External storage may also be easily accessible through the mobile device's USB connection or physically accessible through the device's memory card port.

Common consequences

• Confidentiality: Read Application Data, Read Files or Directories — Attackers can read sensitive information by accessing the unrestricted storage mechanism. • Integrity: Modify Application Data, Modify Files or Directories — Attackers can modify or delete sensitive information by accessing the unrestricted storage mechanism.

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.)

Related

Child of · CWE (1)

  • CWE-922 Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information weakness

Referenced by CVE · weakness (9)

  • CVE-2025-30016 SAP Financial Consolidation allows an unauthenticated attacker to gain unauthorized access to the Admin account. vulnerability
  • CVE-2025-24843 Insecure file retrieval process that facilitates potential for file manipulation to affect product stability and confidentiality,… vulnerability
  • CVE-2024-9334 Use of Hard-coded Credentials, Storage of Sensitive Data in a Mechanism without Access Control vulnerability in E-Kent Pallium Vehicle… vulnerability
  • CVE-2025-24870 SAP GUI for Windows & RFC service credentials are incorrectly stored in the memory of the program allowing an unauthenticated attacker to… vulnerability
  • CVE-2024-5206 A sensitive data leakage vulnerability was identified in scikit-learn's TfidfVectorizer, specifically in versions up to and including… vulnerability
  • CVE-2023-41818 An improper use of the SD card for sensitive data vulnerability was reported in the Motorola Device Help application that could allow a… vulnerability
  • CVE-2023-41965 Sending some requests in the web application of the vulnerable device allows information to be obtained due to the lack of security in the… vulnerability
  • CVE-2023-2665 Storage of Sensitive Data in a Mechanism without Access Control in GitHub repository francoisjacquet/rosariosis prior to 11.0. vulnerability
  • CVE-2021-27456 Philips Gemini PET/CT family software stores sensitive information in a removable media device that does not have built-in access control. vulnerability