The product constructs the name of a file or other resource using input from an upstream component, but it does not restrict or incorrectly restricts the resulting name.
This may produce resultant weaknesses. For instance, if the names of these resources contain scripting characters, it is possible that a script may get executed in the client's browser if the application ever displays the name of the resource on a dynamically generated web page. Alternately, if the resources are consumed by some application parser, a specially crafted name can exploit some vulnerability internal to the parser, potentially resulting in execution of arbitrary code on the server machine. The problems will vary based on the context of usage of such malformed resource names and whether vulnerabilities are present in or assumptions are made by the targeted technology that would make code execution possible.

Primary

Architecture and Design

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

Low

Integrity
Confidentiality
Availability
Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
Execution of arbitrary code in the context of usage of the resources with dangerous names.

Confidentiality
Availability
Read Application Data
DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
Crash of the consumer code of these resources resulting in information leakage or denial of service.

Architecture and Design
Do not allow users to control names of resources used on the server side.

Architecture and Design
Perform allowlist input validation at entry points and also before consuming the resources. Reject bad file names rather than trying to cleanse them.

Architecture and Design
Make sure that technologies consuming the resources are not vulnerable (e.g. buffer overflow, format string, etc.) in a way that would allow code execution if the name of the resource is malformed.

SFP24
Tainted input to command

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.

Evgeny Lebanidze
Cigital
2008-01-30
Draft 8
2008-01-30

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-10-14
updated Description

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2009-10-29
updated Common_Consequences

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2010-06-21
updated Description, Name, Type

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2010-12-13
updated Common_Consequences

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-06-01
updated Common_Consequences

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-10-30
updated Potential_Mitigations

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-05-03
updated Potential_Mitigations

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-06-25
updated Potential_Mitigations, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-01-31
updated Description

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-04-27
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2023-06-29
updated Mapping_Notes

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

Insufficient Filtering of File and Other Resource Names for Executable Content