The Secure attribute for sensitive cookies in HTTPS sessions is not set.

Primary

Implementation

Confidentiality
Read Application Data
Omitting the secure flag makes it possible for the user agent to send the cookies in plaintext over an HTTP session.

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

Implementation
Always set the secure attribute when the cookie should be sent via HTTPS only.

The snippet of code below, taken from a servlet doPost() method, sets an accountID cookie (sensitive) without calling setSecure(true).

Cookie c = new Cookie(ACCOUNT_ID, acctID);response.addCookie(c);

CVE-2024-47833
python library for ML and data science does not use the Secure flag for session cookies
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-47833

CVE-2004-0462
A product does not set the Secure attribute for sensitive cookies in HTTPS sessions, which could cause the user agent to send those cookies in plaintext over an HTTP session with the product.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0462

CVE-2008-3663
A product does not set the secure flag for the session cookie in an https session, which can cause the cookie to be sent in http requests and make it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3663

CVE-2008-3662
A product does not set the secure flag for the session cookie in an https session, which can cause the cookie to be sent in http requests and make it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3662

CVE-2008-0128
A product does not set the secure flag for a cookie in an https session, which can cause the cookie to be sent in http requests and make it easier for remote attackers to capture this cookie.
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-0128

Allowed
This CWE entry is at the Variant 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.

Anonymous Tool Vendor (under NDA)
2007-05-07
Draft 6
2007-05-07

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

Eric Dalci
Cigital
2008-07-01
updated Potential_Mitigations, Time_of_Introduction

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

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2008-10-14
updated Observed_Examples

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2009-03-10
updated Name

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2009-05-27
updated Related_Attack_Patterns

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2011-06-01
updated Common_Consequences

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-05-11
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2012-10-30
updated Potential_Mitigations

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2014-07-30
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-01-19
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2017-11-08
updated Taxonomy_Mappings

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2020-02-24
updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2021-10-28
updated Relationships

CWE Content Team
MITRE
2022-06-28
updated Relationships

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
2025-09-09
4.18
2025-09-09
updated Common_Consequences, Description, Diagram, Potential_Mitigations

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

Unset Secure Attribute for Sensitive Cookies in HTTPS Session