CWE-555 Variant Draft

J2EE Misconfiguration: Plaintext Password in Configuration File

A J2EE application insecurely stores an unprotected password within a configuration file.

Definition

What is CWE-555?

A J2EE application insecurely stores an unprotected password within a configuration file.
This misconfiguration occurs when a developer writes a password directly into a configuration file (like XML or .properties) without any encryption. Since these files are often needed for the application to start, they are frequently readable by other processes or users on the system, exposing the credential in clear text. Anyone with access to this file, such as a system administrator, a different application on the same server, or an attacker who gains a foothold, can immediately read and use the password. This bypasses all security controls for the protected resource, such as a database, making it a trivial target for compromise.
Real-world impact

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-555

No public CVE references are linked to this CWE in MITRE's catalog yet.

How attackers exploit it

Step-by-step attacker path

  1. 1

    Identify a code path that handles untrusted input without validation.

  2. 2

    Craft a payload that exercises the unsafe behavior — injection, traversal, overflow, or logic abuse.

  3. 3

    Deliver the payload through a normal request and observe the application's reaction.

  4. 4

    Iterate until the response leaks data, executes attacker code, or escalates privileges.

Vulnerable code example

Vulnerable Java

Below is a snippet from a Java properties file in which the LDAP server password is stored in plaintext.

Vulnerable Java 
webapp.ldap.username=secretUsername
  webapp.ldap.password=secretPassword
Secure code example

Secure pseudo

Secure pseudo 
// Validate, sanitize, or use a safe API before reaching the sink.
function handleRequest(input) {
  const safe = validateAndEscape(input);
  return executeWithGuards(safe);
}
What changed: the unsafe sink is replaced (or the input is validated/escaped) so the same payload no longer triggers the weakness.
Prevention checklist

How to prevent CWE-555

  • Architecture and Design Do not hardwire passwords into your software.
  • Architecture and Design Use industry standard libraries to encrypt passwords before storage in configuration files.
Detection signals

How to detect CWE-555

SAST High

Run static analysis (SAST) on the codebase looking for the unsafe pattern in the data flow.

DAST Moderate

Run dynamic application security testing against the live endpoint.

Runtime Moderate

Watch runtime logs for unusual exception traces, malformed input, or authorization bypass attempts.

Code review Moderate

Code review: flag any new code that handles input from this surface without using the validated framework helpers.

Plexicus auto-fix

Plexicus auto-detects CWE-555 and opens a fix PR in under 60 seconds.

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is CWE-555?

A J2EE application insecurely stores an unprotected password within a configuration file.

How serious is CWE-555?

MITRE has not published a likelihood-of-exploit rating for this weakness. Treat it as medium-impact until your threat model proves otherwise.

What languages or platforms are affected by CWE-555?

MITRE has not specified affected platforms for this CWE — it can apply across most application stacks.

How can I prevent CWE-555?

Do not hardwire passwords into your software. Use industry standard libraries to encrypt passwords before storage in configuration files.

How does Plexicus detect and fix CWE-555?

Plexicus's SAST engine matches the data-flow signature for CWE-555 on every commit. When a match is found, our Codex Remedium agent opens a fix PR with the corrected code, tests, and a one-line summary for the reviewer.

Where can I learn more about CWE-555?

MITRE publishes the canonical definition at https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/555.html. You can also reference OWASP and NIST documentation for adjacent guidance.

Related weaknesses

Weaknesses related to CWE-555

CWE-260 Parent

Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive passwords directly within a configuration file, making them easily readable…

CWE-13 Sibling

ASP.NET Misconfiguration: Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when an ASP.NET application stores passwords or other sensitive credentials in plaintext within configuration…

CWE-258 Sibling

Empty Password in Configuration File

This vulnerability occurs when a configuration file, script, or application uses an empty string as a password, effectively disabling…

Resources

Further reading

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