CWE-922 Class Incomplete

Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data—like credentials, personal information, or encryption keys—without enforcing proper access controls, allowing unauthorized users…

Definition

What is CWE-922?

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data—like credentials, personal information, or encryption keys—without enforcing proper access controls, allowing unauthorized users to read or modify it.
When read permissions are too permissive, attackers can easily exfiltrate confidential data, leading to data breaches and compliance violations. Conversely, insufficient write controls let attackers alter or destroy critical information, which can corrupt application logic, cause service outages, or enable further system compromise. Preventing this requires implementing strict access policies, encrypting sensitive data at rest, and regularly auditing storage configurations. While SAST tools can flag insecure storage patterns, Plexicus uses AI to analyze context and generate precise remediation code, helping teams fix these flaws efficiently across their entire application portfolio.
Real-world impact

Real-world CVEs caused by CWE-922

  • CVE-2009-2272

    password and username stored in cleartext in a cookie

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 pseudo

MITRE has not published a code example for this CWE. The pattern below is illustrative — see Resources for canonical references.

Vulnerable pseudo 
// Example pattern — see MITRE for the canonical references.
function handleRequest(input) {
  // Untrusted input flows directly into the sensitive sink.
  return executeUnsafe(input);
}
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-922

  • Architecture Use safe-by-default frameworks and APIs that prevent the unsafe pattern from being expressible.
  • Implementation Validate input at trust boundaries; use allowlists, not denylists.
  • Implementation Apply the principle of least privilege to credentials, file paths, and runtime permissions.
  • Testing Cover this weakness in CI: SAST rules + targeted unit tests for the data flow.
  • Operation Monitor logs for the runtime signals listed in the next section.
Detection signals

How to detect CWE-922

Automated Static Analysis High

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.)

Plexicus auto-fix

Plexicus auto-detects CWE-922 and opens a fix PR in under 60 seconds.

Codex Remedium scans every commit, identifies this exact weakness, and ships a reviewer-ready pull request with the patch. No tickets. No hand-offs.

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Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is CWE-922?

This vulnerability occurs when an application stores sensitive data—like credentials, personal information, or encryption keys—without enforcing proper access controls, allowing unauthorized users to read or modify it.

How serious is CWE-922?

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-922?

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

How can I prevent CWE-922?

Use safe-by-default frameworks, validate untrusted input at trust boundaries, and apply the principle of least privilege. Cover the data-flow signature in CI with SAST.

How does Plexicus detect and fix CWE-922?

Plexicus's SAST engine matches the data-flow signature for CWE-922 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-922?

MITRE publishes the canonical definition at https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/922.html. You can also reference OWASP and NIST documentation for adjacent guidance.

Related weaknesses

Weaknesses related to CWE-922

CWE-664 Parent

Improper Control of a Resource Through its Lifetime

This vulnerability occurs when software fails to properly manage a resource throughout its entire lifecycle—from creation and active use…

CWE-118 Sibling

Incorrect Access of Indexable Resource ('Range Error')

This vulnerability occurs when software fails to properly check the boundaries of an indexed resource, like an array, buffer, or file,…

CWE-1229 Sibling

Creation of Emergent Resource

This vulnerability occurs when a system's normal operations unintentionally create new, exploitable resources that attackers can use to…

CWE-1250 Sibling

Improper Preservation of Consistency Between Independent Representations of Shared State

This vulnerability occurs when a system with multiple independent components (like distributed services or separate hardware units) each…

CWE-1329 Sibling

Reliance on Component That is Not Updateable

This vulnerability occurs when a product depends on a component that cannot be updated or patched to fix security flaws or critical bugs.

CWE-221 Sibling

Information Loss or Omission

This weakness occurs when an application fails to log critical security events or records them inaccurately, which can misguide security…

CWE-372 Sibling

Incomplete Internal State Distinction

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to accurately track its own operational state. The system incorrectly assumes it's in…

CWE-400 Sibling

Uncontrolled Resource Consumption

This vulnerability occurs when an application fails to properly manage a finite resource, allowing an attacker to exhaust it and cause a…

CWE-404 Sibling

Improper Resource Shutdown or Release

This vulnerability occurs when a program fails to properly close or release a system resource—like a file handle, database connection, or…

Resources

Further reading

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