CWE-211: Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information
The product performs an operation that triggers an external diagnostic or error message that is not directly generated or controlled by the product, such as an error generated by the programming language interpreter that a software application uses. The error can contain sensitive system information.
How it's found
Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information is typically found by tracing untrusted input from where it enters the system to the point where it is used without the check or neutralization this weakness describes, combining manual code review with dynamic testing.
Consequences
- Read Application Data
Mitigations
- System Configuration: Configure the application's environment in a way that prevents errors from being generated. For example, in PHP, disable display_errors.
- Implementation/Build and Compilation: Debugging information should not make its way into a production release.
- Implementation/Build and Compilation: Debugging information should not make its way into a production release.
- Implementation: Handle exceptions internally and do not display errors containing potentially sensitive information to a user. Create default error pages if necessary.
- Implementation: The best way to prevent this weakness during implementation is to avoid any bugs that could trigger the external error message. This typically happens when the program encounters fatal errors, such as a divide-by-zero. You will not always be able to control the use of error pages, and you might not be using a language that handles exceptions.
Where this fits in a TurboPentest engagement
TurboPentest's agentic pentest is powerful and covers a broad range of issues automatically. This particular class is best confirmed in a manual IntegSec engagement, where human pentesters apply deeper methodology and a larger context window than any automated pass.
Frequently asked questions
What is CWE-211?
The product performs an operation that triggers an external diagnostic or error message that is not directly generated or controlled by the product, such as an error generated by the programming language interpreter that a software application uses. The error can contain sensitive system information.
How do you find Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information?
Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information is typically found by tracing untrusted input from where it enters the system to the point where it is used without the check or neutralization this weakness describes, combining manual code review with dynamic testing.
What is the impact of CWE-211?
Read Application Data
Does TurboPentest test for Externally-Generated Error Message Containing Sensitive Information?
TurboPentest's agentic pentest is powerful and covers a broad range of issues automatically. This particular class is best confirmed in a manual IntegSec engagement, where human pentesters apply deeper methodology and a larger context window than any automated pass.
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