The product does not verify, or incorrectly verifies, the cryptographic signature for data.

Primary

Architecture and Design

Implementation
REALIZATION: This weakness is caused during implementation of an architectural security tactic.

Access Control
Integrity
Confidentiality
Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Modify Application Data
Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
An attacker could gain access to sensitive data and possibly execute unauthorized code.

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

In the following code, a JarFile object is created from a downloaded file.

File f = new File(downloadedFilePath);JarFile jf = new JarFile(f);

The JAR file that was potentially downloaded from an untrusted source is created without verifying the signature (if present). An alternate constructor that accepts a boolean verify parameter should be used instead.

CVE-2002-1796
Does not properly verify signatures for "trusted" entities.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1796

CVE-2005-2181
Insufficient verification allows spoofing.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-2181

CVE-2005-2182
Insufficient verification allows spoofing.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-2182

CVE-2002-1706
Accepts a configuration file without a Message Integrity Check (MIC) signature.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-1706

Improperly Verified Signature

SEC06-J
Do not rely on the default automatic signature verification provided by URLClassLoader and java.util.jar

Part 3-3
Req SR 1.9

Part 4-1
Req SM-6

Part 4-2
Req EDR 3.12

Part 4-2
Req NDR 3.12

Part 4-2
Req HDR 3.12

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.

PLOVER
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
2009-05-27
updated Description, Name

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-06-01
updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-05-11
updated Common_Consequences, Related_Attack_Patterns, Relationships, Taxonomy_Mappings

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2015-12-07
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-01-19
updated Relationships

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2019-01-03
updated Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-08-20
updated Related_Attack_Patterns

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, Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2024-11-19
4.16
2024-11-19
updated Diagram

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

"Mapping CWE to 62443" Sub-Working Group
CWE-CAPEC ICS/OT SIG
2023-04-25
Suggested mappings to ISA/IEC 62443.

Abhi Balakrishnan
2024-09-10
4.16
2024-11-19
Provided diagram to improve CWE usability

Improperly Verified Signature