The product stores a password in a configuration file that might be accessible to actors who do not know the password.
This can result in compromise of the system for which the password is used. An attacker could gain access to this file and learn the stored password or worse yet, change the password to one of their choosing.

Primary

Architecture and Design
OMISSION: This weakness is caused by missing a security tactic during the architecture and design phase.

Implementation

Access Control
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

Automated Static Analysis
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.)
High

Architecture and Design
Avoid storing passwords in easily accessible locations.

Architecture and Design
Consider storing cryptographic hashes of passwords as an alternative to storing in plaintext.

Below is a snippet from a Java properties file.

webapp.ldap.username = secretUsernamewebapp.ldap.password = secretPassword

Because the LDAP credentials are stored in plaintext, anyone with access to the file can gain access to the resource.

The following examples show a portion of properties and configuration files for Java and ASP.NET applications. The files include username and password information but they are stored in cleartext.
This Java example shows a properties file with a cleartext username / password pair.

# Java Web App ResourceBundle properties file
...webapp.ldap.username=secretUsernamewebapp.ldap.password=secretPassword...

The following example shows a portion of a configuration file for an ASP.Net application. This configuration file includes username and password information for a connection to a database but the pair is stored in cleartext.

...<connectionStrings><add name="ud_DEV" connectionString="connectDB=uDB; uid=db2admin; pwd=password; dbalias=uDB;" providerName="System.Data.Odbc" /></connectionStrings>...

Username and password information should not be included in a configuration file or a properties file in cleartext as this will allow anyone who can read the file access to the resource. If possible, encrypt this information.

CVE-2022-38665
A continuous delivery pipeline management tool stores an unencypted password in a configuration file.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-38665

File or Directory

Password Management: Password in Configuration File

Allowed
This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

7 Pernicious Kingdoms
2006-07-19
Draft 3
2006-07-19

Sean Eidemiller
Cigital
2008-07-01
added/updated demonstrative examples

Eric Dalci
Cigital
2008-07-01
updated Time_of_Introduction

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-09-08
updated Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-10-14
updated Description

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-06-01
updated Common_Consequences

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-05-11
updated References, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-10-30
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2014-07-30
updated Demonstrative_Examples, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-11-08
updated Affected_Resources, Applicable_Platforms, Modes_of_Introduction, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated References, Relationships, Type

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-08-20
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2021-03-15
updated Demonstrative_Examples

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2021-10-28
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-01-31
updated Description

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-04-27
updated Detection_Factors, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-10-26
updated Observed_Examples

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2025-12-11
4.19
2025-12-11
updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities