CWE-486

Comparison of Classes by Name
AI Translation Available

The product compares classes by name, which can cause it to use the wrong class when multiple classes can have the same name.

Status
draft
Abstraction
variant
Likelihood
high
Java

If the decision to trust the methods and data of an object is based on the name of a class, it is possible for malicious users to send objects of the same name as trusted classes and thereby gain the trust afforded to known classes and types.

Common Consequences

integrity confidentiality availability
Impacts
execute unauthorized code or commands

Detection Methods

automated static analysis

Potential Mitigations

Phases:
implementation
Descriptions:
• Use class equivalency to determine type. Rather than use the class name to determine if an object is of a given type, use the getClass() method, and == operator.