CWE-257
Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format
AI Translation Available
The storage of passwords in a recoverable format makes them subject to password reuse attacks by malicious users. In fact, it should be noted that recoverable encrypted passwords provide no significant benefit over plaintext passwords since they are subject not only to reuse by malicious attackers but also by malicious insiders. If a system administrator can recover a password directly, or use a brute force search on the available information, the administrator can use the password on other accounts.
Status
incomplete
Abstraction
base
Likelihood
high
Affected Platforms
Technical Details
AI Translation
Common Consequences
confidentiality
access control
Impacts
gain privileges or assume identity
Detection Methods
automated static analysis
Potential Mitigations
Phases:
architecture and design
Descriptions:
•
Use strong, non-reversible encryption to protect stored passwords.